Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski might not be awarded the Ballon d’Or for his implausible performances in 2020, the director of the prize Nicolas Manissier has mentioned.
Following a important 2019/20 season with Bayern Munich, through which Lewandowski scored 55 objectives and arrange an additional ten en path to profitable a Bundesliga, DFB Pokal and Champions League treble, it used to be broadly anticipated that the Pole would win essentially the most prestigious prize in soccer at a canter.
However the Covid-19 pandemic noticed France Soccer come to a decision to scrap the award for 2020 – the one month because the prize’s settingup in 1954 that it has no longer been bestowed upon a participant.
There were yelps ever since for Lewandowski to be retrospectively passed the award, and up to date hypothesis has prompt his important achievements would certainly be rewarded. However Manissier has long gone on document to downplay the ones claims, suggesting it will be immoral for the Ballon d’Or committee to believe making an exception.
“We are not considering awarding the Ballon d’Or to Robert Lewandowski for 2020,” Manissier told Cadena SER (via Sport). “As an institution, we have our own regulations that we rigorously respect.”
Lewandowski has spoken publicly of his unhappiness at failing to win the award, and advised German newspaper BILD in a up to date interview: “In 2020 and 2021 I had the best years of my career.
“Just lately a chum despatched me statistics: I scored 100 objectives in 85 video games.
“Of course I would have liked to receive the Ballon d’Or one day. It’s not that I’m angry or sad that I don’t have this trophy yet, but my feeling is that I could have won it either year.
“Let’s put it this fashion: if I won the 2020 Ballon d’Or 4 years upcoming, I wouldn’t be indignant. It could be a superb praise and I might settle for the award.”
While the Ballon d’Or trophy may be missing from Lewandowski’s mantlepiece, there’s very little he has failed to win in an illustrious career at the top of the game. The 35-year-old won La Liga in his first season with Barcelona, as well as the Supercopa de Espana, having accrued a whopping ten Bundesliga titles during his time with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern.
He has also won the European Golden Shoe twice – awarded to the player with the most goals scored in a top division across the continent – and the Best FIFA Men’s Player award twice.
