For a long time, the Ballon d'Or conversation was reduced to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Every year, the options revolved around the former Barcelona and Real Madrid stars, respectively. That left the likes of Robert Lewandowski out of the battle, no matter how great they were that year.
In 2018, however, it looked like things could finally change as Luka Modric became the first player to end the Messi-Ronaldo era. The Argentine star, however, proved he was not done yet by winning the next two editions - though his latest success was by far the most controversial of all his seven awards.
For many, Lewandowski deserved it more after being prevented from winning it in 2020, when the Ballon d'Or ceremony was canceled because of the pandemic. Still, the Pole star feels that leaving Bayern for Barca could help him have more luck in the future.
Playing for Barcelona increases Ballon d'Or chances, Lewandowski says
“Maybe Barcelona’s players won it more often, but this trophy does not keep me awake at night," Lewandowski told Przeglad Sportowy, via Barca Universal. "My approach is that from Barca there is a shorter way to the Golden Ball than from Bayern."
Lewandowski has claimed on several occasions that lacking a Ballon d'Or in his cabinet is not such a terrible thing for him, though he looked quite upset when Messi was chosen over him in 2021.
He later tried to clarify his comments about the Argentine winger - who had publicly claimed that Lewandowski deserved to have won the award by now - but Messi didn't seem to take them well.
Either way, Lewy looks extremely happy to have joined Barcelona at this stage of his career. He may have already established himself as one of the world's best strikers at Bayern, but the 34-year-old feels that Barca is still a bigger step in his already great career.
