Barcelona star finally breaks silence on 2020 Ballon d’Or snub – ‘Football works like politics’

Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski has expressed his disappointment over not receiving the Ballon d’Or in 2020, especially when the prestigious award was suspended due to the effects of the global pandemic.

Speaking in a podcast with former England footballer Rio Ferdinand, Lewandowski reflected on the 2020 and 2021 seasons, which he described as some of his best years as a professional.

During this time, the Polish forward broke the Bundesliga goal-scoring record, further solidifying his remarkable form.

Robbed of Ballon d’Or

Interestingly, despite his achievements, the French magazine France Football decided to cancel the Ballon d’Or in 2020, and in the following year, Lionel Messi claimed the award.

Lewandowski, who was widely regarded as a strong contender in 2020, admitted that he struggled to understand the reasoning behind the decision.

From his perspective, all major leagues and the Champions League were still being played, making it hard for him to grasp why the award was not given that year.

“At the time I didn’t understand why. All the leagues were being played, the Champions League was being played, and for me, it was like, why?” he began saying.

The forward also alluded to the complexities surrounding football and its connections to business and politics.

“I know that football works sometimes like politics because if you have football, you have business. And if you have a business, you have politics,” he added,

According to Lewandowski, football, like many other industries, is often influenced by these factors. He suggested that such influences might have played a role in the outcome of the award.

When asked by Ferdinand if he would accept the Ballon d’Or if it were awarded to him now, four years after the event, Lewandowski was clear in his response, stating, “Of course”.

Despite the delay, he expressed a sense of openness to receiving the recognition, highlighting his continued commitment to excellence in his career.