Lewandowski hopes Messi’s Ballon d’Or comments were ‘not just empty words’

Messi
claimed
the
coveted
accolade
for
a
record-extending
seventh
time
last
week,
with
Lewandowski
finishing
second
as
he
settled
for
the
inaugural
Striker
of
the
Year
award.

Lewandowski
was
somewhat
unfortunate
to
miss
out
to
Messi,
having
scored
53
times
in
42
games
for
Bayern
between
the
start
of
2021
and
the
award
being
handed
out.

Ballon
d’Or
2021:
Who
won
what
–
Full
list
of
award
winners

That
was
the
most
of
any
player
in
Europe’s
top
five
leagues
across
all
competitions,
with
Messi
–
who
won
the
Copa
America
with
Argentina
–
joint-fifth
on
the
list
with
32
goals.

Poland
international
Lewandowski
averaged
a
goal
every
67
minutes
over
the
same
period.
Among
those
with
10
goals
or
more,
club-mate
Eric
Maxim
Choupo-Moting
was
the
next-most
regular
scorer,
netting
every
84
minutes.

Lewandowski
would
also
have
been
favourite
to
win
the
award
last
year
had
it
not
been
scrapped
due
to
the
coronavirus
pandemic.

Ballon
d’Or:
How
Messi
pipped
Lewandowski
to
2021
award

In
his
acceptance
speech
when
collecting
the
award,
Messi
said
Lewandowski
deserved
a
Ballon
d’Or
of
his
own
for
his
exploits
in
2020.

“Last
year,
everyone
was
in
agreement
to
say
that
[Lewandowski
was]
the
big
winner,”
Messi
said.
“Hopefully
[France
Football]
give
you
the
Ballon
d’Or
2020.”

However,
Lewandowski
appeared
unmoved
by
those
comments
from
Messi
and
admitted
to
feeling
upset
about
once
again
missing
out
on
football’s
top
individual
honour.

“I
felt
sadness,”
he
told
Polish
channel
Kanal
Sportowy.
“I
can’t
deny
it.
I
can’t
say
I
was
happy
–
on
the
contrary,
I
have
a
feeling
of
sadness.

“To
be
so
close,
to
compete
with
Messi,
of
course
I
respect
how
he
plays
and
what
he
has
achieved.
The
mere
fact
that
I
was
able
to
compete
with
him
shows
me
the
level
that
I
was
able
to
reach.

“I’m
not
that
enthusiastic
about
getting
the
2020
award.
I
would
like
[Messi’s
statement]
to
be
a
sincere
and
courteous
statement
from
a
great
player
and
not
just
empty
words.”