'I used Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to beat them to award - but I'm still not better'

Robert Lewandowski volition spell down arsenic 1 of European football’s all-time large strikers, but helium revealed different brace of icons utilized to thrust him connected to beryllium the best

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski utilized Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo arsenic information – and was adjacent inspired to pip them to an award.

La Blaugrana’s No. 9 announced himself to the world with Borussia Dortmund successful 2010 and hasn’t looked back. Breaking records and claiming titles on the mode with Bayern Munich, the Polish prima landed successful Messi’s erstwhile stomping ground successful 2022 – a twelvemonth aft the Argentinian jumped vessel for PSG.

Sharing the premier European signifier with Messi - and adversary Ronaldo - whitethorn person been a concern that could person induced envy. However, the 36-year-old has revealed that it is rather the opposite.

Touching connected the iconic brace with ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, connected his Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, presented by Qatar Airways, Lewandowski admitted that helium was not lone driven connected by Messi and Ronaldo but utilized specified information against them.

“I utilized them, yeah. I utilized them for sure, not arsenic inspiration, but to try... To thrust yourself,” Lewandowski began, erstwhile asked astir the duo by big Ferdinand.

“Not to bushed them, but to bushed immoderate benignant of records, goals, the level that I achieved. Of course, I didn't privation to comparison with Lionel Messi oregon Cristiano, ne'er arsenic a shot player, because, of course, they are connected a antithetic level, antithetic worlds.”

Lewandowski has faced disconnected against Messi and Ronaldo a combined 13 times, losing 7 of them. On the planetary stage, his Poland person been stopped by Argentina once, successful the 2022 World Cup radical stage, and doubly by Ronaldo’s Portugal - successful the Nations League this twelvemonth and successful the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.

“But, I'm precise happy,” Lewandowski added. “I was similar immoderate years down already, down them, oregon similar adjacent successful immoderate years that I could bushed them, similar the champion subordinate successful the world successful 2 years successful a row, against them.

“So, for me, I deliberation that I ne'er dreamed astir this, to beryllium similar Lewandowski, Messi and Ronaldo, who's going to triumph the FIFA champion subordinate successful the world, you know. I was determination and I won.”

The 36-year-old has doubly been named FIFA Men’s Best Player of the Year implicit the pair, successful 2020 and 2021, and helium besides picked up European Golden Boots during those campaigns for his tallies.

Such idiosyncratic awards grace a trophy furniture bursting astatine the seams, arsenic Lewandowski has won 10 Bundesliga titles, a Champions League, and a La Liga crown with Barcelona, among countless different cups – though helium remains grounded, not comparing himself to the iconic duo helium sought information from.

Listen to the afloat Rio Meets Robert Lewandowski interview connected Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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