‘Jurgen Klopp conversation changed my career – he was like a father to me in tough time'

Robert Lewandowski was transformed into 1 of the champion strikers successful the satellite by Jurgen Klopp acknowledgment to the aforesaid unsocial man-management benignant which brought truthful overmuch occurrence astatine Liverpool

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has opened up astir his peculiar enslaved with “father figure” Jurgen Klopp, who changed his vocation trajectory at Borussia Dortmund with 1 pivotal conversation.

Klopp parted ways with Liverpool successful the summertime aft a palmy eight-and-a-half years with the club. Prior to his achievements astatine Anfield, the 57-year-old steered Dortmund to 2 Bundesliga titles and a Champions League last betwixt 2008 to 2015.

Lewandowski emerged arsenic a cardinal subordinate nether Klopp, evolving from a earthy endowment to 1 of the elite strikers of his generation. The Poland planetary scored 103 goals successful 187 outings earlier his power to rivals Bayern Munich.

While appearing connected the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, presented by Qatar Airways, the objective Barcelona prima was asked by Ferdinand astir the specifics of Klopp’s well-known man-management skills. He pinpointed 1 heavy speech with Klopp aboriginal successful his Dortmund vocation – wherever they discussed their expectations of 1 different – arsenic a infinitesimal that changed his fortunes.

He said: “We mislaid 1 crippled successful my 2nd twelvemonth astatine Dortmund, I deliberation it was distant and we were successful the hotel. At that clip I had conscionable started to talk German, truthful I couldn’t recognize everything.

“I felt that I didn’t cognize what helium wanted from me, what helium expected from me. I had to speech with him. Because I mislaid my begetter erstwhile I was 16 years aged and, successful my life, I didn't person idiosyncratic who I could ever talk to astir my problems. So I thought that if I went to talk to him, possibly I’d consciousness better.

"We spoke for similar one-and-a-half hours. Even though I didn't recognize everything helium said, I tried to understand. He spoke past I spoke. In that speech it was important what we were talking about.

“For me, it was much important that helium talked to maine successful that way, which for maine was similar I was speaking to my father. Maybe due to the fact that of my backstage concern and emotions astatine the time, I needed that conversation.”

Lewandowski followed up his heart-to-heart with Klopp by netting a hat-trick and mounting up a extremity successful a thumping 4-0 triumph conscionable days later. He added: “So, successful the extremity this benignant of speech opened up thing wrong me.”

The talismanic No. 9 has not looked backmost since, scoring 620 goals astatine large clubs specified arsenic Barcelona and Bayern Munich. He holds the joint-record for the astir top-scorer awards successful Europe’s apical 5 leagues (eight) alongside Lionel Messi, and was wide considered to beryllium deserving of a Ballon d’Or until the grant was cancelled successful 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

His moving relationship echoes the transformative effect Klopp's paternal attack to coaching had connected galore Liverpool players. Such players see existent Reds skipper Virgil van Dijk and legendary guardant Sadio Mane.

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

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