I don’t understand why they didn’t give me the Ballon d’Or

Robert Lewandowski, one of the most prolific forwards of his generation, opened up on Thursday about his lingering frustration over the decision not to award the Ballon d’Or in 2020.

The Polish striker, now 36 and playing for Barcelona, reflected on what many consider to be the pinnacle season of his career a year in which he led Bayern Munich to a historic treble by winning the Champions League, Bundesliga, and German Cup. Despite these achievements, the Ballon d’Or ceremony was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Lewandowski without the recognition many believe he deserved.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, Lewandowski didn’t hold back when discussing his disappointment. "At that moment, I didn’t understand why," he admitted. "All the leagues were being played, the Champions League was being played, and for me, it was like… why?" The Polish forward’s confusion stems from the fact that football, while disrupted early in the pandemic, resumed its major competitions, including the Champions League, which Bayern Munich won in dominant fashion.

Lewandowski went on to highlight what he perceives as the political side of football. "I know that football sometimes works like politics because if there’s football, you have business. And if you have business, you have politics," he remarked. His comments underline a broader frustration shared by fans and analysts, who felt the decision to cancel the award was unjustified, given that all major leagues and tournaments had resumed by the time the Ballon d’Or was due to be awarded.

When asked whether he would accept the 2020 Ballon d’Or retroactively if France Football offered it to him today, Lewandowski’s response was unequivocal: "Absolutely." While such an offer remains unlikely, his sentiment reflects how much the recognition would still mean to him, even years later.

The stats from Lewandowski’s 2020 season reinforce why he was widely considered the overwhelming favorite for the award. Beyond the treble, he also added the Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and German Super Cup to his collection that year. Individually, he was unstoppable, scoring an astonishing 55 goals and providing nine assists in just 47 appearances across all competitions. His consistent brilliance made him not just Bayern Munich’s talisman but arguably the best player in the world during that period.

Critics of the Ballon d’Or cancellation have pointed out that awarding the trophy could have brought much-needed positivity to football fans during a challenging time. For Lewandowski, the award would have been the crowning achievement of a career marked by hard work, resilience, and excellence. "It wasn’t just about the goals," Lewandowski said in past interviews. "It was about how we played as a team, how we dominated Europe."

The controversy surrounding the 2020 Ballon d’Or cancellation continues to spark debate among fans and pundits. Some argue that Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, perennial contenders for the award, might have benefitted had the season played out under normal circumstances. Others, however, view 2020 as Lewandowski’s year, where he was simply untouchable. Even Messi himself, after winning the 2021 Ballon d’Or, expressed his belief that Lewandowski should have received the 2020 award, calling on France Football to recognize him retroactively.

For Lewandowski, the missed opportunity is a reminder of the unpredictable nature of football. "You work so hard for these moments," he said on Ferdinand’s podcast. "It’s not just about one season. It’s everything you’ve built over your career leading to that point."

Now at Barcelona, Lewandowski remains focused on the present, continuing to deliver at an elite level despite his age. However, the 2020 Ballon d’Or controversy remains a bittersweet chapter in his career. Whether or not he ever receives the recognition retroactively, his achievements that year stand as a testament to his extraordinary talent and determination. The debate may never be fully settled, but for Lewandowski and his supporters, 2020 will always be remembered as the year he should have held football’s most prestigious individual trophy.