Polish top scorer Robert Lewandowski has broken his silence, sharing his feelings after losing the Ballon d'Or award and "attacking" Lionel Messi, the winner of the prestigious accolade. French magazine "France Football" awarded the Argentine star the Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world for 2021, surpassing Lewandowski, who finished second, during a grand ceremony in Paris a week ago.
However, Lewandowski's loss sparked significant controversy, as many experts believe that the Polish star deserved the award due to his remarkable performance during the year and his record-breaking goal-scoring achievements.
Surprisingly, Lewandowski criticized Messi, who stated upon receiving the award that Lewandowski should have won it in 2020 when it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lewandowski said in an interview with Polish channel "Canal Sportowefim": "I wish that the official statements from the great player Messi were polite and sincere rather than empty words." Messi had mentioned during the ceremony: "I would like to mention Robert; it was a real honor to compete with him. I believe that France Football should give you the Ballon d'Or for 2020; you deserved it."
Lewandowski revealed his feelings about losing the award: "I can't deny that I feel sad. To be close to the award and compete against Lionel Messi and then lose is disappointing." The Bayern Munich striker did not hesitate to praise the Argentine star: "The fact that I was able to compete with Messi shows me the high level I have reached today."
