Polish international forward Robert Lewandowski jokingly stated on Thursday that his French counterpart Karim Benzema will win the Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world this year, "as long as it is not canceled again." Lewandowski, now a Barcelona player, was the favorite to win the prestigious individual award in 2020 when he was playing for Bayern Munich. However, the ceremony was canceled for the first time since the award's inception in 1956 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lewandowski received a consolation award, being named "Forward of the Year" at the 2021 ceremony, while Argentine legend Lionel Messi, now with Paris Saint-Germain, won the Ballon d'Or for the seventh time in his career.
Lewandowski stated on Movistar TV, "(Benzema) might be one of the candidates to win the Ballon d'Or." He added, "If they don’t cancel (the award), it’s likely he will win this Ballon d'Or." Indeed, the striker for the French national team and Real Madrid is leading all his competitors in the race for the award presented by France Football, following his contributions to Real Madrid's victories in the UEFA Champions League and La Liga last season, where he also finished as the top scorer in both competitions.
Bayern Munich won the domestic league and the Champions League in the 2019-2020 season thanks to Lewandowski’s remarkable performance, scoring 15 goals in the prestigious continental tournament en route to winning the final against Paris Saint-Germain 1-0. Messi remarked during the 2021 ceremony, "I wanted to say to Robert Lewandowski that it is a great honor to face him," adding, "He deserved to win it last year."
