Robert Lewandowski was battling towards the percentages at Barcelona.
As their disappointing 2023-24 season got here to an in depth, senior decision-makers on the membership have been open to the concept of promoting the veteran striker after simply two seasons at Barca. He had scored 19 league objectives as they completed runners-up to Actual Madrid in La Liga (so as to add to 23 objectives in his first season), however Xavi and his teaching workers believed Lewandowski, who turned 36 in August, didn’t have the urgent capability and off-the-ball necessities to steer the road anymore.
Six months later, Barcelona are high of La Liga, have thrashed Madrid and his outdated membership Bayern Munich previously month, and Lewandowski is the highest scorer in Europe’s high 5 leagues throughout all competitions, with 19 objectives in 17 matches.
Many issues have modified at Barca throughout that point. Hansi Flick changed Xavi as head coach, wonderkids from La Masia, equivalent to Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, have continued their spectacular rises and the Catalan membership has awoken as a European drive. Lewandowski has been an important a part of that success, scoring extra objectives than video games performed in each La Liga and the Champions League.
Even for a participant of his huge expertise, the Polish striker is the primary to confess there was a steep adaptation course of since he arrived as their marquee signing in the summertime of 2022.
“It could be tough to check with different golf equipment, however every part will get very noisy at Barcelona,” Lewandowski tells The Athletic in an unique interview this week. “I’ve learnt in these years within the membership easy methods to keep away from this. At the beginning, I learn and heard a whole lot of disinformation and in some circumstances, I didn’t perceive why it was taking place.
“However then I understood how this media world works in Barcelona and I made a decision to be fully out (disconnected from it). I don’t focus anymore on this stuff, it’s an excessive amount of and never good for the long run of your profession.”
It’s not been simply the media panorama that has taken some getting used to for Lewandowski. The 36-year-old performs a big position in a dressing room stuffed with precocious abilities. He’s 19 years older than Yamal and Cubarsi and there’s a 16-year age hole between him and Gavi, in addition to a 15-year one with Alejandro Balde, Marc Casado and Fermin Lopez.
Lewandowski and Yamal celebrating throughout the Clasico win earlier this season (Angel Martinez/Getty Photos)
At a time when Barcelona wanted them given the monetary constraints on the membership, the subsequent technology have stepped up and made a huge effect within the first group. For older gamers, notably those that didn’t come by means of the membership’s academy, it’s been vital to know and embrace these rising stars.
“At first of my time right here, I wanted to know the brand new technology — their pondering and every part,” says Lewandowski, who’s talking in his position as an envoy for the digital leisure market G2A. “I needed to study Spanish as nicely, however then I began speaking with them about completely different topics at lunch tables or moments we had collectively. It’s straightforward for me to speak in regards to the experiences I’ve had in my profession, or just once I was a teen.
“Kids are fully completely different now. After I was youthful, when a veteran informed me to do one thing, I might obey them immediately with out a single query. Now it’s completely different, it’s not good or dangerous, don’t get me flawed, it’s simply completely different. They’re fearless in each sense and never solely in soccer. Society is like that. Kids are extra fearless and self-confident.
“Over the past yr, I really feel I’ve clicked in a greater means with them. I normally sit at lunch with a number of kids and we talk about life. I take heed to their worries they usually ask what I used to suppose at their age. In a means, we have been very comparable, however I noticed the world from a unique perspective to what they’ve now.”
Flick has acted as a unifying issue between these two worlds, the outdated and the brand new. Eyebrows have been raised when a German supervisor who didn’t communicate the language was appointed in the summertime, however he embraced the job, improved the group and really rapidly gained over the doubters.
“Each particular person within the membership is doing higher,” says Lewandowski. “We, the gamers, are doing nice on the pitch. I additionally suppose all of us really feel stronger. When you might have this health preparation now we have now, you don’t want to fret about maintaining the bodily calls for of the sport after which additionally take into consideration easy methods to beat your opponent. We now know we’re advantageous, now we have the facility and the legs to do what we want.”
Some gamers current for Flick’s first coaching classes informed The Athletic they have been impressed by the German’s data of each La Masia graduate and what they may carry to the primary group. Even the children have been impressed by this and the arrogance he instilled in them has been translated onto the pitch, as seen within the emergence of less-heralded gamers equivalent to Casado and the now-injured Marc Bernal.
Lewandowski, after all, had a previous with Flick. They labored collectively at Bayern, reaching nice success collectively in 2020 once they gained the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and the Champions League. The striker, who was named UEFA’s participant of the yr throughout his time in Munich with Flick, says the 59-year-old’s man-management has been key to Barcelona’s progress.
Flick and Lewandowski after being named coach and participant of the yr in Germany in 2020 (M. Donato/FC Bayern by way of Getty Photos)
“I believe the primary time I spoke with him this yr was within the interval when Barcelona have been searching for a brand new supervisor (Xavi left the membership on Could 24). It was a brief interval, about two or three weeks earlier than the beginning of summer season,” he says.
“After I obtained the data, I used to be very glad as a result of I knew what was going to occur. I’ve labored lots with Hansi and we don’t want to speak an excessive amount of — we perceive one another very simply and don’t want too many phrases. When he tries to clarify one thing, I can perceive right away the way in which he needs to persuade us to play. This is likely one of the issues I like probably the most about him.
“Not simply as a coach, he’s a really direct and truthful individual. Even with the gamers who don’t play, he’ll attempt to communicate to you and inform you the reality. I believe all of the gamers admire that as a result of if somebody is totally sincere with you, then you may perceive their selections higher.”
The admiration is mutual. In September, after Barcelona beat Getafe 1-0 because of a objective from the striker, Flick didn’t hesitate in saying: “Lewandowski is, for me, one of the best No 9 within the final decade of soccer.”
“I’m very glad to see that the coach helps me. However for me, at this level of my profession, seeing what any individual says to the media shouldn’t be that vital,” Lewandowski says.
“An important factor is what he says to me in personal, within the dressing room, in conferences or day by day in coaching classes. There’s even generally he (Flick) doesn’t say one thing to the media however he says it to me immediately. That is key.”
Lewandowski chatting with The Athletic about life at Barcelona and excelling within the Messi-Ronaldo period (Eduard Duran for The Athletic)
The striker’s phrases would possibly take you again to final season when Xavi was complimentary about Lewandowski in media duties, however that didn’t appear to translate into the membership’s planning in Could.
“I don’t seek advice from any moments specifically, however in my profession, I’ve seen that, generally, what goes round shouldn’t be completely actual. The worth of the phrases, for me, is larger when anybody says it in personal to me,” Lewandowski says.
“There are a whole lot of politics as nicely within the business. I do know an excessive amount of about this enterprise. I’m not the man who believes if somebody says an opinion about something… I desire to take heed to sure issues myself to then belief them.
“This isn’t just for me I believe. For the remainder of my team-mates, too. An important factor is what we focus on indoors, between ourselves.”
Like loads of his team-mates, at Barcelona and his earlier golf equipment, Lewandowski is a giant fan of gaming and has been for a very long time.
“So far as I keep in mind, I cherished enjoying video games in my free time,” he says. “Even now, when free time is one thing very helpful, it simply permits me to modify off. It’s a house of time once I don’t take into consideration anything. I’m so targeted and really feel in a unique world.”
This feeds into what he says is a “very pure” link-up with G2A, who describe themselves because the world’s largest market for digital leisure.
“I’ve been an enormous fan of Formulation 1 and NBA for years, so I play these video games. Now I additionally spend a whole lot of time on army video games. I keep in mind once I was like 20, at Dortmund, we have been enjoying on-line with the remainder of our team-mates. We have been like 15 completely different gamers in the identical sport. In that point, with out household, it was in all probability simpler,” he says with fun.
His primary precedence in life is his household — his spouse Anna, who he married in 2013, and his two daughters, Laura (aged 14) and Klara (aged 7).
“The primary place goes to my household,” he says. “At any time when now we have time and alternative, we spend time doing issues, speaking, and being collectively. Youngsters provide you with a unique perspective, you might be answerable for them and also you watch them develop their pursuits, search for their very own hobbies and pursue them.
“I really like displaying the world to my daughters.”
Lewandowski has scored 525 objectives in 674 video games throughout his time at Borussia Dortmund, Bayern and Barca and 84 in 156 appearances for the Poland nationwide group. In Europe’s high 5 leagues, he has gained 11 league titles, 4 home cups and lifted the Champions League with Bayern (in addition to being runner-up with Dortmund in 2013).
It has been a removed from common path to soccer’s elite, too. He performed for 5 completely different Polish groups between the age of 17 and 22, progressing and getting higher strikes every time, earlier than securing a switch from Lech Poznan to Dortmund in 2010. He has by no means seemed again and might really feel aggrieved to not have gained the Ballon d’Or in 2020 — when the award was cancelled as a result of pandemic — after a really excellent season at Bayern Munich.
“In a means, strikers must be egocentric generally,” he says when reflecting on his goalscoring. “There may be conditions the place the group shouldn’t be discovering their means and the strikers, for the place we play in, could make a distinction by doing their very own factor.
“I believe that there are two positions within the sport that require a unique persona from different footballers: goalkeepers and strikers. We each could make a distinction out of nothing.”
This mentality maybe displays the period he has lived and performed in: led by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two prolific goalscorers who motivated themselves by means of fierce ambition to be one of the best within the sport. It’s exhausting to face tall beside these two, however Lewandowski believes there are lots of causes to really feel happy with his legacy — and to know that he has gone toe-to-toe with these two greats in spells and at occasions even surpassed them. Solely Messi and Ronaldo have greater than his 99 objectives within the Champions League; he may hit 100 on Tuesday towards French facet Brest.
“I’ve been enjoying soccer in the identical period as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. I believe I’ve been near that elite stage in some moments and even beat them in several video games. I believe we will say I used to be round!” he says.
“It means lots in case you get near guys like this. It makes me very proud to see that within the period of Messi and Ronaldo, generally, Lewandowski additionally managed to interrupt some data and make an impression.”
Lewandowski and Messi dealing with one another on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar (Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA by way of Getty Photos)
Sustaining greatness is the most important problem for the subsequent technology, equivalent to Yamal and Cubarsi, in accordance with Lewandowski. Earlier this season, he described Yamal as “one of the best winger on this planet in the mean time”. It was large reward — not simply from a team-mate, however from a striker who has been surrounded by a number of the world’s greatest vast gamers all through his profession.
“Each younger expertise on this planet must have the problem to not simply attain the highest of soccer, however to remain there,” says Lewandowski. “And for me, these days, this may be much more tough than earlier than.
“Now you might have social media, footballers with cash from a younger age, possibly you win some titles and you’ve got lots of people saying you might be nice… all of this may be tough to course of. Should you don’t construct up the mentality in the proper time, afterward, it may be sophisticated to determine the more durable conditions.”
In 2022, Lewandowski signed a three-year contract with Barcelona, extendable to a fourth season if he performed greater than 50 per cent of minutes within the 2024-25 marketing campaign. Everybody on the membership expects this clause to be triggered and for Lewandowski to stay Barca’s No 9 for an additional yr.
Are there extra plans in Lewandowski’s thoughts past that?
“I can’t do too many long-term plans proper now. I see myself very nicely now,” he says. “Perhaps in two or three years, I really feel like I don’t wish to play anymore on the high stage, however on this age, you may’t know precisely what’s happening. However I really feel that I’m the place I dreamt to be, in the proper place with the proper individuals.
“The best way Barca followers have supported me, it’s been superb. In video games but additionally in my every day life, it’s been particular.”
He’s concentrating on the 2026 World Cup with Poland, too: “I wish to be a part of the qualifiers and we are going to see. For me, it’s particular to play for my nation, I can by no means say I’ve had sufficient. I really feel I’ve this energy to assist them on and off the pitch.”
His contract at Barcelona has usually been a topic of dialogue across the membership. Lewandowski is likely one of the high earners and final September, in a press convention, president Joan Laporta revealed the striker supplied to “ample his contract” in a means that might assist Barca’s funds to register new signing Dani Olmo on time.
“I would favor to not discuss particulars,” says Lewandowski when requested what precisely he proposed to the membership. “For me, it’s that being part of Barcelona isn’t just being a participant. I believe I may be an vital determine within the membership in all departments. I wish to share what I believe, my opinions. I’ve had many experiences in soccer, administration and every part across the business, so I believe my ideas may be useful.
“After I spoke with the president, I shared my ideas. I’m an individual who shouldn’t be afraid of sharing opinions. To not assault anybody, however simply focus on one of the best options for the membership.
“If we get the membership to a greater place, that’s going to have a very good impression on me, too, in order that’s a win-win and the easiest way to reside my occupation.”
Barcelona are doing loads of profitable in the mean time, six factors away from Actual Madrid on the high of La Liga (albeit their rivals have a sport in hand) and in line to qualify mechanically for the Champions League spherical of 16.
Lewandowski, on the ripe outdated age of 36, is enjoying a starring position.
(Further contributor: Mark Carey)
(High photograph: David Ramos/Getty Photos)
