Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Reveals Call With FIFA President Over Status of 'The Best' Awards
By Max Haley
Bayern Munich executive board chairman Karl-Heinze Rummenigge has revealed he has talked to FIFA president Gianni Infantino regarding their 'The Best' awards.
The Bundesliga champions' striker Robert Lewandowski was among the frontrunners for the various prestigious individual awards thanks to an incredible 2019/20 season, though both the Ballon d'Or and 'The Best' ceremonies were cancelled due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
However, former West Germany international Rummenigge has now said he has called FIFA president Infantino to discuss the awarding of any such awards.
Rummenigge said, as quoted by Kicker: "I spoke to Gianni Infantino on the phone whether the 'Golden Ball' can still be held, although France Football would like to cancel. At FIFA, people are now seriously considering the 'Golden Ball' to be awarded this year anyway."
Regarding Lewandowski, Rummenigge added: "Robert is in the shape of his life."
It is clear why Bayern's head honcho is making an effort for the awards to take place. Lewandowski has had the season of his life, scoring 53 goals in all competitions, with few coming close to matching his record.
One player who is regularly awarded France Football's Ballon d'Or is Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, who Lewandowski will face on Friday night in the Champions League.
It is not fully guaranteed that Lewandowski would win the award, though. Messi has also had a tremendous season, becoming the second player in the top five European Leagues to record 20 goals and assists in a single season after Thierry Henry in 2003.
Rummenigge - fittingly the last Bayern player to win the Ballon d'Or, in 1981 - has garnered a reputation for defending his players to the hilt. He previously threatened to keep Bayern players from playing for Germany if they weren't featured in the starting XI, mainly in response to Marc-Andre ter Stegen's rise to prominence over Manuel Neuer at the time.