The Reasons Why Robert Lewandowski Deserves to Win the UEFA Player of the Year Award
Robert Lewandowski has been one of the best strikers in world football for the best part of a decade now.
He had never really gotten the recognition he truly deserves, but following his ridiculous 2019/20 season - where he was the main man in a Bayern Munich side that won absolutely everything - he's been showered with praise and is the favourite for most awards he's been nominated for.
He has been, quite simply, the best player on the planet this year.
Let's take a look at the reasons why he deserves to win this year's UEFA Player of the Year award - as if you need reminding.
1. He Helped Bayern Win 4 Major Trophies
Bayern are the best team in the world at the moment. It's not even close, and Lewandowski has been key in Bayern becoming that generational side.
Although this is an individual award, what is the point of winning if you haven't helped your team succeed in the process? Don't Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo get the awards when their clubs win trophies?
Exactly.
2. Bundesliga Player of the Year
With 34 goals in 31 games, it's no surprise that Lewandowski won the Bundesliga Footballer of the Year award. He was so good Thomas Müller awkwardly nicknamed him 'Robert LewanGOALski'.
Despite telling such a poor dad joke, Müller had a point. The man scores goals, is a truly masterful finisher and was the best player in Germany last year.
3. 15 UEFA Champions League Goals
Aside from Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player to record 15 goals in a single Champions League campaign.
Sure, Ronaldo has done it three times, which is a bit ridiculous, but regardless, Lewandowski is the only other man to produce that many goals in Europe's elite competition.
Plus, he did it in a coronavirus affected season, which meant fewer games because of one legged ties. 15 goals in ten games at the highest possible level is phenomenal.
4. The First Player to Clearly Outperform Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in Over a Decade
Luka Modric and Virgil van Dijk both had super seasons when they won their UEFA Player of the Year awards, but whether they truly outperformed Messi and Ronaldo remains open for debate.
This is the first season where a player has been quite clear of the two greats, which is saying a lot considering they both still had seriously good individual years.
Messi and Ronaldo may well be back on top next year but this year Lewandowski has been the main man.
5. He Was Robbed of the Ballon d'Or
Lewandowski might never win a Ballon d'Or and if that happens, it'll quite possibly be the biggest robbery since football began.
Lewandowski even told Polish outlet Sportowe Fakty that he deserved to win the award: "We won everything we could with Bayern. In every competition - Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League - I was the top scorer. I think a player who achieves this would win the Ballon d'Or."
The player knows himself that he was the best player in the world and he deserves to be recognised by others as the best as well.