Updated December 2nd, 2021 at 14:00 IST

Lewandowski could win Ballon d'Or as France Football editor 'thinks about' Messi plea

In his acceptance speech, Lionel Messi mentioned Robert Lewandowski and said that the Polish striker deserved the Ballon d'Or for the year 2020.

Reported by: Prithvi Virmani
Image: @FranceFootball/Twitter | Image:self
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On Monday night, for a record-extending 7th time, Argentine sensation Lionel Messi was awarded football's most prestigious award - the Ballon d’Or. He pipped the likes of Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski and Real Madrid's Karim Benzema to claim the award.

In fact, in his acceptance speech, Messi mentioned Lewandowski and said that it had been an honour to compete with him and that France Football should award the Polish striker the Ballon d'Or for 2020 after a sensational season that saw him score goals for fun.

"I’d like to mention Robert, it’s been a real honour to compete with him. I think France Football should award you your 2020 Ballon d’Or, you deserved it." Messi said on stage after receiving his 7th Ballon d'Or.

There might be a chance now for France Football to award Bayern Munich star Lewandowski the 2020 Ballon d'Or after editor-in-chief Pascal Ferré admitted to being open to the possibility of the same.

Lewandowski could be awarded 2020 Ballon d'Or

Ferre has said that France Football would think about it but cautioned that the history of the Ballon d'Or should be respected, as it is awarded based on voting. Ferre said that that Robert Lewandowski would have had a great chance of winning the award had there been a voting but insisted that it was never a surety.

He told Watson via Bulinews: "What Messi said was nice and clever. I think we do not have to make very quick decisions. We can think about it and at the same time, we should respect the history of the Ballon d'Or, which is based on voting. We can't be sure if Lewandowski would have won the Ballon D'Or last year. We can't know because there was no vote. But, to be honest, Lewandowski would have had a great chance of winning last year."

There were many people who felt Messi did not deserve the award and Robert Lewandowski should have won it instead of the Argentine superstar. Toni Kroos, Jurgen Klopp, Lothar Matthaus. Oliver Kahn and Iker Casillas are a few of those who felt the award should have gone to someone else other than Lionel Messi.

Image: @FranceFootball/Twitter

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Published December 2nd, 2021 at 14:00 IST