There is no dispute that the Polish striker, Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich, is an extraordinary candidate to win the Ball award, which he is competing for at the top of the list with the Argentine Lionel Messi, the Paris Saint-Germain player.

Lewandowski has already won the "Golden Player" award for 2021 presented by the Italian newspaper "Tuttosport", beating Italian Jorginho (Chelsea), who finished second and Messi third.

It is noteworthy that Leva scored more than 60 goals in 2021, the same number of goals scored by Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo in 2014, when he won the prestigious award.

But returning to those who say that the captain of the Polish national team - who did not win with his team or his country any continental title - deserves the award more than Messi, history and numbers tell that in 2018, Messi's numbers were almost identical to Lewandowski's numbers, but he did not only win the Golden Ball, but rather Fifth in the list of the award won by Croatian Luka Modric (Real Madrid), who led his country to the final of the World Cup Russia 2018.

Messi numbers and titles in 2018:

  • The Golden Boot as the top scorer in the European Leagues

  • Most Scored Players of the Year

  • La Liga title with Barcelona, ​​but he was eliminated from the Champions League quarter-finals

  • He did not win the award for the best player in the World Cup in Russia, and was eliminated with his country from the final price of the World Championship.

Leva numbers and titles in 2021:

  • The Golden Boot as the top scorer in the European Leagues

  • Most Scored Players of the Year

  • With Bayern he won the German League title, but his team was eliminated from the Champions League quarter-finals

  • He did not win the award for the best player in the World Cup in Russia, and was eliminated with his country from the group stage.

The list of nominees announced by France Football magazine - which presents the gold award - last month includes 30 players who were chosen based on the votes of 180 football journalists from around the world, before being shortened to the final shortlist, which will include 3 players. To choose someone to crown the Golden Ball.

Messi is the most awarded Ballon d'Or in history with 6 balls, followed by Ronaldo with 5 balls.