Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo can sit at my table! - Bayern Munich ace on comparisons with legendary duo
Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski joked about being able to invite Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to eat at 'his table' and believes that he is on a similar level to that of the two football greats.
The Polish front-man enjoyed a career-best campaign with Bayern Munich last year and fired them to a historic European treble. Lewandowski also ended as the top scorer in the Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League, and the DfB-Pokal.
Despite not being able to stake his claim for the 2020 Ballon d'Or as it was unfortunately scrapped by France Football, his monumental season was recognised by FIFA as he was crowned The Best Men's Player for 2020. After picking up the prestigious award, Lewandowski joked that he can now see himself on the same level of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
In an interview with France Football, Lewandowski was asked if he was at the same 'table' - a metaphor used by Antoine Griezmann two years ago - as the Argentine and the Portuguese. The 32-year-old said;
"[Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo have been sitting at the same table, at the top, for a very long time, and that’s what makes them incomparable. So, to answer your question, I can’t imagine myself next to them in this point of view."
The Bayern Munich ace added,
"Afterwards, if you take the numbers for this year and even previous ones, I think I’m pretty good in terms of performance and goals scored. Failing to be at the same table as Messi and Ronaldo, I think I can invite them to eat at mine (laughing)."
Lewandowski scored a whopping 55 goals across all competitions for Bayern Munich with 15 of them coming in the Champions League, a tally equaled or bettered only by Cristiano Ronaldo, who hit the 15+ mark on three separate occasions.
Bayern Munich star Lewandowski names his footballing heroes
In the same wide-ranging interview with France Football, the 32-year-old opened up on the players that inspired him when he was young, and named the likes of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and Juventus icon Alessandro del Piero.
Speaking on his idols, Lewandowski said;
"The ones I admired were Alessandro Del Piero and Thierry Henry, even Roberto Baggio, whom I saw playing when I was very young. But, as much as the big names, what made me dream were the big stadiums and their atmospheres..."
Lewandowski also revealed in the same interview that he was once close to a move to Manchester United prior to his move to Bayern Munich.
Also read: "I was ready" - Bayern Munich superstar reveals he wanted to join Manchester United