"We can think about it" - Ballon d'Or chief Pascal Ferre responds to Lionel Messi's plea to give Robert Lewandowski the award
Lionel Messi won an incredible 7th Ballon d'Or award last night beating out Robert Lewandowski narrowly. While receiving the award, the Argentine superstar was effusive in his praise for Lewandowski, saying:
“Robert, you deserve your Ballon d’Or. Last year, everyone was in agreement to say that you were the big winner of this award. Hopefully France Football will give you the 2020 Ballon d’Or. We all believe you deserved it and I hope you can have it at home.”
HERE IS THE WINNER!
SEVEN BALLON D’OR FOR LIONEL MESSI!
#ballondor https://t.co/U2SywJmruC
When questioned on Lionel Messi's quotes about Lewandowski deserving a Ballon d'Or of his own for 2020, France Football's editor-in-chief Pascal Ferre told Watson:
"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."
Robert Lewandowski had a stupendous 2020, playing a starring role in winning the Bundesliga, DFB Polkal and the UEFA Champions League.
Unfortunately, the Bayern Munich man was denied a Ballon d'Or of his own because of Covid-19.
Few top players not happy with decision to award Lionel Messi 2021 Ballon d'Or ahead of Robert Lewandowski
Some legends of the game like Toni Kroos, Iker Casillas, Oliver Kahn and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all believed that Lionel Messi did not deserve the Ballon d'Or award this year.
While there is no denying Lionel Messi's class, Lewandowski had some incredible goalscoring numbers in 2021. He even broke the legendary Gerd Muller's long-standing record of scoring 40 goals in a single Bundesliga season.
Congratulations Leo Messi and @alexiaputellas winners of the #BallonDor2021, congratulations also to all nominated players!👏 I won Striker of the Year Award and no Player can win an individual award without strongest team and loyal fans behind him. Thank you for your support🤜🤛 https://t.co/I6j4BtluYS
The Bayern Munich man has been on fire this season as well, scoring an incredible 14 goals in just 13 games in the Bundesliga. With such amazing numbers, Lewandowski has the right to feel a bit shortchanged.
Lewandowski definitely has the respect of Lionel Messi though and the Argentine showed his class when he asked France Football to give the Polish striker a Ballon d'Or as well for his efforts in 2020.
With the Bayern Munich man breaking record after record, it will be fitting if France Football do indeed award a retrospective Ballon d'Or to Robert Lewandowski for his incredible achievements in 2020.