One week after completing the treble, Bayern frontman Robert Lewandowski has been given the great honour of being chosen as ‘Footballer of the Year’ in Germany. The 32-year-old striker received 276 votes in the poll carried out by sports magazine kicker among sports journalists, finishing ahead of teammates Thomas Müller (54) and Joshua Kimmich (49) to claim the crown for the first time.
Crowning of a perfect season
The award is the icing on the cake after a near-perfect season for Lewandowski, who celebrated the treble of the Bundesliga, DFB Cup and Champions League with FCB. The Pole was also the top scorer in all three competitions, netting 55 times across the three. Lewandowski is the first non-German winner of the annual vote since Belgian Kevin De Bruyne in 2015.
Polish Footballer of the Year eight times
The Poland captain declared himself “very proud” of the accolade. “Even more so because as the expectations of me get higher, I try to surpass them every year,” Lewandowski told kicker. “I’ve worked hard for my achievements and those of the whole team, who have played brilliantly both domestically and in Europe.” The striker has already been named the best player in his home country eight times since 2011, making him the record holder.
Praise from Rummenigge and Flick
“He’s just had an incredible season,” said chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge during the Champions League finals tournament in Lisbon. Head coach Hansi Flick also knows the value of his No. 9. “I’m not someone who singles out individual players, but he’s been the top goalscorer and he’s an incredibly important player for us, as are so many others.”
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