When the life of Gerd Müller, one of the greatest footballers of all time, was commemorated before kick-off of the 2021 DFL Supercup, Robert Lewandowski also made a special gesture of remembrance. The Pole held up a jersey with the number 9, the number the legendary forward used to wear at FC Bayern. This number now adorns Lewandowski's back - but that's not the only reason why the reigning Best FIFA Men's Player is the most likely ever to match the Bomber's scoring feats.
Before kick-off in Dortmund, Lewandowski and his teammates paid tribute to Gerd Müller.
Only the "Bomber" trumps Lewandowski
"Gerd Müller was a special player and person. We know what he means to football history. I always try to look at what Gerd did," explained the Pole, who soon followed up his pre-match gesture with a dazzling display on the pitch. With two goals and an assist, the 32-year-old virtually single-handedly decided the thrilling clash against Borussia Dortmund (3-1) on Tuesday evening. Lewandowski scored in his 14th competitive match in a row - a quite amazing streak that has only been bettered by one player in German professional football: Gerd Müller, who scored 16 times in a row in 1969/70.
Record goalscorer in DFL Supercup
Lewandowski's scoring ability has powered Bayern to the first trophy of this new season. "It means a lot. It's the next trophy," Lewandowski said of the success in the competition, a competition which he almost seems to own. With seven goals, the exceptional striker is the record goalscorer in the Supercup, winning the trophy the same number of times. The joy over his seventh strike should now be the foundations for future successes. "We can look ahead and enjoy this trophy win."
Lewandowski's assist for Thomas Müller was also a delight, which the latter finished to make it 2-0. Where others look just to score, Lewandowski also has an eye for his teammate, with his coach praising his selflessness. "Lewy's pass was an extremely deliberate move. Many strikers still shoot and try to somehow get the ball on target. He does very, very well, the way he knocks it on," Julian Nagelsmann said of the move.
No question, Lewandowski was the man of the match in Dortmund and once again lived up to the number 9 jersey.
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