Summary:
- Robert Lewandowski revealed he agreed to join Manchester United in 2012, but Borussia Dortmund refused to sell.
- The Barcelona striker who lifted La Liga twice and the Champions League cup once with Bayern Munich recalled his missed Ballon d’Or opportunity.
- The player also spoke about mentoring young talent Lamine Yamal and thanked his formed coach.
Robert Lewandowski’s career could have taken a different turn if a few key moments had gone his way a few years back.
Many football fans already know about the infamous volcanic ash cloud in 2010 that blocked his move from Lech Poznań to Blackburn Rovers, but what’s less discussed is the other English club he was ready to join.
“I Wanted to See Alex Ferguson”
Speaking to BBC Sport,
To Manchester United I decided and said yes. I wanted to join Manchester United, to see Alex Ferguson.
The opportunity rose in 2012, during his prolific spell at Borussia Dortmund, but the team had no intention of losing their star striker.
They could not sell me. Because they knew if I stayed they could earn more money, and that I could wait maybe one or two more years. But it is true that I said yes to Manchester United.
While his Premier League dream never became a reality, Lewandowski’s career flourished elsewhere. He won the Champions League with Bayern Munich, claimed multiple Bundesliga titles, and now plays for Barcelona, where he has lifted La Liga twice.
“I Am Very Happy With My Career”
At 37, he still has no retirement plans, though he admits a Premier League move is no longer realistic.
Maybe it could be a regret, but… I have to say I am very happy with my career.
Now a veteran in a youthful Barcelona squad, he enjoys playing alongside rising talents such as Lamine Yamal.
When I see that I still don’t have to catch the young guys, that they still have to catch me, it means this next season can also be very good.
Yamal, he recalls, stood out instantly.
It is the first time in my life I saw after 50 minutes that he had something special… I thought this is impossible at 15.
Lewandowski also reflected on the Ballon d’Or he never won. In 2020, he was the frontrunner before the award was cancelled due to COVID-19.
The following year, he finished second to Lionel Messi despite a record 41 league goals.
I think the difficult thing… is until now I don’t know why
Looking back, one figure had a profound influence on his development: Jürgen Klopp. Joining Dortmund as a shy 21-year-old still grieving the loss of his father, Lewandowski found a mentor in Klopp.
“Maybe… the kind of conversation that I missed with my father, I had with Jurgen” he said. That talk, he added, “changed my life… Maybe because of this I started to play better and better”, he admitted.