"The man who never wanted to give me a Ballon d'Or": Lewandowski's enduring grudge against the former head of France Football

In 2020, due to the global pandemic, France Football decided to cancel the Ballon d'Or ceremony. In an interview with the media outlet Le Vestiaire, Pascal Ferré, former head of the prestigious award, revealed that, years later, this decision still stings for Robert Lewandowski, the overwhelming favorite to win the trophy that season.

A lingering resentment. In 2020, the world was paralyzed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Sporting competitions, which had been temporarily suspended, eventually resumed for some, but under strict health protocols. In particular, matches were held behind closed doors.

Faced with this unusual context, the management of France Football chose to cancel the 2020 Ballon d'Or. "The most complicated period was certainly in 2020, when we had to cancel the edition. We considered that in that year, all the conditions were not met, particularly in terms of fairness," explains Pascal Ferré, former head of the magazine, to the media outlet Le Vestiaire.

Lewandowski's incomprehension

A choice that clearly did not please Robert Lewandowski, who was considered the overwhelming favorite for the prestigious award. "I even took the trouble to call Robert Lewandowski that year, who was dominating, who was walking all over his opponents. I warned him, he didn't quite understand," the journalist recounts.

A misunderstanding that turned into a lasting resentment. "In the years that followed, when I met him again, he would say to me: 'Here is the man who never wanted to give me a Ballon d'Or'", reveals Pascal Ferré.

That season, Robert Lewandowski, then 32 years old, dominated European football with Bayern Munich. He had won the Champions League, the Bundesliga, and the German Cup. He had also finished as top scorer in both the German league and the Champions League (55 goals in 47 matches and 10 assists in all club competitions). In 2021, he finished second in the Ballon d'Or, behind Lionel Messi. A small consolation after the disappointment of the previous year.