Guess who Argentina captain Lionel Messi (34) didn’t make the top three for voted FIFA world footballer? Robert Lewandowski (33)!
Messi preferred to vote for his buddies Neymar, Mbappé and Benzema – without them being able to match Lewandowski’s sporting achievements in 2021. Did Messi want to prevent the Bayern striker and fiercest rival from getting even more votes?
BILD says: Shame on you, Messi!
It didn’t help him. Before Messi, Lewandowski was named Fifa World Player by the national coaches, captains, one journalist per country and fans. For the second time in a row.
At the competition event “Ballon d’Or” in Paris, the winner Messi (chosen by a reporter jury) praised Lewandowski in the highest tones: “It’s an honor to fight against Lewandowski.”
Monday, 8:18 p.m. in Zurich: FIFA boss Infantino (3rd from right) presents who is the world footballer in 2021. Messi (3rd from left) and Lewandowski (2nd from left) are connected, Salah (2nd from right), who is at the Africa Cup, is notPhoto: FIFA
Lewandowski on Tuesday when asked by BILD: “Those were very nice words from Messi at the Ballon d’Or. Now with his choice – you have to ask him the question! I haven’t done anything wrong that he can be mad at me except sporting stuff. That’s his decision, I don’t want to say anything negative.”
He himself chose Messi in second place behind Italy’s European champion Jorginho.
Cristiano Ronaldo (36) didn’t make a buddy choice, put Lewy on 1!
National team captain Manuel Neuer (35) and national coach Hansi Flick (56) voted for Lewandowski.
Erling Haaland (21) ended up in 11th place. Taiwan coach Yeh Hsien-Chung even voted the BVB top scorer number 1. Not even Haaland’s Norwegian compatriots dared to do that…