A full international for Poland since 2008, Lewandowski has earned 163 caps, and was a member of their team at theUEFA European Championship in2012,2016,2020, and2024, and theFIFA World Cup in2018 and2022. Having captained the national team since 2014, he briefly retired in 2025, before returning and being reinstated as captain later the same year. With 88 international goals, Lewandowski is the all-time top scorer for Poland.[6] Lewandowski has been named thePolish Footballer of the Year a record twelve times and thePolish Sports Personality of the Year three times.
"When I was six, I rememberRoberto Baggio at the 1994 World Cup. When I was between 10 and 14,Alessandro Del Piero was the best player for me. Then my idol wasThierry Henry. He was amazing – it wasn't just how he scored the goals but what he did for the team."
Lewandowski was born inWarsaw[8] and grew up inLeszno,Warsaw West County.[9] He took his first steps in football as an unregistered player for the local club, Partyzant Leszno.[10] In 1997, he joined MKS Varsovia Warsaw, where as a teen he played for seven years.[11] The following year he moved tofourth tier side Delta Warsaw, where he finally managed to play in the first team, scoring four goals at the end of the season.[12]
English coach,Sam Allardyce, said that Lewandowski was about to joinPremier League clubBlackburn Rovers in 2010, but the volcanic ash clouds caused by the2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull which suspended all flights in and out of the UK, in addition to other financial worries, prevented the potential transfer.[17] Moreover, Lewandowski was also about to join Italian clubGenoa, before presidentEnrico Preziosi decided to cancel the transfer.[18]
Following press speculation that Lewandowski might move to one of a number of clubs,[19][20] he joinedBundesliga clubBorussia Dortmund in June 2010, signing a four-year contract with the German club[21] for a fee reported to be worth around€4.5 million.[22] On 19 September, he scored his first goal in the Bundesliga to make it 3–0 in theRevierderby againstSchalke 04; the game ended 3–1.[23]
In the2011–12 Bundesliga campaign, Lewandowski profited from an injury toLucas Barrios and he was elevated to an ever-present position in the starting XI until the winter break. The striker responded by finding the net two times in Dortmund's 3–0DFB-Pokal first round victory overSandhausen.[24] Lewandowski opened his league account in a 2–0 win overNürnberg on 20 August 2011 by providing the finishing touch from aMario Götze cross.[25] On 1 October, Lewandowski netted ahat-trick and provided anassist in the club's 4–0 victory overAugsburg, following a disappointing 0–3 loss toMarseille in theUEFA Champions League group stage.[26] He later scored his first Champions League goal in a 1–3away defeat toOlympiacos on 19 October.[27] Dortmund climbed into second place in the Bundesliga with a comfortable 5–0 victory overKöln on 22 October, with Lewandowski finding the net either side of half-time.[28] Dortmund travelled toFreiburg on 17 December and Lewandowski struck twice and provided an assist forKevin Großkreutz, as Dortmund eased to a 4–1 triumph, scoring his first hat-trick in Bundesliga.[29] Due to his strong performances, he was namedFootballer of the Year in Poland.[30]
Following the winter break, on 22 January 2012, Dortmund thrashedHamburg 5–1 to move level on points with leadersBayern Munich; Lewandowski netted twice and added an assist forJakub Błaszczykowski in the rout.[31] He scored in a 1–0 home win over Bayern Munich on 11 April.[32] The result gave Dortmund a six-point cushion over their title rivals with only four games left to play.[33] On 21 April, Lewandowski provided the assist forShinji Kagawa's 59th-minute goal as Dortmund won 2–0 overBorussia Mönchengladbach to seal their second straight title.[34] In the final Bundesliga game of the campaign, Lewandowski scored two first-half goals as Dortmund beat Freiburg 4–0 and celebrated lifting the title.[35]
Lewandowski finished the year as the third top goal scorer with 22 goals, none from the penalty spot, and six assists.[36]
He netted his first goal in a 3–0 victory overBayer Leverkusen on 15 September 2012, extending Dortmund's run to 31 games unbeaten and moved the club into third in the Bundesliga.[42] Three days later, in the club's firstChampions League game of the season, Lewandowski scored an 87th-minute winner to defeatAjax, 1–0.[43] He set club's new record of the longest scoring streak, having scored in 12 consecutive league games, surpassingFriedhelm Konietzka's record from1964–65 season.[44] On 9 February 2013, he opened the scoring in a home match against Hamburg, but was sent off in the 31st minute for a foul onPer Ciljan Skjelbred and Dortmund lost 4–1.[citation needed]
According to Borussia Dortmund directorMichael Zorc, speaking in February 2013, Lewandowski would not be renewing his contract with the club, and would leave either in the summer of 2013 or after the 2013–14 season.[45] He finished the season with 24 league goals, one goal short of the Bundesliga's top scorer, Bayer Leverkusen'sStefan Kießling.[citation needed]
On 27 July 2013, Lewandowski won the2013 DFL-Supercup with Dortmund, 4–2, against Bayern Munich.[50] He scored his first goal of the season in Dortmund's 4–0 win over Augsburg in the club's opening Bundesliga match on 10 August.[51] On 1 November, he scored his only hat-trick of the season in a 6–1 Bundesliga win againstStuttgart.[52]
He scored his 100th goal for the club on his 182nd appearance, as Dortmund defeatedVfL Wolfsburg 2–0 in thesemi-finals of the2013–14 DFB-Pokal on 15 April, and revealed a shirt with the number 100 during celebration.[54]
Lewandowski ended the2013–14 season as the top goalscorer in theBundesliga with 20 goals, which earned him theTorjägerkanone [de].[55] He also scored six goals in the Champions League, as Dortmund reached the quarter-finals.[56] During the second leg of the round of 16 match between Borussia Dortmund and Zenit, Lewandowski received a second yellow card, which resulted in his suspension for thefirst leg of the quarter-final against Real Madrid.[citation needed]
Lewandowski played his final match for Dortmund in the2014 DFB-Pokal Final against Bayern Munich on 17 May. Head coachJürgen Klopp had excused him from some training ahead of the final due to injury concerns; although Lewandowski played all 120 minutes of the final, Dortmund lost, 0–2.[57] He finished the season with 28 goals in 48 matches.[50][58]
Bayern Munich
In November 2013, Lewandowski confirmed he would sign a pre-contractual agreement for Borussia Dortmund's rivals Bayern Munich,[59] which officially happened on 4 January 2014, when he signed a five-year contract beginning at the start of the2014–15 season.[60] Lewandowski was officially presented as a Bayern Munich player on 9 July 2014.[61]
He made his competitive debut for his new club in a 0–2 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the2014 DFL-Supercup on 13 August 2014,[65] and scored his first goal in a 1–1 draw against Schalke 04 in his second league match on 30 August.[66] On 21 October, Lewandowski scored his first Champions League goal for Bayern Munich in a7–1 away win againstRoma.[67] On 1 November, in his first league match against Dortmund, Lewandowski scored in a 2–1 win which put Bayern four points clear at the top of the table while leaving his former club in a relegation play-off place.[68] In his third match of the season against Dortmund on 4 April 2015, Lewandowski scored in the 36th minute in a 1–0 win, after Dortmund's goalkeeperRoman Weidenfeller "parried"Thomas Müller's shot.[69][70]
On 21 February 2015, Lewandowski scored twice in Bayern's 6–0 win away atPaderborn, his second goal of the game was his 10th of the league season.[71] He scored twice in the first half on 21 April as Bayernoverturned adeficit from the first leg to defeatPorto 7–4 on aggregate and advance to thesemi-finals of the Champions League.[72] Five days later, after VfL Wolfsburg lost to Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayern won the Bundesliga title.[73] He scored again on 28 April, opening a 1–1 draw in theDFB-Pokal semi-final against Dortmund, but was later involved in a mid-air collision withMitchell Langerak in the 116th minute ofextra time.[74] The game ended in Bayern's elimination via a penalty shoot-out (0–2), and, unusually, none of the four attempts were converted by the Munich side, at their own stadium.[75][76] Although Lewandowski stayed until the end of the match, he didn't participate in the shootout; and tests later confirmed that he had fracturedjaw andnose bone, and had aconcussion, ruling him out for approximately one week.[77][78][79] On 12 May, playing in a protective mask, hecurled in at the 59th minute in his team's 3–2 home victory against eventual winnersBarcelona in theChampions League semifinal second leg, albeit they were eliminated by an aggregate score of 3–5.[80] With 17 goals in 31 games, Lewandowski was joint-second highest scorer of the Bundesliga season alongside teammateArjen Robben, behindEintracht Frankfurt'sAlexander Meier.[81] He finished the season with 25 goals in 49 appearances.[65][82]
2015–2017: Domestic success, Torjägerkanone, and 100 Bayern goals
On 22 September 2015, Lewandowski set aBundesliga record by coming on as a substitute with Bayern trailing 0–1 to Wolfsburg and scoring five goals in 8 minutes and 59 seconds, the fastest by any player in Bundesliga history, to take a 5–1 lead. He also set Bundesliga records for the fastest hat-trick (three goals in four minutes), and most goals scored by a substitute (five).[86] Lewandowski's five goals in nine minutes was also the fastest in anymajor European football league sinceOpta began keeping records, and it ended Wolfsburg's 14-match unbeaten run.[87] He was awarded four certificates byGuinness World Records for this feat.[88]
Four days later, he scored twice in a 3–0 win atMainz, the first goal being his 100th Bundesliga goal on his 168th appearance, a league record for a foreign player. He also reached 10 goals in the opening 7 matches with this brace, a feat only achieved before byGerd Müller.[89] On 29 September, he scored aChampions League hat-trick in a 5–0 win overDinamo Zagreb, putting him on ten goals in three games in a week.[90] He added two in a 5–1 rout of Dortmund five days later, to total 12 goals in his last four appearances.[91] On 24 October, Lewandowski scored in a 4–0 home win over Köln, a result which made Bayern the first Bundesliga team ever to win all 10 of their opening games of a season.[92] The victory in Cologne was also Bayern's 1,000th win in the Bundesliga.[93] On 11 January 2016, he achieved fourth place at the2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or awards.[94]
On 19 March 2016, Lewandowski scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Köln to bring his league total up to 25 goals; a new personal best.[95] He had scored 24 goals for Borussia Dortmund during the 2012–13 season.[96] He also started Bayern'scomeback with a 73rd-minute header in thesecond leg of the round of 16 on 16 March, after trailing 0–2 home toJuventus, which Munich eventually won 4–2 after extra time, and 6–4 on aggregate.[97] His goal againstAtlético Madrid on 3 May in the second leg of Bayern'sChampions League semifinal exit saw him end the season's competition with nine goals.[98]
On 7 May 2016, Lewandowski scored both goals for Bayern in a 2–1 win atIngolstadt to confirm the Bavarian club aschampions of Germany for the fourth consecutive season.[99] A week later, he scored his 30th goal of the season in Bayern's final league match of the season at home toHannover 96. This made him the first foreign player to score 30 goals in the Bundesliga, the first player sinceDieter Müller in1976–77, and secured him the Torjägerkanone for the second time in three seasons.[100] He finished the season with 42 goals in 51 matches.[83][101]
The2016–17 season started with Bayern winning the2016 DFL-Supercup on 14 August.[102] Five days later, Bayern defeatedCarl Zeiss Jena 5–0 in theDFB-Pokal first round, with the help of Lewandowski's hat-trick during the first half and assist toArturo Vidal in the 72nd minute.[103][104] He opened the2016–17 Bundesliga season with another hat-trick in a 6–0 victory against Werder Bremen.[105] On 13 December, Lewandowski signed a new contract with Bayern, keeping him at the club until 2021.[106]
On 11 March 2017, Lewandowski reached 100 goals for Bayern in his 137th appearance for the club, scoring twice in a 3–0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.[107] He finished the season with 42 goals in 47 matches.[102][108]
2017–2019: Consecutive Golden Boots and all-time foreign Bundesliga goalscorer
Theseason began with Bayern Munich winning the2017 DFL-Supercup against Borussia Dortmund, in which Lewandowski scored the opening goal for the Bavarians by controlling a low cross fromJoshua Kimmich to cancel outChristian Pulisic's opener. The match ended 2–2 after extra time. Lewandowski, again, scored the first penalty of the shootout as Bayern eventually won 5–4.[109]
Lewandowski started from where he left in the last season and once again was the top scorer in the early stages of the2017–18 Bundesliga. On 13 December, in the league fixture against Köln, he scored the only goal of the game, to reach Bundesliga's top ten goalscorers of all time.[110] A couple of months later, on Matchday 22, Lewandowski again found the back of the net against Schalke 04 at theAllianz Arena to equal the record of scoring in 11 successive home games in a single season, a record also held by then Bayern managerJupp Heynckes.[111] He continued his goal scoring form by netting a hat-trick against Hamburg as the runaway leaders won 6–0, while he also missed a kick from the spot which would have been his fourth goal of the day. This was his first penalty missed for Bayern in the Bundesliga, nevertheless he scored the second spot kick to complete his hat-trick.[112]
On 11 February 2018, he was voted Poland's Footballer of the Year for the seventh time in a row.[113] On 22 February, he fired his long-time agent, Cezary Kucharski. Lewandowski hired renowned dealmakerPini Zahavi as his new agent; the hiring of Zahavi was rumoured to be the start of Lewandowski trying to seal a summer move to Real Madrid.[114] On 24 February, he played his 250th Bundesliga game againstHertha Berlin.[115] On 19 May, Lewandowski scored Bayern's only goal in a 3–1 defeat in theDFB-Pokal Final against Eintracht Frankfurt.[116]
Lewandowski finished the league as the Bundesliga's top goalscorer with 29 goals. This was the third time he won the Torjägerkanone award.[117] He finished the season with 41 goals in 48 matches in all competitions.[118]
On 1 August, after a summer of transfer speculation, Bayern CEOKarl-Heinz Rummenigge, confirmed in an interview that Lewandowski would not be allowed to leave Bayern at any price, saying "the top quality we have at Bayern Munich will stay here. With Robert, we clearly want to send a signal to people within and outside the club: Bayern Munich are completely different to other clubs who get weak when certain sums are mentioned"[119] On 12 August, Lewandowski recorded the first ever hat-trick in theDFL-Supercup in a 0–5 away victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the2018 edition as Bayern Munich went on to win the title for the record seventh time.[120] He also became theall-time top scorer in the German Supercup history.[121][122]
On 27 November, Lewandowski became the third-fastest player to score 50 goals (afterLionel Messi andRuud van Nistelrooy) in the Champions League, when he scored two goals in a 5–1group stage home win overBenfica. It took Lewandowski just 77 Champions League matches to reach the milestone.[123] He finished as the top scorer in the Champions League group stage with eight goals in six matches.[124] On 9 February 2019, Lewandowski scored in a 3–1 win over Schalke 04 and became the first player to score 100 competitive goals at the Allianz Arena. His goal was also his 119th league goal for Bayern Munich, which saw him draw level withRoland Wohlfarth as the club's third-highest goalscorer of all-time.[125]
He surpassed Wohlfarth the following month after scoring a brace in a 5–1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, with his second goal also seeing him equalClaudio Pizarro's record of 195 league goals for the most Bundesliga goals by a foreign player.[126][127] In his very next fixture, he broke Pizarro's record by scoring twice in a 6–0 win over Wolfsburg.[128] On 6 April, in the 100th Bundesliga meeting between Bayern Munich and Dortmund, Lewandowski scored twice in a 5–0 win, with his first goal taking him to 200 goals in the league.[129][130]
Lewandowski ended theleague campaign as the Bundesliga's top goalscorer with 22 goals for the fourth time.[131] On 25 May, he scored a brace as Bayern won againstLeipzig 3–0 in the2019 DFB-Pokal Final. With his goals, he became the all-time top scorer in theDFB-Pokal finals with six, surpassing Gerd Müller on five.[132] Lewandowski finished theseason with 40 goals in 47 matches in all competitions, reaching the 40-goal landmark for the fourth consecutive season, also winning his second domestic double with Bayern.[133]
2019–2020: Treble, Best FIFA Men's Player, and UEFA Men's Player of the Year
On 12 August, Lewandowski scored his first goal of theseason when Bayern defeatedEnergie Cottbus 3–1 in thefirst round of the DFB-Pokal.[134] Four days later, he scored two goals in the2019–20 Bundesliga opener against Hertha BSC. With his goals, Lewandowski set a Bundesliga record for scoring a goal in the season opener for the fifth year in a row.[135] He then scored a hat-trick against Schalke at theVeltins Arena on 24 August, as the Reds won 3–0.[136] On 29 August, Lewandowski extended his contract at Bayern until 2023.[137] Lewandowski scored his 200th goal for Bayern in a 3–0 win against Serbian clubRed Star Belgrade in theChampions League on 18 September.[138] Later that month, after scoring his tenth goal of the campaign during a 3–2 win over Paderborn, he became the first player in Bundesliga history to achieve double figures for goals scored after the first six match rounds.[139] Lewandowski then became the first player in Bundesliga history to score in each of the opening nine, ten and eleven matches of a season, surpassing the record of eight set by former Borussia Dortmund strikerPierre-Emerick Aubameyang.[140][141][142] On 26 November, Lewandowski scored 4 goals in under 15 minutes as Bayern defeated Red Star Belgrade 6–0 in their reverse fixture and clinched first place in theirChampions League group, setting a new record for fastest time to score four goals in a Champions League match. He also became only the second player ever to score four goals in multiple Champions League matches.[143][144]
On 25 February 2020, Lewandowski equalledCristiano Ronaldo's record of nine away goals in a season in Europe's top club competition. He did so by scoring a goal in a 3–0 win againstChelsea atStamford Bridge (he also assistedSerge Gnabry twice in that match).[145] On 10 August, Lewandowski scored a brace and provided two assists in a 4–1 win over Chelsea in thereturn leg.[146] On 14 August, he assisted and scored inBayern's 8–2 decimation of Barcelona in thequarter-finals.[147] Lewandowski scored another goal, to be 15 goals in total, in his ninth consecutive Champions League match in Bavarian'ssemifinal 3–0 win againstLyon.[148] His European scoring streak ended when he failed to score a goal in theChampions League final match againstParis Saint-Germain on 23 August; nevertheless, Bayern defeated PSG 1–0, giving Lewandowski his first Champions League title.[149] He also became the second player ever to win the Europeantreble while being the top scorer in all three competitions, repeatingJohan Cruyff's achievement withAjax from the1971–72 season.[150] However, Lewandowski was the first to do so as the sole top scorer in all three competitions.[151]
2020–2021: Ballon d'Or Striker of the Year and European Golden Shoe
Lewandowski (second from right) with hisBayern Munich teammates during a Champions League match againstLokomotiv Moscow in 2020
On 18 September, in an 8–0 win overSchalke 04, in which Lewandowski scored a penalty, he provided arabona assist toThomas Müller, which was praised as the best of the season.[152][153] On 24 September, Lewandowski assistedLeon Goretzka's opener in 2–1 victory over2019–20 UEFA Europa League winnersSevilla in the2020 UEFA Super Cup inBudapest.[154] 6 days later, he played in Bayern's 3–2 win over Borussia Dortmund in the2020 DFL-Supercup, to win their fifth trophy of the year.[155] On 4 October, he scored all four goals in a 4–3 win against Hertha BSC.[156] On 24 October, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt, to become the first player in Bundesliga to score ten goals in only five matches.[157] On 16 December, he scored a brace against Wolfsburg to be the third player to pass the 250-goal mark in Bundesliga, after Gerd Müller andKlaus Fischer.[158] After winning the treble with Bayern Munich and his performances in the tournaments,[159] he was namedThe Best FIFA Men's Player2020 on 17 December, becoming the first Polish player to win the award.[160][161] The cancellation of the 2020Ballon d'Or was met with extensive criticism, as most news and sports organisations believed Lewandowski was the front-runner and should have won the award.[162]
On 17 January 2021, Lewandowski became the first player in Bundesliga history to score 21 goals after just 16 games – a new Hinrunde record, beating Gerd Müller's 20 goals during the1968–69 season.[163] On 8 February, he scored a brace in a 2–0 win overAl Ahly in the2020 FIFA Club World Cupsemi-finals.[164] On 11 February, he won the FIFA Club World Cup 2020 with the club after 1–0 win againstMexican top-flight clubTigres in thefinal, as Bayern became the second club ever (after Barcelona in2009) to win thesextuple. He was also involved inBenjamin Pavard's winning goal, and was named player of the tournament.[165] On 23 February, Lewandowski opened the score in a 4–1 win againstLazio in the first leg of theChampions League round of 16, reaching his 72nd Champions League goal and surpassingRaúl as thethird highest goalscorer in the competition's history.[166] On 6 March, he scored his 12th Bundesliga hat-trick in a 4–2 win over his former club Borussia Dortmund, to reach 31 goals in 23 matches.[167] On 13 March, he scored a goal in a 3–1 away win over Werder Bremen, hence he became the joint-second on the all-time Bundesliga scoring list with 268 goals along with Klaus Fischer.[168] On 20 March, he surpassed Fischer, as he scored aperfect hat-trick in the first half of a 4–0 win over VfB Stuttgart.[169]
On 28 March, Lewandoski scored two goals in a 3–0 home win againstAndorra in aWorld Cup qualification match, and also damagedligaments in his right knee (he was taken off after 63 minutes); he missed bothChampions League quarter-final matches against Paris Saint-Germain, in which Bayern Munich lost onaway goals rule after a 3–3 draw on aggregate.[170] On 24 April, he returned after almost a month on the sidelines in a 1–2 defeat to Mainz, where he scored in added time.[171] On 8 May, he scored his 14th Bundesliga hat-trick in a 6–0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach.[172] On 22 May, he broke Gerd Müller's record of 40 goals in the1971–72 season with a 90th-minute goal in Bayern's 5–2 win over Augsburg to reach his 41st goal on thefinal day of the season.[173] He also managed to win his firstEuropean Golden Shoe award.[174] Lewandowski finished theseason with 48 goals in 40 matches in all competitions, reaching at least the 40-goal landmark for the sixth time.[175]
2021–2022: Final season with Bayern and second European Golden Shoe
Lewandowski kicked off his2021–22 Bundesliga season with avolley-shotequaliser in a 1–1 opening fixture draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach on 13 August, making him the first player to score in seven consecutive Bundesliga opening games.[176] He also scored a brace andbackheeled to Thomas Müller in a 3–1 away win against Dortmund in the2021 DFL-Supercup on 17 August. The match was preceded by amoment of silence for Gerd Müller, who died two days earlier.[177] On 28 August, he scored his 15th Bundesliga hat-trick in a 5–0 win over Hertha Berlin,[178] setting a new club and German record for the most consecutive appearances in all competitions with a goal at 16,[179] surpassing the previous record of 15 held by Gerd Müller from1969 to 1970.[180] In addition, he managed to reach more than 300 goals with Bayern Munich in all competitions.[181] On 18 September, Lewandowski scored in his 13th consecutive Bundesliga home match againstVfL Bochum, surpassing the previous league record of 12 held by Gerd Müller (October 1969 to April 1970) andJupp Heynckes (June 1972 to February 1973).[182] He ended the streak for most consecutive appearances in all competitions with a goal at 19, the new all-time German record.[183]
"You deserve your Ballon d'Or. Last year everyone agreed that you were the winner. Hopefully France Football can give it to you to have in your home, because you were the true winner if it weren't for the pandemic. You should have one in your house too."
On 21 November, Lewandowski scored a hat-trick againstBenfica in aChampions League group stage match, becoming the fastest player to 80 UCL goals, in 100 appearances, edging past the previous record ofLionel Messi.[185][186] On 23 November, he opened the score with abicycle kick in a 2–1 away win againstDynamo Kyiv in aChampions League group stage match, thereby becoming the first player to score in nine consecutive games in two separate seasons of the competition.[187][188] Midway through the season, Lewandowski finished second in the2021 Ballon d'Or award, behind Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain and received theStriker of the Year award by theFrance Football magazine.[189] On 17 December, Lewandowski set the Bundesliga record for most goals in a calendar year with his 43rd goal.[190] He became the second player, afterCristiano Ronaldo, to be the top goalscorer for club and country as a player playing in Europe for three consecutive years.[191][192]
On 15 January 2022, Lewandowski scored his 16th hat-trick and 300th Bundesliga goal in a 4–0 away win over Köln.[193] On 8 March, Lewandowski scored a hat-trick in a 7–1 win overRed Bull Salzburg in the second leg ofChampions League round of 16. Coming inside the first 23 minutes of the match, Lewandowski's hat-trick becomes the earliest ever scored by a player from the start of a Champions League match.[194] Taking just 11 minutes from first goal to last, Lewandowski's three-goal extravaganza against Salzburg also ranks as the quickest hat-trick ever scored in the knockout phases of the Champions League.[194] With these goals he took himself beyond the 40-goal mark in all competitions for the seventh consecutive season.[195] With the hat-trick, he also became the fastest player to 85 UCL goals, again edging past Lionel Messi's previous record.[196] He also joinedCristiano Ronaldo and Messi as the only three players to have ten or more goals in three or more UCL campaigns, and joined Messi as the only two players who have scored a first half hat trick in a UCL knockout game.[197] However, Lewandowski finished the league with 35 goals as top scorer for the fifth consecutive season and seventh outright, equaling the record of Gerd Müller. He also broke the Bundesliga record for most away goals in a single season with 19 goals.[198] In addition, he won his second European Golden Shoe award for the second consecutive season.[199]
On 30 May 2022, Lewandowski stated his desire to leave Bayern Munich, saying "My story with Bayern has come to an end, I cannot imagine further good cooperation... I hope they will not stop me (from leaving) just because they can. A transfer is the best solution for everyone."[200]
Barcelona
Transfer
At Bayern Munich, Lewandowski established himself as one of the best players of his generation. On 16 July 2022,Barcelona confirmed they had reached an agreement with Bayern Munich for Lewandowski's transfer.[201] Three days later, Lewandowski signed a four-year contract for a fee of €45 million, potentially rising to €50 million with add-ons.[202] The contract included arelease clause set at €500 million.[203] Lewandowski became the most expensive Polish player in history and Bayern Munich's most expensive sale of all time.[204] Lewandowski was formally unveiled in front of 50,000 fans on 5 August at theCamp Nou, and was handed the number 9 shirt, previously worn byMemphis Depay, and was officially registered on 12 August, amid speculation that the club could not register him as they were over the league's salary cap limit, due to their financial difficulties.[205][206][207][208]
2022–23: La Liga title and Pichichi Trophy
On 13 August, he made his competitive debut for the club in 0–0 draw againstRayo Vallecano in the league.[209] On 21 August, he scored his first competitive goals forBlaugrana, netting a brace in a 4–1 victory overReal Sociedad on 21 August,[210] followed by another brace againstReal Valladolid in a 4–0 victory on 28 August.[211] On 7 September, in his first game as a Barcelona player inChampions League, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–1 victory overViktoria Plzeň, becoming the first player in history to score a Champions League hat-trick for three different clubs.[212][213] On 11 September, he scored his sixth league goal of the season in his fifth league match for Barcelona, in their 4–0 win overCádiz, setting the record for most goals in the first five La Liga games of the season in the 21st century,[214] and eventually registered eleven goal contributions including nine goals and two assists in seven matches, after scoring the only goal of an away win overMallorca on 1 October.[215]
On 12 October, Lewandowski scored a brace in Barcelona's Champions League fixture againstInter Milan, with his last-minute equalizer securing a 3–3 home draw for the Blaugrana at Camp Nou.[216] Despite scoring five goals in the competition, his goals were not able to help Barcelona, as they finished third in thegroup stage which put them in theEuropa Leagueknockout round play-offs for the second consecutive season.[217] On 8 November, Lewandowski was sent off for the second time in his club career for a foul onDavid García, later receiving a three-game ban, as Barcelona won 2–1 againstOsasuna.[218][219] However, Lewandowski participated in the 1–1 tie againstrivalsEspanyol on 31 December after his ban was suspended by a court inMadrid, but still ended up serving the disqualification, as Spain's sports court upheld the punishment, missing the league matches againstAtlético Madrid,Girona andGetafe.[220]
On 16 January 2023, he scored the second goal in the2023 Supercopa de España final, as Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3–1 inEl Clásico, winning his first title with the club.[221] On 14 May, he scored two goals as Barcelona defeated Espanyol 4–2, confirming them as La Liga champions.[222][223] He was the first Barcelona player to score more than 30 goals across all competitions in his debut season sinceRonaldo Nazário in1996–97.[224] By the end of the2022–23 La Liga season, Lewandowski won his firstPichichi Trophy with 23 goals in 34 matches,[225] becoming the first player in top 5 European leagues to get top scorer award in six consecutive seasons.[226] Lewandowski also tiedLionel Messi for most top scorer awards in top 5 European leagues with eight.[5]
2023–24: La Liga runner-up
Lewandowski in 2024 duringBarcelona's pre-season tour in the United States
On 19 September 2023, Lewandowski scored once in Barcelona's 5–0 home win overAntwerp in the first matchday of the2023–24 UEFA Champions League to bring hisUEFA competitions tally to 100 goals, becoming only thethird player to reach such a milestone afterCristiano Ronaldo andLionel Messi.[227][228] He also became the oldest player, at 35 years and 29 days, to score for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, surpassingGerard Piqué's previous record.[229] On 23 September, he scored a brace to help Barcelona overturn a two-goal deficit in a 3–2 home victory againstCelta Vigo, becoming the best scorer in first 50 matches for the club in 21st century, with 35 goals, surpassing the record previously held bySamuel Eto'o.[230][231][232]
On 17 February 2024, Lewandowski secured a win for Barcelona in a 2–1 victory over Celta Vigo by converting a retaken 97th-minute penalty.[233] He became the most successful footballer in terms of the number of goals scored (407) over the past decade in the top fivemajor European football leagues.[234]On 22 February, he scored his 93rdChampions League goal in a 1–1 draw againstNapoli.[235][236] Then on 12 March, Lewandowski scored the final goal in a 3–1 win in the home leg, knocking out Napoli with a 4–2 aggregate score.[237] On 17 March, he was a key player in Barcelona's 3–0 win overAtlético Madrid having been involved in all three goals. He scored one goal and produced two assists helping his side move to the second spot in the La Liga table.[238] On 29 April, he scored his first La Liga hat-trick to help his team get a 4–2 win againstValencia.[239]
2024–25: Domestic double and 100 Barcelona goals
On 17 August 2024, Lewandowski scored two goals in a 2–1 victory againstValencia. It was the first match of the La Liga season for Barcelona and the first game with former Bayern Munich managerHansi Flick in charge as the coach.[240] On 22 September, Lewandowski scored two goals in a 5–1 victory againstVillarreal.[241] On 25 September, he scored the winning goal in Barcelona's 1–0 victory overGetafe. This was Lewandowski's 49th goal scored in La Liga beatingJan Urban's record as the top scoring Polish player in La Liga history.[242][243] On 6 October, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 victory overAlavés.[244] On 20 October, Lewandowski scored two goals in a 5–1 victory againstSevilla,[245] in the process, he overtookGerd Müller's record and became the third highest scorer in the history of the fivemajor European football leagues with 366 goals in total.[246]
On 23 October, Lewandowski scored the second goal in a 4–1 thrashing of his former club Bayern Munich in the Champions League, but did not celebrate out of respect for Bayern.[247][248] Then on 26 October 2024, Lewandowski scored the first and second goal in Barcelona's 4–0 away demolition ofReal Madrid at theSantiago Bernabéu.[249] He was subsequently chosenLa Liga Player of the Month, his third such achievement.[250] On 23 November, he scored againstCelta Vigo in a match, which concluded in a 2–2 draw. By scoring this goal, Lewandowski recorded his 14th consecutive season in which he scored at least 20 goals for club, surpassingLionel Messi's record.[251] Three days later, Lewandowski made history by netting a brace in Barcelona's 3–0 win overBrest, his first goal in the match being his 100th Champions League goal. He became only the third player to pass the 100-goal mark in the Champions League.[252] On 7 December, he netted a goal in a 2–2 draw againstReal Betis.[253] By scoring the goal, Lewandowski reached 16 goals in his first 16 La Liga matches, equalling a record achieved by Messi during the2018–19 season.[254]
On 9 April 2025, Lewandowski surpassedCristiano Ronaldo as the player with the most goals past the age of thirty-five in theChampions League, 14.[255] He reached this feat against former clubBorussia Dortmund after scoring a brace in a 4–0 victory over the German side. Those goal involvements also led him to his 99th Barcelona goal, and becoming theMan of the Match.[256] He reached his 100th and 101st goals with the club in a 3–0 away win overAthletic Bilbao on the final matchday of the season.[257] This made him join the small group of players to have scored 100 goals with three different clubs, and only the third player from the 21st century to do so after Cristiano Ronaldo andNeymar.[258]
2025–26
On 22 November 2025, the thirteenth matchday of the2025–26 La Liga, Lewandowski scored the inaugural goal at the partially rebuiltSpotifyCamp Nou, having scored against Athletic Bilbao within four minutes.[259] The match ended 4-0 in favour of Barcelona.[260]
International career
2007–2013: Youth level and early international career
His debut for the senior national team came on 10 September 2008, three weeks after his 20th birthday, againstSan Marino where he came on as a substitute and scored a goal in a 2–0 away win in2010 FIFA World Cup qualification.[262] OnlyWłodzimierz Lubański scored a goal on his debut for the national team at a younger age than Lewandowski, having been 16 at the time. Lewandowski scored another qualifying goal against the same team on 1 April 2009, in a 10–0 victory.[263]
Playing in Warsaw in the opening match of theUEFA Euro 2012 tournament againstGreece, Lewandowski scored the first goal of the competition after an assist from then Dortmund teammateJakub Błaszczykowski and was namedMan of the Match.[264] He played in all three games for Poland in the tournament, as the co-hosts crashed out of the group stage with two points earned.[265][266]
2013–2017: Assuming captaincy
Lewandowski playing forPoland againstIreland in 2013
Lewandowski scored two penalties in the 5–0 win against San Marino on 26 March 2013 during the2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, his first match ascaptain.[267] Later on in the campaign, on 6 September, he scored the equaliser againstMontenegro in a 1–1 home draw.[268] Poland did not qualify for the2014 World Cup in Brazil.[269]
On 7 September 2014, in Poland's firstUEFA Euro 2016 qualifier, away againstGibraltar, Lewandowski scored his first international hat-trick, netting four goals in a 7–0 win.[270] On 13 June 2015, he scored another hat-trick in Poland's 4–0 defeat ofGeorgia, with the three goals scored within the space of four minutes.[271] On 8 October, he scored twice in a 2–2 draw away toScotland, opening and equalising with the last kick of the game to eliminate the hosts.[272] Three days later he headed the winner in a 2–1 victory against theRepublic of Ireland, qualifying Poland for the tournament finals in France.[273] Lewandowski ended the campaign with 13 goals, a jointEuropean Championships qualifying record withDavid Healy's tally forNorthern Ireland inUEFA Euro 2008 qualifying.[274]
AtUEFA Euro 2016 in France, Lewandowski did not have a shot on target until the last-16 match againstSwitzerland inSaint-Étienne.[275] Following the 1–1 draw, he scored his team's first attempt in the penalty shootout victory that sent them to the quarter-finals for the first time.[276] In the 100th second of the quarter-final againstPortugal at theStade Vélodrome, he finishedKamil Grosicki's cross to open another 1–1 draw, and again scored in the shootout although the Poles lost.[277] At the time of Poland's exit, Lewandowski had suffered more fouls than any other player in the tournament.[277]
2017–2025: All-time Poland top scorer, short-lived retirement
On 5 October 2017, Lewandowski scored a hat-trick in a 6–1 victory againstArmenia to take his tally to 50 goals for Poland, surpassing the previous record of 48 goals set byWłodzimierz Lubański to become the all-time top scorer for Poland.[278][279] On 8 October, Lewandowski scored a goal in a 4–2 victory against Montenegro, taking his tally to 51 goals for Poland.[280] He finished the2018 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign with a total of 16 goals, a record for a European World Cup qualification.[280]
On 19 June 2021, in Poland's second group stage match ofUEFA Euro 2020 againstSpain, Lewandowski scored the equalising goal in a 1–1 draw. He became the first Polish player to score in three consecutiveEuropean Championships.[283][284] On 23 June, he scored a brace in a 3–2 defeat againstSweden, but Poland finished last in their group and were knocked out in the group stage.[285]
Lewandowski was selected for thenational squad ahead of the2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. During the first match againstMexico, he missed a penalty.[286] However, in the second match againstSaudi Arabia, Lewandowski scored his firstFIFA World Cup goal Poland 2–0.[287] He scored his second World Cup goal on a penalty in a 3–1 loss againstFrance in the round of 16.[288]
In June 2024, Lewandowski was named in the final 26-mansquad forUEFA Euro 2024 in Germany.[289] In Poland's third group stage game, he converted a penalty kick to equalize in a 1–1 draw against France, but Poland exited the tournament after finishing at the bottom of their group.[290]
Lewandowski was not called up for two June 2025 matches againstMoldova andFinland, citing exhaustion after the end of the club season.[291] On 8 June, following the decision of head coachMichał Probierz to namePiotr Zieliński new captain of the Poland national team, Lewandowski announced he would not play for the national team as long as Probierz was the manager. Following Lewandowski's remarks and Poland's defeat against Finland in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Probierz resigned.[292]
Following the appointment ofJan Urban as Poland manager on 16 July 2025,[293] reports of Lewandowski's national team return ahead of the September matches against the Netherlands and Finland surfaced.[294] In August 2025, he was selected for the September games and reinstated as Poland's captain.[295]
Lewandowski was widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world in his prime,[296][297][298][299] and is considered by many to be one of the greatest centre-forwards of his generation.[300][301][302] An accurate and efficient finisher with his head and both feet, Lewandowski is a prolific goalscorer, which has led him to be dubbedLewangoalski.[303] A well-roundedforward, he is said to possess almost all the necessary qualities of a traditionalnumber nine: height, strength, balance, pace, intelligent movement and proficiency with both feet.[304] Although he primarily operates as a goal-poacher in the penalty area, due to his positional sense, ability to shoot first time, strength in the air, and powerful shot with either foot, his excellent technical skills, quick feet, proficientdribbling, vision, and physique also enable him to hold up the ball with his back to goal and either bring his teammates into play, or win fouls for his team in useful positions. Despite often functioning as a lone-centre forward or as an out-and-outstriker, he has also stood out for his work-rate and defensive contribution off the ball, and is capable of dropping into deeper roles on the pitch, in order to create space for teammates with his movement, or surprise defenders by making late and sudden attacking runs into the area. He became more of a team player as his career progressed, having been criticised by pundits earlier in his career for his perceived selfishness.
Lewandowski is an accuratepenalty taker and has repeatedly shown coolness and composure on the spot; he is also capable of scoring from long range, and has been known to takefree kicks. In addition to his playing ability, Lewandowski has also been praised for his outstanding work-ethic, fitness, mentality, and discipline, both on the pitch and in training, by pundits, players and managers;[305][306][307][308][309][310] his disciplined approach to training and fitness has led to him being nicknamed "The Body".[311]
Outside football
Personal life
Lewandowski in 2010
Lewandowski's father gave him the name Robert to make it easier for him when moving abroad as a professional footballer.[307] Lewandowski's father, Krzysztof (died in 2005),[312] was a Polishjudo champion, and also played football forHutnik Warsaw in the second division.[313] His mother, Iwona, is a formervolleyball player forAZS Warsaw and later vice-president of Partyzant Leszno.[313] His sister, Milena, also plays volleyball and has represented the U21 national team.[313]
In October 2017, the day after scoring to help Poland qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Lewandowski finished hisBachelor of Physical Education (BPhEd) with coaching and management at the Academy of Sport Education in Warsaw, concluding a decade of studies.[318][319][320]
In addition to his nativePolish, Lewandowski also speaks English and German.[321][322]
Lewandowski and his wife, Anna, have supported, donated and raised money for various charitable organisations and for children throughout their career, includingChildren's Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw, for which they've raised more thanPLN 150,000 during Anna's birthday party on 25 August 2018.[334] Lewandowski also donated PLN 100,000 for the treatment of Cyprian Gaweł, a three-year-old boy fromHel;[335] and helps raising funds for theGreat Orchestra of Christmas Charity each year, donating his personal items or private meetings that are sold at online auctions.[336][337][338]
In March 2014, he was named aUNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.[339] In June the same year, he visited a refugee camp inZaatari, Jordan, and took part in the "Voice of the Children" campaign in which he appealed for support of children affected by humanitarian crises.[340]
In 2018, he and his wife donated PLN 500,000 to Children's Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw.[341]
In March 2020, Lewandowski and his wife, Anna, donated €1 million during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[342]
In January 2022, he won a charity auction in which he paid PLN 280,000 forDawid Tomala's Olympic gold medal. The funds were used to finance the operation of a seriously ill boy.[343] Lewandowski subsequently returned the medal to Tomala.[344]
In February 2022, Lewandowski condemned theRussian invasion of Ukraine and showed his solidarity with the Ukrainian people by wearing a blue and yellow armband during a Bundesliga match.[345] The armband was later auctioned for PLN 27,000 and the money was used to purchase humanitarian aid for Ukraine.[346]
Beside philanthropy, Lewandowski also invests primarily instartups,e-commerce, and websites, mainly through Protos Venture Capital, a company of which he is a shareholder.[347] He also owns Stor9_, an agency specialising inmarketing communications.[348] In 2022, Lewandowski and his wife Anna'snet worth was estimated at PLN 625 million (US$140 million), making them claim the 89th place on the "List of 100 Richest Poles" compiled by theWprost magazine.[349]
In 2016, a mobile gameLewandowski: Euro Star 2016 was released onAndroid andiOS platforms.[358]
In March 2022, Lewandowski cancelled his sponsorship deal with Chinese telecom companyHuawei after the company's reported support to Russia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Lewandowski had signed on as the global ambassador for Huawei, after agreeing to a partnership in November 2015.[359][360]
In 2022, Lewandowski was the most popular Pole onsocial media. His accounts onInstagram,YouTube andTik Tok were followed by over 62 million people.[363] In 2023, he was the subject of adocumentary film entitledLewandowski − Nieznany (Lewandowski − Unknown), which premiered on 28 March and is available onAmazon Prime.[364][365]
^Rosner, Maik (4 April 2015)."Lewandowski setzt die Pointe" [Lewandowski sets the punch line].Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Dortmund.Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved4 April 2015.
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