Ballon d'Or winner would give his award to Robert Lewandowski

A surprising gesture from a former Ballon d’Or winner means Robert Lewandowski may not have to go empty-handed after all.

Spanish football legend Luis Suarez has vowed to give Robert Lewandowski his Ballon d’Or if the Pole doesn’t win the prize this year.

In the eyes of many people, Lewandowski was the rightful winner of the 2020 award. The striker scored 55 goals to help Bayern Munich win a treble in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and the Champions League.

He may have won FIFA Men’s Best Player Award, but France Football scrapped the Ballon d’Or that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic – denying him a chance to win the prize for the first time.

But Lewandowski is again a top contender for this year’s edition alongside Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema and Jorginho.

Plus, in the event he doesn’t win it, Suarez – who won the award in 1960 – would give the 33-year-old his own prize instead.

“Give Lewandowski the Ballon d’Or, damn it! If not, I’ll give him mine!” he told Carrusel Deportivo.

Former Barcelona and Inter midfielder and 1960 Ballon d'Or winner Luis Suárez Miramontes: "Give the Ballon d'Or to Lewandowski, damn it! Otherwise, I'll give him mine" [@carrusel] pic.twitter.com/YY2Xr5uWIJ

— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) November 4, 2021

How has the Pole done in 2021?

The Poland captain excelled for club and country again to make himself a candidate for the 2021 Ballon d’Or.

Lewandowski broke Gerd Muller’s 49-year record of the most Bundesliga goals in a single season by scoring 41 times in 29 games. As a result, he won the league’s Golden Boot and the European Golden Shoe.

He also scored in 19 consecutive matches for Bayern – another club record.

And despite Poland suffering a predictable group-stage exit in Euro 2020, he still impressed. The striker scored three goals in as many games, including a last-gasp equalizer against Spain.

France Football will declare the 2021 Ballon d’Or winner on November 29 in a ceremony at Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet.