Is Lewandowski the Best Striker of the 21st Century?
A Champions League winner in 1985, Zbigniew Boniek has claimed that his compatriot, current FC Barcelona player Robert Lewandowski, is undoubtedly the best striker of the 21st century.
This praise will surely delight Robert Lewandowski, as it comes from a true legend of Polish football and sports. Widely regarded as Poland’s greatest player and one of Europe’s finest in the 1980s, thanks to his outstanding partnership with Michel Platini at Juventus, Zbigniew Boniek was a guest on TVP Sport, where he unequivocally described Lewandowski as "the best number 9 of the 21st century."
The former president of the Polish Football Association didn’t stop at making this bold statement. He also backed it up by addressing comparisons with contemporaries like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. "I don’t know if Messi is a 9, a 10, or a 9.5, and Cristiano isn’t a typical 9 either, as he spent his career playing on the wings," Boniek explained.
Target: 120 Goals in the Champions League?
Boniek’s analysis is also rooted in Lewandowski’s accomplishments on the field. On Tuesday, thanks to a brace against Stade Brestois, Lewandowski surpassed the monumental milestone of 100 goals in the Champions League, a feat previously achieved only by the aforementioned Argentine and Portuguese players. This underscores his longevity at the highest level of Europe’s premier competition, where Boniek believes he will continue to shine despite being 36 years old. "He still has at least two more years to play at this level," said the 1985 Champions League winner, who also suggested that with the reformed European competitions, Lewandowski could reach 120 goals in continental tournaments.
These statements will undoubtedly fill the FC Barcelona forward with pride. He has started the season spectacularly, in sync with the Catalan club’s strong performance as leaders of LaLiga and third in Europe. In 19 matches, the Polish striker has already netted 22 goals, just four shy of his tally from the previous season (26 goals in 49 matches).
