In most cases, there is no sports anger that a talk can not remedy. This Monday, at the Laureus Awards, a crossroads with history could have been settled. The protagonists? Neither more nor less than Lionel Messi, the captain of the Argentine National Team, and the Polish striker Robert Lewandowski, who shared a pleasant dialogue in the middle of the red carpet mounted in the luxurious Pavillon Vendome, in the center of Paris.
According to Clarín, Lewandowski was the one who waited for the 35-year-old from Rosario in one of the 'labyrinths' that the guests at the gala were going through. The Barcelona striker was invited because he gave the "TeamUp" initiative the award in the "Sport for Good" category of the sport's Oscars.
The Pole was patient while Messi walked hand in hand with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo, who also participated in the fun talk, a tone very different from those moments of crosses of statements between both referents of their selected.
In the dialogue, of about a minute, Messi asked him if he was living with his family in Casteldefels and Antonela told him that both the Polish striker and his wife "loved" the city of Barcelona.
A crossroads with history
Photo: Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP.
The anger had been generated more than a year and a half ago, after the postponed post-pandemic delivery by Covid of the Ballon d'Or 2021.
Lewandowski believed it was going to be for him as he had had a perfect season with Bayern Munich and had scored 40 goals. But no.
That award was finally taken by Messi winning his seventh personal award because he had a great season in Barcelona and conquered with the National Team the Copa America in Brazil, relegating the Pole to second place, by only 33 votes.
The result unleashed the fury of the Pole. The funny thing is that at the awards gala itself, it was Messi himself who threw good vibes at Lewandowski: "It's an honor to fight with Lewandowski, you were the winner of last year's Ballon d'Or (for 2020 that was not delivered due to the pandemic) and France Football should give you the award. You'd have to have it at home too."
Lewandowski did not believe the message sent by Leo during the ceremony and countered: "I would like it to be a sincere statement from a great player and not empty words," he said rather moody.
The new chapter took place in January 2022 with The Best award granted by FIFA. And this time it was for Lewandowski who brought Messi back to center stage.
"I came to the conclusion that the FIFA award is more important, because the Ballon d'Or is only voted for by journalists. On the other hand, in this trophy the football professionals, the captains and coaches vote, who can evaluate everything in a more realistic way, "said the Pole lowering the price of the Golden Ball awarded by the French.
The Pole, for his part, was annoyed when asked about Messi upon his arrival in Qatar.
"Things are being misunderstood. I never said that Messi's words had not been sincere. What he said about me in Paris moved me and made me truly happy. I congratulate him on the award," Lewandowski said. However, no one believed him.
On December 1, during the third match of the group stage of the Qatar World Cup that Argentina won against Poland, they crossed again. During the second half, the Pole fouled Messi in midfield and the Flea showed him total indifference to the apology for the striker's action.
"I came across Messi and it was very strange because we were both in midfield. I was defending in the middle of the game and I knew I had to help the team," Lewandowski said of the infraction and the fact that both were involved in a foul in midfield.
In the mixed zone, Leo Messi downplayed what happened with the Poland star: "Nothing happens, nothing. He doesn't speak Spanish and I was taught that everything that is spoken on the court stays on the court and in the locker room," he said.
Although they do not speak the same language, after the match Lewandowski and Leo were seen chatting on the side of the court, with their mouths covered with their hands. "Messi and I talked a little bit," Lewandowski admitted. It was fun. I told Messi that he was playing more defensively than usual, but that sometimes that's what the team needs," Lewandowski told Germany's Bild newspaper.
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