Robert Lewandowski Thinks Barcelona Move Enhanced His Chances Of Ballon d'Or Glory

Robert Lewandowski believes that he is much more likely to win the Ballon d'Or as a Barcelona player than he was while at Bayern Munich.

The 34-year-old Poland star moved from Bayern to Barcelona this summer.

The Ballon d'Or, given to the footballer judged to have been the best in the world over the course of a year, has been awarded 65 times since 1956, with a Barcelona player winning it on 13 occasions.

Lewandowski finished second in the 2021 Ballon d'Or vote behind Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, despite scoring more goals and winning more team trophies.

Robert Lewandowski and his wife Anna pictured at the 2021 Ballon d'Or award ceremony

IMAGO/Xinhua/Henri Szwarc

Many believe that Messi's international success - he captained Argentina to Copa America glory in 2021 - was the deciding factor that saw him pip Lewandowski last year.

But others, seemingly including Lewandowski, suspect that club bias may also have swayed the vote in Messi's favor.

"I know that Barcelona are a team where the most players have won it," Lewandowski said this week, as quoted by GOAL.

"I think the path is shorter from Barcelona than from Bayern."

Messi, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain, has not been nominated for the 2022 Ballon d'Or.

Lewandowski is on the 30-player shortlist but he is expected to lose out to Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema in the final vote.

The winner will be crowned on October 17.