One of the most popular modern-day footballers, Robert Lewandowski is one of the greatest forwards in football history. The lethal striker currently plays as a number 9 for one of the biggest football clubs on earth, Barcelona. The formidable forward, who is 35 years old, is the captain of the Poland national football team.
A staunch admirer of Roberto Baggio, Lewandowski became a big fan of football in his early childhood days and started exercising and playing the game at the age of six in Warsaw, his birthplace. Following his appearance as an unregistered player for the Warsaw local club Partyzant Leszno, Lewa (a nickname fondly given by his fans) rose through the ranks in the third and fourth-tier clubs in Poland, before featuring as a first-division player for Lech Poznan in 2008.
From a talented youngster to becoming an elite in the footballing ranks, Lewandowski’s journey is something to be talked about for generations to come. Scroll down below to have a look at his life and career as a footballer.
Robert Lewandowski Bio
- Full Name: Robert Lewandowski
- Date of Birth: August 21, 1988
- Place of Birth: Warsaw, Poland
- Professional Debut: 2005
- Current Teams: Barcelona, Poland National Team
- Jersey Number: 9
- Position: Forward
Robert Lewandowski: The Early Years of an Elite Star
A close follower of the game of football, Lewandowski began his sports journey in childhood. His father, a Polish judo champion, used to play for Hutnik Warsaw, a second-division Polish club. Lewa got used to the game and developed a keen interest in playing as a goalscorer. His mother, who was a former volleyball champion, encouraged his son’s footballing ambitions and later enrolled him in Partyzant Leszno. Under the guidance of his mother, who was the vice president of the club, Lewandowski experienced significant development in his playing style. Eventually, the Polish captain moved to Delta Warsaw club, after playing seven years for MKS Varsovia Warsaw as a teenage player.
One of the greatest goalscorers in the history of football, Lewandowski used to admire Baggio in his early childhood before idolizing Alessandro del Piero later on. Another name on his list of footballing heroes is French legend Thierry Henry, who motivated Lewandowski to not only impact a game as a scorer but also as an active player.
In addition to football, the current Barcelona attacker engaged in educational activity during his teenage years. With financial stability at home, courtesy of his parents’ steady income, Lewandowski continued his schooling in Warsaw but failed to complete the full course. However, during his stay at Bayern, he completed his decade-long study, earning academic honors alongside his dazzling career as a footballer by submitting a thesis about himself at Warsaw University.
Clubs: Lewandowski’s Sensational Journey From Delta Warsaw to Barcelona
Lewandowski, who was a talented teenage player at Partyzant Leszno and MKS Varsovia Warsaw from 1996 to 2005, started to make a mark since his senior debut at Delta Warsaw in 2006. And after that, there was no stopping for the superstar.
Senior Team Debut: Delta Warsaw & Legia Warsaw II (2005-2006)
After an impressive start to his footballing journey at the age of six, Lewandowski entered senior football at Delta Warsaw where his talent was widely recognized. His upbringing in a family full of sports lovers and professional players pushed him to establish his name and he continued to do so. Lewandowski made 30 appearances in total for Delta Warsaw and Legia Warsaw II, managing to score only 6 goals. But his attacking prowess made him a regular frontline player, who had the ability and intensity in him to impact the result of any game.
Promotion in Polish division: Znicz Pruszkow & Lech Poznan
Lewandowski started his scoring exploits at a very young age in the third division of Poland for Znicz Pruszkow, where he emerged as the top scorer of the competition (15 goals) and played an important role in the club’s promotion to the second division. In his two-year stint (2006-2008) at the club, he clocked 36 goals in 59 appearances.
In June 2008, Europe took notice of him as a rising star, when Lech Poznan signed him for €2.8 million. At Lech, Lewa scored 18 goals in his debut season in the Polish top tier and became the second-highest scorer in the league. His hard work and perseverance made him a starter in the team, and he eventually rewarded the club’s trust by guiding them to the 2009-2010 Championship glory.
A star was born: Borussia Dortmund (2010-2014)
His consistency at Lech attracted Borussia Dortmund, one of the top clubs in the world, and they signed Lewandowski in 2010 on a four-year deal for around €4.6 million. After finding his first goal for the German club against Schalke, there was no looking back for the Polish striker. His staggering performance in the Bundesliga earned him the Footballer of the Year award (2010) in Poland. In 2011, he raked up 22 goals and six assists, helping Borussia win the Bundesliga title, edging out the high-flying Bayern Munich.
He also scored a hat-trick in the DFB Pokal final against the Bavarians and guided his club to their first-ever domestic double glory. However, his name echoed across the European footballing world after he became the first player to score 4 goals in a UEFA Champions League semifinal, with Real Madrid being the victim of his feat. During his four-year stay at Borussia, Lewandowski amassed 74 goals across all competitions in just 131 appearances for the Yellows, including 28 goals in his final season at Signal Iduna Park.
A World-class Forward: Bayern Munich (2014-2022)
Success in the Bundesliga prompted Lewandowski to make his move to Bayern Munich, the biggest team in Germany. In 2013, he signed a five-year pre-contractual agreement with the Bavarians after becoming a free agent.
2014-2015
Bayern specifically bought Lewandowski for his goal-scoring ability and the Polish forward started his life at Allianz Arena in impressive fashion by scoring 25 goals in just 49 appearances in his first season. His 17 Bundesliga goals worked as a propeller for his side as the Bavarians won the German league that season. His past experience in the Bundesliga made it easy for him to aid in Bayern’s success except for the 2014-15 Champions League, where they suffered a 3-5 defeat against Barcelona in the semi-final.
2015-2017
Why Lewandowski is considered the epitome of a complete striker became evident from 2015 to 2017. In 2015, he scored five goals in just 8 minutes against Wolfsburg. His five goals in 8 minutes are the fastest in all major football competitions including the Bundesliga, earning him four certificates by the Guinness Records Committee. The Polish captain scored his 100 goals for Bayern in just 168 games, setting a club record for any foreign player in the Bundesliga. His scoring streak led him to his first-ever presence in the FIFA Ballon d’Or Awards (2015) where he finished fourth. In 2016, he recorded 30 goals to his name and guided Bayern to their fourth Bundesliga title in a row. Over these two seasons, he finished with 84 goals in just 98 appearances.
2017-2022
These four and half years were more about personal achievements than the team’s success as Lewandowski surpassed many elite players to claim top honors on the world stage. From 2017 to 2019, he scored 82 goals in all competitions and won both the Bundesliga and German Cup. He became the first foreign player to win four Golden Boots in Germany. In 2018, he also became the third fastest player to reach the 50-goal mark in the history of the Champions League after Lionel Messi and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Additionally, he surpassed Claudio Pizarro to become the all-time top scorer as a foreigner in the Bundesliga after scoring 195 goals.
His 200th goal for Bayern came against Red Star Belgrade in the UCL in 2019. The German club became the second club ever to have won a sextuple (three domestic and three European titles) in 2019, and Lewandowski was the top scorer in all three European competitions, a feat previously achieved by only Johan Cruyff. In 2021, Lewandowski was awarded with Ballon d’Or striker of the Year and European Golden Shoe awards including the FIFA Best Men’s award for his contribution to his team’s success, including his 59 goals in a calendar year. Lewandowski has won the Bundesliga title every season as a Bayern player since his debut.
A New Challenge: Barcelona (present)
In search of a new challenge, Lewandowski severed his eight-year-long tie with Bayern Munich in 2022 and decided to join another elite European team Barcelona for around €43 million. He brought his luck with him to Barcelona and revived a scattered football team that couldn’t live up to their standards following Lionel Messi’s departure.
In his debut season at Camp Nou, the new number nine of Barca helped his team win the La Liga title, having scored more than 30 goals across all competitions. This feat earned him his first Pichichi trophy. The 35-year-old is still going strong at Barcelona and is hungry for more awards and titles, given his dedication in every match week.
Career and Stats
Lewandowski boasts an illustrious career so far, decorated with numerous goals and assists, and a series of silverware.
| Club | Season | Apps | Goals |
| Znicz Pruszkow | 2006-2008 | 59 | 36 |
| Lech Poznan | 2008-2010 | 58 | 32 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 2010-2011 | 9 | 9 |
| 2011-2012 | 19 | 30 | |
| 2012-2013 | 27 | 36 | |
| 2013-2014 | 19 | 28 | |
| Bayern Munich | 2014-15 | 20 | 25 |
| 2015-16 | 27 | 42 | |
| 2016-17 | 25 | 43 | |
| 2017-18 | 30 | 41 | |
| 2018-19 | 26 | 40 | |
| 2019-20 | 38 | 55 | |
| 2020-21 | 30 | 48 | |
| 2021-22 | 32 | 50 | |
| Barcelona | 2022-23 | 23 | 33 |
| Total | 2008-2023 | 377 | 581 |
For Poland:
| National Team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Poland | 2008-2023 | 148 | 82 |
Robert Lewandowski’s Life Outside Football
Robert Lewandowski is one of the most influential personalities in sports. Apart from being a footballer, he is also an admirer of academics as the Polish football team captain has recently graduated from Warsaw’s School of Education in Sport with Physical education. He has completed a University degree with a thesis on himself entitled: “RL9, path to glory.” He is also a lover of tennis and volleyball and engages himself in playing golf sometimes.
Robert Lewandowski’s Personal Life
Lewandowski’s Parents
His father’s name was Krzysztof, he came from a sporting background, having been a national judo star and football player in Poland’s second division. His mother was also a sportsperson who used to play volleyball at the highest level in Warsaw. In 2005, when Lewandowski was coming through the ranks in Legia Warsaw, his father passed away.
Siblings
Lewandowski has a sister named Milena, who also belongs to the sports fraternity in Poland. His sister was a star player in the u21 volleyball team in the country.
Lewandowski’s Wife & Children
During his stay at Borussia Dortmund, Lewandowski married his long-time girlfriend Anna in 2013 in Serock, a small town in Poland. Like his husband, Anna is also a global superstar, who won a bronze medal in the Karate World Cup in 2009. The hot couple has two daughters – Klara and Laura.
Lewandowski’s Net worth
Being a footballing icon and elite player, Lewandowski boasts a luxurious life. Despite agreeing to a pay cut to join Barcelona, the Polish superstar earns around €410.00k per week at Camp Nou. Including his salary and other sponsorship deals, Lewandowski’s net worth is believed to be around €90 million. He and his wife are always engaged in various charities, making continuous generous donations.
Besides being the Goodwill ambassador of UNICEF, he makes significant contributions to support Warsaw’s Children’s Memorial Hospital. Additionally, he has made investments in the food industry and fish restaurants. The estimated earnings of the striker per year are close to €24 million.
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