Speaking in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com, Barcelona striker and Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski stated that Lionel Messi’s Argentina is one of the favourites to win the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
With just under a month left for the prestigious FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, football enthusiasts have started discussing which nation looks more likely to lift the coveted trophy in an event that could be the last outing for several legends. Poland superstar and Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski believes that Lionel Messi's Argentina is one of the favourites to clinch the world championship in the Middle Eastern country.
The Qatar World Cup 2022 will take place from November 20 to December 18, and Poland is part of Group C, which includes Argentina, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. And fans of Lewandowski and Messi will see the Polish legend square off with the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Messi on November 30. The Barcelona star has claimed Poland's clash against Argentina would be a massive test as La Albiceleste is one of the favourites to win the showpiece tournament.
"There's not much to say when it comes to Argentina. They're a huge team and one of the favourites to win the tournament in my opinion. With an absolute legend like Leo Messi as their figurehead, there's no doubt that'll be our toughest match," Lewandowski told FIFA.com in an exclusive interview. "It'll be great to take on such a great side with such talented players."
The 34-year-old scored nine goals in nine matches on the road to Qatar, helping Poland clinch a place in the World Cup group stages. Speaking about his outstanding goalscoring record, Lewandowski added, "I'm definitely pleased to have scored so many goals in qualifying, but particularly because it meant we made it to the World Cup. I know that every one of my goals can help my team to victory, so I'm really happy and proud to have achieved such impressive numbers."
Lewandowski also spoke about his footballing journey, which includes playing for clubs in Poland and Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich for eight years before moving to Barcelona this summer. "Of course, I'll always be proud of where I come from, but I also know that I had to overcome a lot of hurdles and break through barriers to get to where I am now and that sometimes I had to make things happen myself that I wasn't able to achieve previously. I think that training and educating myself allowed me to develop. And there were also things I had neglected that I knew I needed to improve over time," the Barcelona star said.
Speaking about the expectations he carries and how he deals with the pressure, Lewandowski said, "I'm aware that the expectations grow every time I succeed and with every goal I score. No matter who we're playing and what challenges we face out on the pitch, everyone expects me to score – and that's not always possible. I know I should always have that hunger for goals. Many people look at my stats and assume that if I scored then I played well, and if I didn't then I played badly, but I'm well aware that that's not always the case. It doesn't worry me."