Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo No Way Close to What Robert Lewandowski Achieved This Season: Friedhelm Funkel

Former Germany football player Friedhelm Funkel has said that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are now way close to what Bayern Munich start Robert Lewandowski has achieved this season. Funkel said that both Messi and Ronaldo were knocked out of Champions League 2019-20 while Lewandowski made it to the final as Bayern Munich take on Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summit clash on Sunday. Robert Lewandowski Joins Cristiano Ronaldo in Exclusive Champions League Club.

"Yes, there are no two ways about it. Lewandowski's performance in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League this season has been sensational," Funkel was quoted as saying by Sky Sport.

"There is no one this year who has even come close to achieving what Lewandowski has shown. He scored many, many goals, but also assisted a lot of goals. He has also become an absolute team player, but that hasn't stopped him from scoring goals. Lewandowski is predestined to become the world player of the year.  Bayern Munich Beat Lyon 3-0, Storms into the Champions League 2019-20 Finals, Netizens Hail Serge Gnabry for His Brace (Read Tweets).

"Ronaldo was eliminated early [from the Champions League], Messi was eliminated early, Messi also did not become a champion in Spain. There was no European Championship or World Cup, so the Champions League has to come into focus and Lewandowski is an outstanding player, the outstanding player," he added.

Funkel also added that Lewandowski's consistency has been a notch above Neymar who is also in the Champions League 2019-20. "Neymar is also a world-class player. But this consistency, which Lewandowski has shown over a whole year, cannot be seen in Neymar. He's also an extraordinary - I would almost say - artist," he said.

"What bothers me about Neymar, however, are his dramatics. As soon as he is touched, he goes down, makes drama on the pitch to impress the referee, to shout for fouls. That's not the fine English way, no other player does it like him.

"Lewandowski is completely different, who isn't easily knocked over or let himself be kicked over or dives to provoke something. None of that is worthy of a world football star. That's why there is really only Lewandowski for me this year and, for the reasons described, not Neymar," Funkel added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 23, 2020 12:52 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).