Ferré reveals how Lewandowski ironically blamed him for cancelled 2020 Ballon d'Or

Pascal Ferré, former director of France Football, has revealed that Robert Lewandowski held a grudge against him for years over the cancellation of the 2020 Ballon d’Or — a decision made during the Covid-19 pandemic that robbed the Polish striker of his most anticipated moment.

In an interview with Le Vestiaire, Ferré described this period as “the most complicated” of his tenure at the magazine. “We believed that, that year, all the conditions were not in place, particularly in terms of fairness,” he explained, justifying the decision to suspend the entire edition rather than proceed in a health context deemed too disrupted.

Lewandowski had just come off an exceptional season with Bayern Munich: Bundesliga title and UEFA Champions League victory. His candidacy for football’s most prestigious individual trophy seemed barely contestable. Ferré acknowledges that he took care to call him personally to announce the news before any official communication. “I had warned him, but he didn’t really understand,” he admits.

The Pole’s frustration did not fade with time. During their subsequent meetings, Lewandowski would systematically greet Ferré with the same ironic barb: “Here comes the man who never wanted to give me a Ballon d’Or.” A remark that sums up the sense of injustice felt by a player who has never won the award to this day.

The 2020 cancellation remains one of the most debated episodes in Ballon d’Or history. Some observers had then called for an honorary trophy to be awarded to Lewandowski; France Football refused, arguing that such a solution would have devalued the honours list. The 2021 edition was ultimately won by Lionel Messi, ahead of… Lewandowski, which reignited the controversy.