Robert Lewandowski

Still performing at the top of his game, 20 years after emerging from Poland’s lower leagues, Robert is a multi-talented, multi-lingual, multi-award-winning master of his goalscoring craft.

And yet he’s much, much more than the ageless and impossibly precise finisher leading the line for one of the greatest football clubs on the planet. A dedicated family man and trusted philanthropist, Robert is frank, fearless and fun to be around.

He’s passionate about learning, proactive in his outlook and fully prepared for what’s to come after football—whenever that day arrives. Diligence, honesty and determination have laid the foundation for professional excellence and personal fulfilment.

Robert Lewandowski is a thoroughly modern man shaped by proud tradition and rich heritage. SW peels back the layers of a truly generational talent.

Given that timing is everything where Robert’s concerned, it’s perfectly fitting that the two-time Best FIFA Men’s Player is relaxing at the resplendent Barcelona home of luxury watchmaker Audemars Piguet.

A boutique space in the heart of the Catalan capital, it’s the ideal place to get to know a man with a metronomic reputation for finishing chances. AP House, a lounge-style haven of understated luxury, also serves as a timely reminder that, for a world class centre forward fast approaching 40, every second counts.

“When I was around 28 years old, I started to think seriously about how to be ready for life after football,” explains Robert. “I didn’t want to wait until the moment I retired because, by then, it would be too late and much more difficult to adjust.

“So from that point, I started to prepare myself, mentally and practically, for a different life. One part of me is excited and curious to see how that life will be. The other part of me still loves playing and still feels good, so I don’t feel the need to stop yet.”

Pity the furiously backtracking centre halves of Barca’s long suffering La Liga rivals. For as long as Robert relishes the cut and thrust of elite sport there’ll be no rush to retire—although the allure of overseas adventures, untamed by prescriptive club schedules and relentless training regimes, grows stronger by the day.

“Travel is something I’m really excited about,” admits Robert. “Throughout my career, even if we’ve had time off, I’ve not truly been able to travel because I’ve always had to rest. I have to be careful not to overdo things because, after a few days off, I always have to be ready for training or for matches.

“That mindset is part of being a professional footballer—you’re always thinking about recovery. After my career, that changes. I’ll be able to enjoy travel and experiences without thinking about training the next day.

“For almost 30 years, my schedule has been made for me: training, games, recovery, repeat. After football, for the first time, I will make my own calendar. That’s going to be something completely new for me.

“Of course, I know there will still be a lot of meetings, projects and commitments. But I’ll be able to choose what I want to do and when. That freedom will be something I’ve never had, and I think I’ll really enjoy it.”

For now, Robert’s freedom is still viewed through the filter of football. Freedom to express himself on the Champions League stage, freedom to roam the penalty area in search of those trademark chances and freedom to redefine the rules around what constitutes a modern-day sporting career.

When Robert transferred from Bayern Munich to Barcelona in 2022, eyebrows were raised. Understandably so. It’s simply not usual to bounce from one legendary European club to another in your mid 30s. At an age when the majority of his peers were settling into a comfortable post-football routine, Robert, now 37, was writing a new chapter in a remarkable story. A consistently dramatic narrative defies convention and keeps everyone guessing.

A reminder: Robert is one of only five players to have scored more than a century of goals for three different clubs. That those clubs are elite powerhouses Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Barcelona reveals the measure of the man: the wiry kid from Warsaw, who sits third behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the all-time list of Champions League goalscorers, is a generational talent and an inspirational leader.

“On the one hand, when I think about everything I’ve achieved—especially during the era of Ronaldo and Messi—I feel proud,” adds Robert, a humble individual who values family and friendship above all else.

“To even be mentioned alongside them, to sometimes compete with them at the highest level—and even beat them on occasions—gave me pride. I know they were often operating on a different level but to be so close—and at times be even better—is something I can always be proud of. I can say that I achieved almost everything I could have dreamed of.”

Almost everything? Let’s, for a moment, revisit the resumé. Robert has won the European Golden Shoe and the Gerd Muller Trophy twice. He’s a three-time Polish Sports Personality of the Year, captain of his country and his nation’s all-time leading scorer. Robert’s won the Champions League, multiple domestic titles and the hearts and minds of adoring supporters the world over. When Robert reflects on achieving ‘almost everything’, perhaps he’s referring to that runners-up place in the 2021 Ballon d’Or—the one major honour that’s eluded him and the coveted prize many feel he’s always deserved.

“I suppose winning the Best FIFA Men’s Player Award two times in a row, in 2020 and 2021, is proof that I belonged in the same conversation as Messi and Ronaldo,” he adds. “It happened twice. It wasn’t luck, but consistency.

“Those were the best years of my life and, when I was young, I never believed I would reach something like this. I never even dreamed about it and yet I achieved it. With Bayern Munich, I won everything I could possibly win at club level. With Barcelona, I have already won every title in Spain and, of course, we still want to fight for the Champions League.

“But beyond the trophies, my career has given me experiences I never imagined. With the national team, for example, it’s a completely different feeling—you play for your country, for your people. Playing at the Euros and the World Cup has been so meaningful because it’s not just about me, it’s about Poland.”

That palpable national pride, and sense of service to his country and his people, is reassuringly authentic. It’s all part of the story. Robert and wife Anna, a former karate champion, have built a reputation for selflessness, generosity and bringing joy to communities that continue to benefit from the Lewandowskis’ legendary philanthropy.

In 2014 Robert was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Poland and in 2022 he demonstrated his unwavering support for the people of Ukraine by wearing a blue and yellow armband during a Bundesliga match. The armband was later auctioned and the money raised was used to purchase humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

“My football experience has given me a huge amount of knowledge and perspective,” he explains. “I don’t think of football only as football—I see it as part of life. Everything I’ve achieved and experienced, both in clubs and outside of them, has shaped me, not just as a player but as a man. Football is only one part of life and all of these experiences have prepared me for what comes after my career as well.”

As Robert considers a future beyond football, he’s conscious of building on a legacy rooted in honesty, transparency and trust. His wise words are no token gesture, shaped by some wider PR machine and moulded to fit the popular narrative of the day. Robert speaks from the heart and speaks with sincerity—familiar traits he has fallen back on throughout a celebrated career.

“I hope people see me not only as a football player but also as a man who was honest and gave everything,” he adds. “Everything I ever said or did came from what I truly felt.

“I never lied, I never told people what they wanted to hear just to please them. Whether it was with club presidents, with teammates, or with fans, I always tried to be honest—even when it was difficult or when people didn’t want to hear it.

“Sometimes that honesty was tough for others but I always gave 100%. I always wanted to win, to score, to improve and to give my best. And I hope that when people look back, they don’t only see the goals or the trophies but also the person I was—the man who stood for something, who worked hard, who stayed true to himself and who left something positive behind.”

Robert needn’t worry when considering the public perception of his life, career and legacy. A mentor to Barca’s rising star Yamine Lamal and a role model for many more aspiring professionals, he continues to set a gold standard for future generations. Whether it’s by careful design or perfect coincidence, one of the world’s most iconic number nines transcends football’s more familiar tropes and exists on a level rarely seen in the modern game.

Maintaining his position has been far from easy. However, Robert has never lost an appetite for competition, on-field camaraderie and successfully achieving a common goal. That hunger to excel pushes him far beyond what could reasonably be expected of a centre forward who made his debut for Polish club Delta Warsaw in 2005.

“For me, it’s always been about goals,” he adds, in seeking to explain a career increasingly defined by extraordinary longevity. “I’m a striker and scoring goals is what motivates me.

“Having that clear objective, that target to reach, keeps me strong and keeps me hungry. If I didn’t have this, I think I would have lost motivation a long time ago. It’s not just ambition—it’s also my nature.

“I always want to improve, I always want to score and I always want to help the team win. And the feeling of scoring never goes away. Even now, when I score, I feel the same joy and the same energy as when I was younger. It never becomes boring and that’s probably the biggest reason why I still have so much motivation to keep going.”

Just how far does Robert’s footballing journey have left to run? Given his storied levels of consistency and relentlessly impressive fitness record, it’s a question that offers no obvious answer. When Robert began considering a life after football, aged 28, it seemed like a most sensible approach. Almost a decade down the line and it’s quite clear he had no conception of just how far he could push himself—both mentally and physically.

“I know many people think that at my age things should start to go downhill,” he accepts. “Of course, I understand that I’m 37—I can’t compare myself directly to 10 years ago. But physically and mentally, I still feel very good.

“In training sessions I don’t feel tired, I don’t feel like I can’t do it and that tells me I can still compete and help my teammates. I try to enjoy the moment more now. I don’t feel the same pressure I did when I was younger.

“I want to help the team with my goals, of course, but also with my experience. I want to help my teammates grow and help the club think about the future. It’s not only about me anymore—it’s about what I can give to others around me.

“At the same time, I’m still a striker. I still think every day about scoring goals, because that will always be part of who I am. But I also think beyond that—about what I can do off the pitch, how I can support the people working at the club, how I can use my experience for more than just myself. Right now, I enjoy this balance.”

Balance: another central tenet of the calming AP House. It’s where a reflective Robert truly belongs. An environment that’s as much about enjoying quality time as it is about recognising the passing of time, this peaceful jewel in Barcelona’s bustling crown encourages talk of the past and prompts predictions for the future.

If that future remains unclear, for now, then Robert can always point to the one constant in his life: the people closest to him and those who continue to influence his infectious positivity and unbridled optimism. “My family will always be the most powerful and most important thing,” he adds, with a sense of comforting satisfaction. “And after football, I’ll have more time to dedicate to them.”

As one of world football’s finest ambassadors bids a fond farewell to his friends at Audemars Piguet, the focus on precious time—and, for Robert, family time is the most precious of all—is fitting. Every minute really does matter.