How Timeless Lewandowski Has Beaten Age and Reason to Make His Mark in Champions League History

There’s a well-known adage in the sporting world that a player’s form is fleeting, whilst their class is everlasting.

This perfectly encapsulates the enduring talent of the remarkable Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona’s veteran striker.

While age may have brought about a slight decline in his speed, it’s essential to note that pace has never been the cornerstone of his game. His prowess has consistently stemmed from his instinctual positioning and exceptional movement inside the penalty area, rather than sprinting away from defenders to chase down errant passes.

On Wednesday night, during a match against his former team, Borussia Dortmund, the 36-year-old Polish forward once again demonstrated his lethal ability.

His two goals elevated his tally to 34 in the knockout phases of the Champions League, placing him alongside Karim Benzema, just behind legends Lionel Messi (49 goals) and Cristiano Ronaldo (67).

Lewandowski’s memorable Champions League performance against Dortmund

Moreover, he became the first footballer to net 10 or more goals in a Champions League season with three different clubs: Barcelona, Bayern Munich (on two occasions), and Dortmund.

Equally impressive is Barcelona’s unbeaten run in all competitions throughout 2025, having not lost any of their 23 fixtures (W19 D4), marking the best start to a calendar year in the club’s history, surpassing the previous record set in 2016 (P22 W19 D3).

Alongside teammates Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, Lewandowski delivered an outstanding performance against Dortmund, who endured their joint heaviest defeat in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history (4-0 to Ajax in the 2021/22 group stage).

The comprehensive nature of the team’s display will undoubtedly have the other seven clubs remaining in the competition taking careful notice. To halt Hansi Flick’s formidable squad, rival teams need to find a way to counter a 36-year-old striker who shows no signs of curtailing his goal-scoring prowess.

At this juncture, Lewandowski boasts a total of 99 goals for Barcelona across all competitions, in addition to 20 assists, delivered in just 138 appearances.

This remarkable output would be impressive for a player in their prime, let alone one who is progressing into the latter stages of his career.

Another Pichichi award in sight this season

This season, he leads the way in LaLiga, with 25 goals registered from 29 matches, signalling he is well on his way to clinching the prestigious Pichichi award for the Spanish league’s top scorer.

Throughout his illustrious career, he has constantly found the back of the net, and to contextualise his brilliance in Catalonia: he trails only Luis Suarez (192 goals for Barca since 2014/15) and Lionel Messi (315 goals for Barcelona since 2014/15).

It’s widely acknowledged that players are extending their careers longer than ever, with Luka Modric still contributing at 39, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema thriving in the Saudi Pro League at 40 and 37 years of age, respectively, while Lionel Messi shows no signs of waning in MLS at 37.

Former Real Madrid stars Ronaldo and Benzema are currently among the top three scorers in the Saudi Pro League, with the Portuguese himself notching 21 goals in 25 matches, leading the chart, while Benzema holds third place with 17 goals from 23 appearances. Meanwhile, Messi has just resumed play in MLS, already accumulating three goals in four games.

Yet, one could argue that none of these players are competing at the same level as Lewandowski at this moment.

It’s worth noting that Lewandowski actively contributes to his team’s triumphs rather than simply being present for the financial rewards.

While Modric continues to be a crucial member of Carlo Ancelotti’s strategy at Real Madrid, he has largely transitioned into an impact substitute rather than a regular starter.

However, Lewandowski has participated as a starter in 128 of his 138 matches and has accumulated an impressive 11,009 minutes during his time at Barcelona. Only Jules Kounde, who is a decade younger, has played more minutes (11,365) since the Pole joined the Blaugrana.

His passing accuracy remains solid, consistently in the mid to high 70s, replicating the performance levels he maintained during his tenure at Bayern Munich.

Although the number of duels he engages in varies slightly from season to season, Lewandowski remains actively involved in the game rather than being a passive participant. For instance, his 307 duels for Barcelona in the 2022/23 season surpassed his 281 for Bayern in the 2020/21 campaign and came close to the 325 he contested while at Bayern in 2021/22.

In aerial duels and ball recoveries, Lewandowski has maintained his consistency, although his shooting accuracy is an area that could benefit from improvement. Nonetheless, given the frequency with which he finds the net, it can be argued that Hansi Flick could afford to overlook this small flaw in the striker’s game (currently at 56.3%).

A striker of his calibre possesses an innate awareness of positioning, rendering micromanagement unnecessary.

While he may be marginally less explosive off the mark than in his earlier days, this is balanced by his tactical awareness to initiate runs into the penalty area earlier, ensuring he still arrives in time for goal-scoring opportunities.

The secret behind Lewandowski’s longevity

A significant factor in his ability to remain fit and active well into his mid-30s is likely attributed to his “backwards” diet, a regime championed by his wife, Anna.

“We avoid lactose and wheat flour. It’s all about high-quality food,” she stated in a 2019 interview. “Pancakes, brownies, vegetable spaghetti, porridge or millet. We also enjoy high-quality fish. After training, we sometimes drink beetroot juice with cinnamon or cayenne pepper. By mixing too many foods at once, we can complicate digestion.”

Lewandowski also highlighted that his calorie management is a crucial aspect of maintaining his fitness. “Desserts contain sugars that digest rapidly,” he explained. “Soups too. But proteins require more time to digest. If I consume something sweet afterwards and it mixes with the protein in my stomach, it complicates digestion.

“Eating healthily is vital to me, and this approach works well. It enhances fat burning. My wife suggested it, and she’s knowledgeable about nutrition as a fitness coach. Her expertise is so impressive that many international football players seek her advice.”

If Lewandowski continues to propel Barcelona towards their first Champions League title in a decade, could he be in contention for the Ballon d’Or this year?