Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Robert Lewandowski
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Robert Lewandowski made an impact.
Robert Lewandowski is a highly acclaimed Polish professional footballer, currently a striker for Barcelona and captain of the Poland national team. Celebrated as one of the greatest strikers ever, he's among the few to score 100+ goals for three different clubs. He holds prominent positions in all-time goalscoring charts, including third in the UEFA Champions League (107 goals) and third among European men's international goalscorers (89 goals). His career boasts over 700 senior goals across both club and country, highlighting his prolific scoring ability and consistent performance at the highest levels of football.
1997: Joins MKS Varsovia Warsaw
In 1997, Robert Lewandowski joined MKS Varsovia Warsaw.
2006: Top Goalscorer
In 2006, Robert Lewandowski was the Polish third division's top goalscorer with 15 goals, helping Znicz Pruszków win the promotion.
2007: Began International Career
In 2007, Robert Lewandowski began his international career with Poland under-19 and also played in three friendly matches for Poland's U21 team.
June 2008: Signed by Lech Poznań
In June 2008, Robert Lewandowski was signed by Lech Poznań from Znicz for 1.5 million PLN.
July 2008: Debut for Lech Poznań
On 17 July 2008, Robert Lewandowski debuted for Lech Poznań as a substitute in the first qualifying first leg match of the UEFA Cup versus Khazar Lankaran from Azerbaijan, in which he scored the only goal of the evening in the 75th minute.
September 2008: Senior National Team Debut
On September 10, 2008, Robert Lewandowski debuted for the senior Poland national team against San Marino, scoring a goal in a 2-0 win during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification.
2008: International Career
Since 2008, Robert Lewandowski has been a full international for Poland, earning 165 caps.
April 2009: Scored against San Marino in World Cup Qualifier
On April 1, 2009, Robert Lewandowski scored a qualifying goal against San Marino in a 10-0 victory.
2009: Lech Poznań
In 2009, Robert Lewandowski helped Lech Poznań win the Ekstraklasa.
June 2010: Joins Borussia Dortmund
In June 2010, Robert Lewandowski joined Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, signing a four-year contract.
2010: Transfer to Borussia Dortmund
In 2010, Robert Lewandowski transferred to Borussia Dortmund.
2010: Failed Transfer to Blackburn Rovers
In 2010, Robert Lewandowski was about to join Premier League club Blackburn Rovers, but the volcanic ash clouds and financial worries prevented the transfer.
August 2011: League Account Opened
On 20 August 2011, Robert Lewandowski opened his league account in a 2–0 win over Nürnberg by providing the finishing touch from a Mario Götze cross.
August 2012: 2012 DFL-Supercup defeat to Bayern Munich
On 12 August 2012, Robert Lewandowski began the 2012–13 season by scoring in the 1–2 2012 DFL-Supercup defeat to Bayern Munich.
September 2012: Victory over Bayer Leverkusen
On 15 September 2012, Robert Lewandowski netted his first goal in a 3–0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, extending Dortmund's run to 31 games unbeaten.
2012: Scored 24 goals for Borussia Dortmund
In 2012-2013 season, Robert Lewandowski scored 24 goals for Borussia Dortmund.
2012: DFB-Pokal quarter final
On 27 February 2013, Robert Lewandowski played in his side's 1–0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the 2012–13 DFB-Pokal quarter final.
February 2013: Contract Renewal
In February 2013, Borussia Dortmund director Michael Zorc stated that Robert Lewandowski would not be renewing his contract with the club.
February 2013: Defeat to Bayern Munich
On 27 February 2013, Robert Lewandowski played in his side's 1–0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the 2012–13 DFB-Pokal quarter final.
March 2013: First Match as Captain
On March 26, 2013, Robert Lewandowski scored two penalties in a 5-0 win against San Marino during the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, his first match as captain.
2013: UEFA Champions League Final
In 2013, Robert Lewandowski featured with Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final.
2013: 100th Goal for the Club
On 15 April, Robert Lewandowski scored his 100th goal for the club on his 182nd appearance, as Dortmund defeated VfL Wolfsburg 2–0 in the semi-finals of the 2013–14 DFB-Pokal.
2013: Top Goalscorer in Bundesliga
Robert Lewandowski ended the 2013–14 season as the top goalscorer in the Bundesliga with 20 goals.
January 2014: Signed Five-Year Contract with Bayern Munich
On 4 January 2014, Robert Lewandowski signed a five-year contract with Bayern Munich beginning at the start of the 2014–15 season.
March 2014: Named UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
In March 2014, Robert Lewandowski was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
July 2014: Presented as Bayern Munich Player
On 9 July 2014, Robert Lewandowski was officially presented as a Bayern Munich player.
July 2014: Pre-Season Debut
Robert Lewandowski's pre-season started on 9 July 2014, at which time he was presented as a Bayern Munich player. He made his pre–season debut against MSV Duisburg on 21 July, scoring a goal.
August 2014: Competitive Debut and First Goal for Bayern Munich
In August 2014, Robert Lewandowski made his competitive debut for Bayern Munich in a 0–2 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the DFL-Supercup on August 13, 2014. Later in August, on August 30, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Schalke 04.
2014: Free Transfer to Bayern Munich
Ahead of the 2014-15 season, Robert Lewandowski joined Bayern Munich on a free transfer.
2014: Captain of the National Team
Since 2014, Robert Lewandowski has captained the Poland national team.
February 2015: Two Goals Against Paderborn
On February 21, 2015, Lewandowski scored twice in Bayern's 6–0 win away at Paderborn. His second goal of the game was his 10th of the league season.
June 2015: Scored Hat-Trick Against Georgia
On June 13, 2015, Robert Lewandowski scored another hat-trick in Poland's 4-0 defeat of Georgia, with the three goals scored within four minutes.
September 2015: Bundesliga Record: Five Goals in Nine Minutes
On September 22, 2015, Robert Lewandowski set a Bundesliga record by scoring five goals in 8 minutes and 59 seconds against Wolfsburg after coming on as a substitute. This achievement included the fastest hat-trick and most goals by a substitute in Bundesliga history, earning him four Guinness World Records certificates.
2015: 100th Bundesliga goal
In 2015, Four days later, he scored twice in a 3–0 win at Mainz, the first goal being his 100th Bundesliga goal on his 168th appearance, a league record for a foreign player.
2015: Second Season with Bayern Munich Begins
Robert Lewandowski's second season with Bayern Munich began in 2015 with the DFL-Supercup on August 1, with Bayern losing in a penalty shootout away to VfL Wolfsburg. On August 9 in the DFB-Pokal first round match, he scored the last goal in a 3–1 win against Oberliga Baden-Württemberg club Nöttingen. On August 14, in the opening match of the new Bundesliga season, he scored the second goal of a 5–0 win over Hamburg.
March 2016: Goal Against Köln and Bayern's Comeback vs Juventus
In March 2016, Robert Lewandowski scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Köln on March 19, 2016, bringing his league total up to 25 goals. Also in March 2016, on March 16, he scored a 73rd-minute header in the second leg of the round of 16 against Juventus, contributing to Bayern's 4–2 victory after extra time.
May 2016: Bundesliga Title and Torjägerkanone
In May 2016, Robert Lewandowski scored both goals in Bayern's 2–1 win at Ingolstadt on May 7, confirming them as German champions for the fourth consecutive season. On May 14, he scored his 30th goal of the season, becoming the first foreign player to achieve this in the Bundesliga since 1976-77 and securing the Torjägerkanone.
2016: UEFA Euro 2016 Performance
At UEFA Euro 2016 in France, Robert Lewandowski scored his team's first attempt in the penalty shootout victory against Switzerland, which sent them to the quarter-finals. He also scored in the quarter-final against Portugal but Poland lost. At the time of Poland's exit, Lewandowski had suffered more fouls than any other player in the tournament.
2016: Start of the 2016-17 Season and Contract Extension
The 2016–17 season started with Bayern winning the 2016 DFL-Supercup on August 14. Five days later, Bayern defeated Carl Zeiss Jena 5–0 in the DFB-Pokal first round, with the help of Lewandowski's hat-trick during the first half and assist to Arturo Vidal in the 72nd minute. He opened the 2016–17 Bundesliga season with another hat-trick in a 6–0 victory against Werder Bremen. On December 13, 2016, Lewandowski signed a new contract with Bayern.
March 2017: 100 Goals for Bayern Munich
On March 11, 2017, Robert Lewandowski reached 100 goals for Bayern Munich in his 137th appearance for the club, scoring twice in a 3–0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
October 2017: Became Poland's All-Time Top Scorer
On October 5, 2017, Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 victory against Armenia, surpassing Włodzimierz Lubański to become Poland's all-time top scorer with 50 goals. On October 8, Lewandowski scored another goal in a 4-2 victory against Montenegro, reaching 51 goals for Poland.
2017: Bundesliga's Top Ten Goalscorers
Robert Lewandowski continued his prolific scoring in the 2017–18 Bundesliga season. On December 13, 2017, in the league fixture against Köln, he scored the only goal of the game, reaching Bundesliga's top ten goalscorers of all time.
August 2018: Raised Money for Children's Memorial Health Institute
On August 25, 2018, Robert Lewandowski and his wife Anna raised more than PLN 150,000 for the Children's Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw during Anna's birthday party.
2018: Donated to Children's Memorial Health Institute
In 2018, Robert Lewandowski and his wife donated PLN 500,000 to Children's Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw.
2018: DFL-Supercup Hat-Trick and Title
On August 1, 2018, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed that Lewandowski would not be allowed to leave Bayern at any price. On August 12, Lewandowski recorded the first ever hat-trick in the DFL-Supercup in a 0–5 away victory against Eintracht Frankfurt as Bayern Munich won the title for the record seventh time. He also became the all-time top scorer in the German Supercup history.
February 2019: Scoring Milestone at Allianz Arena
On February 9, 2019, Robert Lewandowski scored in a 3–1 win over Schalke 04 and became the first player to score 100 competitive goals at the Allianz Arena. His goal was also his 119th league goal for Bayern Munich, drawing him level with Roland Wohlfarth as the club's third-highest goalscorer of all-time.
2019: Bundesliga Top Scorer and DFB-Pokal Final
In 2019, Robert Lewandowski ended the league campaign as the Bundesliga's top goalscorer with 22 goals for the fourth time. On May 25, he scored a brace as Bayern won against Leipzig 3–0 in the 2019 DFB-Pokal Final, becoming the all-time top scorer in DFB-Pokal finals with six goals. He finished the season with 40 goals in 47 matches in all competitions, winning his second domestic double with Bayern.
2019: Champions League Win with Bayern Munich
In 2019, Robert Lewandowski was integral in Bayern Munich's Champions League win as part of a treble.
2019: 200th Goal for Bayern
On August 12, 2019, Lewandowski scored his first goal of the season against Energie Cottbus in the DFB-Pokal. Four days later, he scored two goals in the Bundesliga opener against Hertha BSC, setting a record for scoring in the season opener for the fifth year in a row. He scored his 200th goal for Bayern in a Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade on September 18, 2019. On August 29, 2019, Lewandowski extended his contract at Bayern.
February 2020: Equalling Ronaldo's Champions League Record
On February 25, 2020, Robert Lewandowski equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's record of nine away goals in a season in Europe's top club competition by scoring against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
March 2020: Donated to COVID-19 Relief
In March 2020, Robert Lewandowski and his wife, Anna, donated €1 million to support efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Named The Best FIFA Men's Player 2020
In 2020, after winning the treble with Bayern Munich and due to his outstanding performances in various tournaments, Robert Lewandowski was named The Best FIFA Men's Player, becoming the first Polish player to win the award. The cancellation of the 2020 Ballon d'Or was criticized, as many believed Lewandowski was the front-runner.
2020: Won FIFA Club World Cup 2020 with Bayern
On February 8, 2020, Lewandowski scored twice in a 2–0 win over Al Ahly in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals. On February 11, 2020, he won the FIFA Club World Cup with Bayern after a 1–0 win against Tigres, as Bayern became the second club to win the sextuple. Lewandowski was named player of the tournament.
2021: New contract with Bayern
In 2016, on December 13, Lewandowski signed a new contract with Bayern, keeping him at the club until 2021.
2021: Second in 2021 Ballon d'Or award
In 2021, Lewandowski finished second in the 2021 Ballon d'Or award, behind Lionel Messi. He also received the Striker of the Year award by France Football magazine. On December 17, 2021, Lewandowski set the Bundesliga record for most goals in a calendar year with his 43rd goal.
2021: Scored in seventh consecutive Bundesliga opening game
On August 13, 2021, Lewandowski kicked off his 2021–22 Bundesliga season with a volley-shot equaliser in a 1–1 draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive Bundesliga opening games. On August 17, 2021, he also scored a brace and backheeled to Thomas Müller in a 3–1 away win against Dortmund in the 2021 DFL-Supercup.
2021: Set new Hinrunde record in Bundesliga
On January 17, 2021, Lewandowski became the first player in Bundesliga history to score 21 goals after just 16 games, setting a new Hinrunde record. This achievement surpassed Gerd Müller's previous record of 20 goals during the 1968–69 season.
January 2022: Won Charity Auction for Olympic Medal
In January 2022, Robert Lewandowski won a charity auction, paying PLN 280,000 for Dawid Tomala's Olympic gold medal to fund the operation of a seriously ill boy, later returning the medal to Tomala.
January 2022: Scored 16th hat-trick and 300th Bundesliga goal
On January 15, 2022, Lewandowski scored his 16th hat-trick and 300th Bundesliga goal in a 4–0 away win over Köln.
February 2022: Condemned Russian Invasion of Ukraine
In February 2022, Robert Lewandowski condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and wore a blue and yellow armband during a Bundesliga match to show solidarity. The armband was auctioned to purchase humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
2022: Move to Barcelona
In 2022, Robert Lewandowski moved to Barcelona, where he has since won two La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey, and the Pichichi Trophy.
2022: 2022 FIFA World Cup Performance
In 2022, during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Robert Lewandowski missed a penalty against Mexico but scored his first World Cup goal against Saudi Arabia. He also scored a penalty against France in the round of 16.
2022: First season with Barcelona
In 2022-2023, his first season with Barcelona, Lewandowski was the first Barcelona player to score more than 30 goals across all competitions since Ronaldo Nazário in 1996–97. By the end of the 2022–23 La Liga season, Lewandowski won his first Pichichi Trophy with 23 goals in 34 matches, becoming the first player in top 5 European leagues to get top scorer award in six consecutive seasons.
September 2023: Reached 100 goals in UEFA competitions
On September 19, 2023, Lewandowski scored once in Barcelona's 5–0 home win over Antwerp in the first matchday of the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League to bring his UEFA competitions tally to 100 goals, becoming only the third player to reach such a milestone. He also became the oldest player, at 35 years and 29 days, to score for Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League. On September 23, 2023, he scored a brace to help Barcelona overturn a two-goal deficit in a 3–2 home victory against Celta Vigo, becoming the best scorer in first 50 matches for the club in 21st century.
2023: Contract Extension
In 2019, On 29 August, Lewandowski extended his contract at Bayern until 2023.
2023: Won first title with Barcelona
On January 16, 2023, Lewandowski scored the second goal in the 2023 Supercopa de España final, as Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3–1, winning his first title with the club.
2023: Documentary film "Lewandowski - Unknown" premiered
On March 28, 2023, a documentary film about Robert Lewandowski, titled "Lewandowski − Nieznany (Lewandowski − Unknown)", premiered and became available on Amazon Prime.
February 2024: Most successful footballer
On February 17, 2024, Lewandowski became the most successful footballer in terms of the number of goals scored (407) over the past decade in the top five major European football leagues. Also on February 22, 2024, he scored his 93rd Champions League goal in a 1–1 draw against Napoli.
June 2024: UEFA Euro 2024
In June 2024, Robert Lewandowski participated in UEFA Euro 2024. He scored a penalty kick against France, but Poland was eliminated after finishing at the bottom of their group.
October 2024: La Liga Player of the Month
On October 23, 2024, Lewandowski scored the second goal in a 4–1 win over his former club Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Then on October 26, 2024, Lewandowski scored the first and second goal in Barcelona's 4–0 away win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. He was subsequently chosen La Liga Player of the Month.
April 2025: Surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo in Champions League
In April 2025, Robert Lewandowski surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo as the player with the most Champions League goals (14) past the age of 35, after scoring twice against Borussia Dortmund. He also scored his 99th goal for Barcelona, and was named Man of the Match.
July 2025: Reports of National Team Return Surfaced
Following the appointment of Jan Urban as Poland manager on July 16, 2025, reports surfaced about Robert Lewandowski's potential return to the national team.
August 2025: Selected for September Games
In August 2025, Robert Lewandowski was selected for the September games and reinstated as Poland's captain.
2025: Brief Retirement and Reinstatement
In 2025, Robert Lewandowski briefly retired before returning and being reinstated as captain later the same year.
March 2026: Hinted at International Retirement
Following a 3-2 loss against Sweden in the 2026 World Cup play-offs final on March 31, 2026, Robert Lewandowski hinted at retiring from international football.
March 2026: Set Champions League Record Against Newcastle United
On March 18, 2026, Robert Lewandowski scored twice in a Champions League match against Newcastle United, setting a new record by scoring against 41 different opponents.
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