Lewandowski Experiences the Cruelty of Football

STOCKHOLM, TUESDAY – Robert Lewandowski is one of the football stars who will miss the 2026 World Cup. This is a very disappointing failure because for one of the greatest strikers of the last 16 years, this is his last chance to appear in the World Cup. The Barcelona bomber is not alone in feeling the cruelty of football, because a number of stars are also absent, such as Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Liverpool's Hungarian midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.

Lewandowski's dream of participating in his last World Cup was shattered in Stockholm when Viktor Gyokeres scored the winning goal for Sweden against Poland in the 88th minute. Sweden won with a score of 3-2.

Lewandowski and his teammates fought hard in the final minutes of the match, but the equalizing goal did not materialize. When the final whistle blew, Lewandowski, still wearing a protective mask for his left orbital bone injury, appeared very dejected.

He then waved to the Polish supporters to apologize while holding back tears. Moments later, he loosened the captain's armband on his left arm and walked off the field dejectedly. In the background, the Swedish players celebrated their ticket to the World Cup in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

A heartbreaking moment occurred when a star of Lewandowski's caliber failed to realize his final dream of representing the national team in the World Cup before retirement. At the age of 37, Lewandowski's chances of appearing in the World Cup again seem to have come to an end. He had extended his career with the national team after nearly stepping back following the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

In the journey towards the 2026 World Cup, Lewandowski also refused to play while Michal Probierz was still the coach. He was then stripped of his captaincy and transferred to Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski. Probierz subsequently resigned, and Lewandowski returned to represent the Polish national team as captain under new coach Jan Urban.

However, Lewandowski's dream of leading Poland to the World Cup for the third consecutive time was shattered at Solna Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden, on Wednesday (1/4/2026) early morning WIB. Following the defeat, he posted a photo of himself walking off the field and waving with his left hand.

The photo was accompanied by the song "Time to Say Goodbye" by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman. This post sparked speculation that he would retire from the national team after the painful defeat in Solna. However, Lewandowski admitted that it was not a statement about his retirement, in an interview with Polish television station TVP Sport.

The striker, who shone brightly while playing for the Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, has made 165 appearances for Poland. He started with his first goal against San Marino in 2008, when he was still 20 years old. Lewandowski's sharpness is proven by his collection of 89 goals, almost double that of any other Polish player. He also led Poland to qualify for two World Cups in Russia and Qatar. However, Lewandowski's progress at the World Cup was not so bright, where Poland's furthest progress was only to the round of 16 in 2022.

In the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he did not score any goals and Poland ended up at the bottom of Group H. In Qatar, Lewandowski scored two goals that led Poland to the round of 16, but they were subsequently defeated by France.

Meanwhile, in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Group G, he scored four goals, leading Poland to second place in Group G, three points behind the Netherlands. Poland's progress was then halted by Sweden in the playoffs.

"This is not a statement. I need to think about a few things first, to consider them. As I mentioned at the press conference, I am not in a position to make any statements. I will return to the club; I still have a few matches to play. I have to answer the questions that are in my mind myself," said Lewandowski.

Lewandowski's future at the club is also uncertain as his contract with Barcelona expires this season. However, football always has two sides, one of which is very cruel. That cruelty was felt when he lost to Sweden.

"Football can be very cruel. You can play well, score goals, come back twice, and then end up with nothing. It hurts because we were so close and we go home empty-handed. It is difficult to describe how it feels because this is a great pain and disappointment. The third goal is the most painful because it happened in the 90th minute, after the ball bounced and hit the post," said Lewandowski.

"The worst feeling will occur tomorrow when we wake up and ask ourselves, what happened yesterday. That will be the saddest moment, a feeling of disappointment. I do not want that to happen to anyone. We must realize that we did not qualify for the World Cup," Lewandowski continued.

"I believe that if the match goes into extra time, our chances will increase with each passing minute. I feel we conceded a goal, but they are a team we can defeat. It's unfortunate that Sweden did not create many opportunities. We had more chances, and our game was better, but in the end, we scored fewer goals," said Lewandowski.

Poland's failure to qualify for the World Cup is also painful for its supporters who continuously encouraged the players. Therefore, Lewandowski took the opportunity to express his gratitude and apologize while on the field.

"I know this is as difficult for them as it is for us. I thank them on behalf of the entire team, because their support is felt and heard. For me, this is a great pride," emphasized the Barcelona striker. (AP)