FC Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski has accomplished the unthinkable by breaking Gerd Müller's 49 year Bundesliga scoring record.
Coming off of a flawless campaign during the 2019-2020 season, Robert Lewandowski has stunned the footballing world once again by not only carrying Bayern Munich to their ninth straight Bundesliga title this season but also breaking the goal scoring record previously held by Bayern and German legend Gerd Müller.
Having scored 34 goals in last year's season, the prolific Pole has broken the long-lasting goal-scoring record within the Bundesliga. Held by Gerd Müller in his 1971-1972 campaign where he netted a staggering 40 goals in 34 games, Lewandowski managed to beat it on the final matchday of the season.
At 32-years-old, many critics believed the 2019-2020 season would have been the last showing of greatness for an age many would consider his ‘prime years’. However, this season Lewandowski proved his run of form was not over.
After a brilliant start to the season, it was no question that Robert Lewandowski was aiming at the one personal achievement that was waiting to be broken. While he was maintaining his wonderful form, Lewandowski had suffered a sprained ligament to his right knee during the World Cup Qualifiers with Poland against Andorra.
After missing almost a month, including two crucial Champions League quarter-finals matches against PSG, the Polish striker would return to finish what he started. On his return, he netted once against FSV Mainz, a hattrick against Borussia Monchengladbach, and another against SC Freiburg leaving him with 40 goals going into the final matchday.
Matchday 34 consisted of what anyone would expect from a hungry goal-scoring striker. Plenty of shots, unfortunate misses, and close opportunities were added for a nail-biting conclusion. Goals from Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, an own goal and a wonder strike from Joshua Kimmich had Bayern 4-0 up at halftime.
During the final moments of the game, Bayern was still 4-2 up and the pressure was on. On David Alaba’s, Jerome Boateng’s, and Javi Martinez’s last game, the emotions were already high and the tension was building. In the 90th minute, a strike from substitute Leroy Sane was saved by fellow Pole, Augsburg keeper, Rafal Gikiewicz which was picked up by Lewandowski and slotted nicely into the open net.
The players erupted with joy and the final whistle was blown shortly after. A pleasant conclusion to another season filled with uplifting victories and unfortunate upsets within Bayern’s UCL and DFB-Pokal campaigns. Winning his seventh title with Bayern Munich and 9th Bundesliga title, Lewandowski acquired his sixth Bundesliga top scorer award and is now the Bundesliga’s record top goal scorer in a single season.
That being said, his 2021 is far from finished, Lewandowski gears up with the Polish national team next week with two friendlies before the long-awaited Euro’s that had to be postponed last summer. After the cancellation of the Ballon D’or in 2020, will this be Lewandowski’s year? Catch him in his first international friendly against Russia on June 1st. The goal machine will be ready.
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