“Was I deliberately dribbling because it was him? Yes” - When Lionel Messi revealed how he was determined to get better of current Barcelona star

Lionel Messi once admitted that he wanted to humiliate Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski because of his comments post the 2021 Ballon d'Or gala. The Argentine legend beat the Polish striker to the award, and it led to a misunderstanding between the two.

The 2021 Ballon d'Or ceremony saw Messi win a record-extending seventh title. The 38-year-old had led Argentina to win the Copa America after a 28-year drought, which was also his first major international trophy.

However, the Inter Miami superstar faced competition from Lewandowski, who had guided Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga, scoring an impressive 48 goals in 40 games across competitions in the process.

Despite pipping the Pole to the award, Messi recognized Lewandowski's effort while giving his acceptance speech. He said (via GiveMeSports):

"I also want to tell Robert [Lewandowski] that it is an honour for me to fight against him. I think that you deserve your Ballon d'Or. Last year everyone agreed that you were the winner and I think that France Football should give you the Ballon d'Or that you deserve."

He also lauded the current Barca man for his achievements in the previous season (2019-20), urging the organizers to honour him with the Ballon d'Or, after the award was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

"And you won it last year, so I hope France Football can do it and you can have it in your home, because you were just the winner. It couldn't be done because of the pandemic, but I think you should have it in your house too," Lionel Messi added.

However, Lewandowski was not convinced by Messi's words. He referred to them as "empty words" and responded by saying:

"I would like it [Messi's 2020 Ballon d'Or statement] to be a sincere and courteous statement from a great player and not just an empty words."

Lewandowski's reply angered Messi, who then revealed in a 2023 interview with ESPN that he was determined to get the better of the Barcelona star when they met in the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

"Lewandowski's statement in 2021 bothered me because when I won the Ballon d'Or, I said what I really felt. I ignored him during the game because it was him, and I was angry and thought he shouldn't have said what he said. I was very angry. Was I deliberately dribbling because it was him? Yes," Lionel Messi said.

Argentina defeated Poland 2-0 in that encounter and went on to win the World Cup, beating France in the final via penalties (4-2). Lionel Messi also disclosed that the two stars later resolved their issues after the match, as it was all a misunderstanding.

"After that, we met and talked and agreed that it was a misunderstanding. He was upset because what he said didn't match what was reported. Then he went to Barcelona, and we talked about many things about the club, the city and everything," he added.

Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski had faced off three times at club level before their World Cup clash. Overall, the Argentine has recorded two wins and two losses against the Polish forward.

Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski's record at Barcelona

Lionel Messi cemented his status as Barcelona's greatest player of all time during his 17-year stay at the club. He won 35 major trophies with the Catalan club and is their all-time goalscorer with 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 matches.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner departed the club in 2021 after failing to pen a new deal and joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Robert Lewandowski, on the other hand, joined Barcelona from Bayern Munich in 2022 for a reported £42.5 million. He has enjoyed significant success with La Blaugrana, winning five major trophies and recording 105 goals and 20 assists in 154 appearances so far.