Ballon d´Or not important to Lewandowski

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski says he is “not passionate” about the Ballon d’Or but acknowledged his pride at being in the running with the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.

The Poland international finished fourth in the award for last year, behind winner Messi, runner-up Ronaldo and Neymar after an impressive 2015 for club and country.

Lewandowski helped Poland to Euro 2016 with a second-place finish in Group D while winning the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal with Bayern.

A five-goal haul in nine minutes during Bayern’s 5-1 win over Wolfsburg in September also highlighted the striker’s improvement since moving from Borussia Dortmund in 2014.

But the 27-year-old told Telefoot: “I’m happy to be in that group of players. I’ve improved since I joined Bayern.

“But I can confess that I’m not passionate about the Ballon d’Or.”

With Paris Saint-Germain set to lose star man Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the end of the season, Lewandowski has been talked up as a potential replacement.

The Pole added: “It’s very flattering to see PSG officials talk about me but I’m concentrated on my work here at Bayern.”