For months, Robert Lewandowski’s situation at Barcelona has been under the spotlight in the soccer world. One of the best strikers of this century has yet to define his future beyond the current season, a scenario that has attracted interest from clubs across multiple continents. In that context, he delivered a candid response.
“Right now, I don’t know where I want to play,” Lewandowski said during an interview on Friday with journalist Bogdan Rymanowski, shared on YouTube. “I don’t know which direction to take, but I have no pressure… I have time to make a decision.”
Those comments come at a pivotal moment, as the Polish striker’s contract with Barcelona is set to expire on June 30, 2026. That means that, starting January 1, Robert will be free to negotiate with any club in the world, as FIFA regulations allow players with fewer than six months remaining on their contracts to do so.
“Maybe I’ll start talking about it in some time,” Lewandowski added. “But for now, I had a difficult start to the season. I got injured twice. It also took me time to find my rhythm, knowing how many matches await us in January, February, and March through the end of the season. I’m thinking that in the second half of the season it will probably be good to prepare myself physically, avoid health issues, and simply give everything.”
Lewandowski’s Poland will compete in the European World Cup playoffs in March.
Finally, the 37-year-old outlined which factors will be key when deciding where he will play in the 2026–27 season. “It’s not about cutting my salary in half,” he said. “A lot depends on the club’s plan and what I want.”
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The World Cup is a major goal for Lewandowski
As he weighs his future with Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski is also focused on the Poland national team. They finished second in Group G of the World Cup qualifiers behind the Netherlands and will now have to navigate the European playoffs in hopes of securing a spot in next summer’s FIFA tournament.
Albania will be the first obstacle along that path, and if they advance from the semifinals, they will face either Sweden or Ukraine in the decisive matchup. “They are tough opponents for the Polish national team,” Lewandowski acknowledged in the same interview. “It won’t be easy. But we play Albania at home, with the support of our fans, and that gives us an extra boost.”
If they successfully make it through those rounds and secure a World Cup berth, Poland would be placed into Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia. It would mark Lewandowski’s third appearance at the sport’s biggest tournament, following Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
Lewandowski’s ambition
In the middle of the season with Barcelona, and with decisive matches for the Poland national team coming up in March, Robert Lewandowski is unwilling to prioritize one objective over another. “I hope we play these two matches in a way that helps us qualify for the World Cup,” he said. “I want to have it all: qualify for the World Cup, win the Spanish title, the Champions League. I’m aware that these are my final years in soccer.”
