Even from Chicago, Lewandowski keeps a keen eye on European football, tracking every twist from across the Atlantic. After leaving Barcelona last summer, the Polish icon now lights up MLS with the Chicago Fire.
In Spain, he watched Lamine Yamal’s meteoric rise, impressed by the youngster’s skill and precocious flair.
They remain human beings. Will the next wave learn to balance fame and health?
Lewandowski stresses the physical toll more than mindset: “Not because of their mentality, but because of physical fatigue. Even extraordinary players are still human. And when you achieve everything early, you might lose a bite of hunger that keeps you at the summit.” For my money, that warning rings louder than ever for today’s prodigies.
Arriving at Dortmund at 22, Lewandowski waited until age 38 to leave Europe. He began at Znicz Pruszków at 18, marking a 20‑year professional span.
Two years ago, Raphael Varane retired at 31 due to physical and muscular fatigue. The 2018 World Cup winner also wowed fans early, joining Real Madrid at 18.
In a documentary, the former Lens defender disclosed his battle with depression: “I recall a wild period in my career when I left France for Spain at 18. Professionally I was living the dream, but personally I was down, in depression.”