'Gifted playmaker'

Lewandowski came to global attention when he joined Borussia Dortmund in 2010 and an injury to Paraguay striker Lucas Barrios handed him a starting berth.

"I could tell right away that he was the most interesting player to come out of Poland for 20 years," said Dortmund's then-coach Jurgen Klopp.

"He has all the skills you want from a striker, particularly physical strength and great finishing.

"But he also has the technique of a gifted midfield player. When he gets the ball in the middle of the pitch and distributes it to the wing, it's like watching a playmaker."

Silverware soon followed for Lewandowski with Dortmund in the form of the 2010-11 Bundesliga title and the 2011-12 league and cup double.

His hat-trick against current employer Bayern in the 2012 German Cup final sealed Dortmund's 5-2 win as it won the double for the first time in its history.

In the 2012-13 campaign he became the first player to score four goals in a Champions League semifinal in a 4-1 first-leg win over Real Madrid.

Dortmund, though, ultimately lost the Wembley final to Bayern.

When his contract expired at Dortmund, Bayern snapped up Lewandowski in June 2014. He won the league in his first season in Bavaria and excelled in the next campaign, too.

The forward broke the 30-goal barrier in the Bundesliga last term, five of those coming in an incredible nine-minute spell when Bayern thumped Wolfsburg 5-1.

If Bayern repeats its 2013 treble of European, Bundesliga and German Cup titles this season, Lewandowski's goals will be at the heart of its success.

Agence France-Presse