9781422270752

SWEET 16 During Poland’s bid to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Robert Lewandowski went on a jaw-dropping scoring binge that etched his name in the record books and—most important to him, his teammates, and his nation’s rabid soccer fans—helped his country secure a coveted spot in the 32-team draw in Russia to compete for global soccer supremacy. Lewandowski scored in Poland’s first six qualifying round matches, and he finished with goals in nine of the 10 matches, on his way to becoming the first European player ever to score 16 goals during a World Cup qualifying campaign. His sweet 16 run featured three hat tricks, as he accounted for all his team’s goals in a 3–2 win over Denmark and a 3–1 win over Romania. He also blitzed Armenia for three scores. Poland managed 28 goals during its 10 qualifying matches, with its beloved captain accounting for more than half of them during a record-setting run of excellence.

Robert Lewandowski became the first European player ever to score 16 goals during a World Cup qualifying campaign to help Poland earn a berth in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

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Greatest Moments