Frankfurt/Main (AP) – World footballer Robert Lewandowski wore a captain’s armband in the Ukrainian national colors yellow and blue in the Bundesliga game of FC Bayern Munich at Eintracht Frankfurt (1-0).
“I decided that this morning,” said the 33-year-old Polish international after the game on Sky. “We know what’s happening and that the whole world doesn’t accept it. We have to support Ukraine.”
Lewandowski had already positioned himself clearly for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine before the game. He supports his home association’s announcement that it will not play the World Cup playoff game against Russia that is scheduled for late March. “I can’t imagine going onto the pitch in a month and forgetting what’s happening,” said Lewandowski on Saturday night. “Sure, sport is one thing – but you can’t get that out of your head and forget it.” The fact that the Russian players can’t do anything for the war doesn’t change that.
He was an “anti-war person” who could not have thought “that this would happen,” said the world footballer. “It hurts. It’s all dramatic. I hope that the whole world will protect Ukraine.”