Robert Lewandowski reveals why he gave up eating chocolate & credits wife Anna for key role she's played in Barcelona star's incredible career

Lewandowski's journey to incredible durability began in his early twenties when he realised that natural talent alone wasn't enough to sustain a high-performance career. After noticing his habitual breakfast of cornflakes and milk left him feeling sluggish, he overhauled his nutrition by cutting out gluten and lactose entirely. This strict dietary discipline is matched only by his relentless mentality; he credits his staggering consistency to a mindset focused entirely on what comes next. "It doesn’t matter how many goals I had already scored: it was the goals I was going to score. It doesn’t matter how many titles I’ve won: it’s the next title I have to win," he stated, in an interview with The Athletic. This combination of physical and mental fortitude is exactly why, even as Hansi Flick actively manages the 37-year-old's workload during congested fixtures, the veteran marksman continues to boast a remarkable goal every 96 minutes in La Liga this season.

"I thought that because I was skinny - skinny with muscles - I could still eat chocolate. I thought I could eat whatever I wanted, because I didn't have any fat," Lewandowski continued. "But when I trained, I didn't have any power, and I couldn't understand why. I was sleeping well, but I couldn't train with the same intensity as my team-mates. So I started to change. And even after a few weeks, it made a huge difference."

While the striker’s own dedication is unquestionable, he credits his wife, Anna, for the remarkable durability that sees him competing at the highest level while contemporaries head for retirement. A former world-level karate medalist turned renowned nutritionist, Anna has been fundamental in fine-tuning his physical and mental state from day one.

"I thought I knew a lot about nutrition and a healthy lifestyle," Lewandowski reflected. “She is my first psychologist: after a good game or a bad game, she is the first person I talk to, about not only the football, but about my mind. What I’m thinking, what I’m feeling. It’s important that I can speak to someone like this. She knows me a lot, and she can tell me what I can do, not only in a football situation, but also with my team-mates or coaches. Even though she doesn’t shoot, she’s still a part of me.” When asked if he would still be dominating at the elite level at age 37 had he been married to someone else, the Barcelona star was remarkably candid about her impact. "I don’t know, but she helps me a lot! Especially at the beginning of my career, because she helped me see the difference when I was doing this thing, or not doing it. Maybe without her help, I couldn’t reach the level I am."

The striker’s future remains the subject of intense debate, with Chicago Fire reportedly interested in bringing him to the United States. Speaking about his contract situation, the forward remained calm, stating: "I don’t know [if I want to stay at Barca]. Because I have to feel it. For now, I cannot tell you nothing, because I’m not even 50 per cent sure which way I want to go. It’s not for this moment.

"I don’t put pressure on myself - probably when I was 25 or 30 that would have been different. With my experience and the age I am, I don’t have to decide now. I don’t have the feeling of which way I should decide. Maybe in three months is probably when I have to decide. But still, I don’t have any stress. I have to feel it. I have to start to feel it, then it will be easier for me when we talk about my future."