Robert Lewandowski has confirmed he will leave Barcelona this summer when his contract expires, bringing to an end a four-year spell in which he helped restore the club to the summit of Spanish football. The 37-year-old Polish striker made the announcement on Saturday via Instagram, signing off with characteristic directness.
“After four years full of challenges and hard work, it’s time to move on. I leave with the feeling that the mission is complete. Four seasons, three championships. Barca is back where it belongs,” he wrote.
Lewandowski arrived from Bayern Munich in 2022 at a time when Barcelona were at a low ebb, struggling financially and searching for a way back to the top of European football. What followed was a transformation in which the Polish forward played a central role.
Across 191 appearances in all competitions, he scored 119 goals, helping Barcelona to three La Liga titles, including this season’s championship, and the Copa del Rey in 2025. He finished as La Liga’s top scorer in his debut campaign under Xavi Hernandez and has remained one of the most consistent performers in European football well into his late thirties.
This season, under Hansi Flick, Lewandowski was rotated with Spain international Ferran Torres but still managed 18 goals from 44 appearances as Barcelona claimed back-to-back league titles, defeating Real Madrid 2-0 in Sunday’s Clasico to seal the trophy with three games to spare.
Lewandowski’s manager Flick, who also worked with him at Bayern Munich, was fulsome in his praise, confirming the striker had addressed the squad and said his goodbyes ahead of his final appearance at Camp Nou against Real Betis on Sunday.
“He spoke with the team, said goodbye, and said it was a great time for him here in Barcelona. I have worked with Robert for years now and we won nine trophies together. For me it is a privilege to work with him. He is a professional player who every day gave his best to be at the highest level. He is a perfect role model for young players, and that is why he is still playing at this level,” Flick said.
He described Lewandowski as “a fantastic human, but also a world-class player.”
Barcelona’s official social media channels were equally generous. “Thank you, Robert Lewandowski, for every goal, every fight and every magical moment wearing these colours. He arrived as a star, he leaves as a legend,” the club wrote.
Lewandowski also singled out the supporters for a personal tribute. “I will never forget the love I received from the fans from my very first days. Catalonia is my place on earth,” he said.
Lewandowski did not confirm his next destination, though he has been linked with clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States. At 37, with his fitness levels still remarkable by any standard, he is unlikely to be short of options. Whatever he decides, he departs Camp Nou having delivered precisely what was asked of him.
