Lewandowski shone during the match at his home ground, PGE Narodowy, on 2/10. In the 23rd minute, Radu Dragusin fouled the forward in the penalty area, resulting in a red card for the Romania defender and a penalty kick. From the 11-meter spot, he struck low into the right corner, opening the scoring.

Early in the second half, Lewandowski cut in to finish from a cross delivered from the left wing. The 38-year-old forward completed his hat-trick in the 86th minute, dribbling across the goalmouth before unleashing a powerful right-footed shot.

Robert Lewandowski celebrates after Poland's 6-0 victory over Romania in the Nations League at PGE Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland on 2/10/2026. *Photo: Reuters*.

At 38 years and 42 days old, Lewandowski became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in Nations League history. The previous record belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored three goals for Portugal against Switzerland in the 2019 Nations League semi-finals at 34 years and 120 days old.

Lewandowski also became the third oldest male player to score a hat-trick for a national team. He trails Lionel Messi, who achieved this at 38 years and 358 days old, and Sunil Chhetri at 38 years and 318 days old.

This was Lewandowski's seventh hat-trick at international level. He increased his tally to 92 goals in 170 appearances for Poland, both of which are national team records.

The hat-trick against Romania also helped Lewandowski raise his total number of matches with at least three goals for the national team to seven, matching Sandor Kocsis and Pele.

Lewandowski stated that a prior rest period helped him regain his best physical condition. "I am very happy with the hat-trick and the convincing victory. On the training ground, I feel strong again. Before, my legs felt like they had no power," he told TVP Sport. "I had a rest, did a few training sessions, and now I feel fully fit again."

The 38-year-old forward also affirmed that he can still contribute much to the national team. "It's not just about movement in the penalty area or challenging, I still score goals," Lewandowski said. He views each goal scored at PGE Narodowy as a special experience and believes the big win against Romania will help his teammates regain confidence.

After the match, Lewandowski took the match ball from the field as a memento of his hat-trick. Cameras also captured him handing his captain's armband to a young fan in the stands.

The 38-year-old forward's joy was not complete, as he received a yellow card and will be suspended for the next match against Bosnia & Herzegovina on 5/10. Lewandowski expressed regret at missing out, especially after his performance against Romania, but trusts his teammates can continue to achieve positive results.

By Hong Duy