The Chicago Fire have officially announced the signing of Robert Lewandowski through the 2027-28 season. The 37-year-old Poland striker will occupy a designated player slot pending visa approval and completion of an international transfer certificate.
Lewandowski's career achievements
The club described Lewandowski as “a global soccer icon” in social media posts. He joined as a free agent after four seasons with Barcelona, where he scored 83 goals with 19 assists in 134 La Liga matches (114 starts) and contributed to three league titles.
Before Barcelona, Lewandowski spent 12 seasons in Germany's Bundesliga — four with Borussia Dortmund (2010-14) and eight with Bayern Munich (2014-22). He won 10 league titles and the Champions League in 2020. His 344 goals across all competitions for Bayern are the second-most in club history, behind Gerd Müller.
International and individual honors
Lewandowski was considered the frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or in 2020, but the award was not given due to the pandemic. He finished second in 2021 voting and won the Best FIFA Men's Player award in 2020 and 2021. He is Poland's all-time leader in international appearances (167) and goals (89), featuring in four European Championships and two World Cups before Poland failed to qualify for 2026.
His 697 total goals for club and country since his 2008 debut rank seventh in history and third among active players, behind Cristiano Ronaldo (975) and Lionel Messi (917).
Impact on Chicago Fire
The Fire (8-4-2, 26 points) sit third in the MLS Eastern Conference at the World Cup break after ending a seven-year playoff drought last season. Lewandowski's arrival is expected to boost the club's attacking options and profile.
