Robert Lewandowski is coming to Major League Soccer. Chicago Fire FC made it official Monday, signing the Polish striker to a deal that runs through the 2027-28 season. He’ll take up a Designated Player slot and an international roster spot.
The 37-year-old spent the last four years at Barcelona after legendary runs with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. He leaves Europe with 629 goals and 159 assists in 869 professional appearances. That’s not a typo.
Chicago’s director of football and head coach Gregg Berhalter didn’t mince words. “From the day Joe Mansueto and I met for the first time, we set out to build a world-class club that inspires greatness, unites Chicago and wins championships. Robert embodies those values and represents the standards this city deserves: a champion and a competitor,” Berhalter said. “His arrival reinforces our ambition to compete for trophies and raises the standards for the club to heights worthy of this city. We cannot wait to get to work with him and have Chicago see first-hand why he is among the most revered sporting icons in the world.”
Lewandowski has won 32 trophies across his career. That includes 10 Bundesliga titles, three LaLiga crowns, a Champions League, and a FIFA Club World Cup. He’s a seven-time Bundesliga Golden Boot winner and once scored 41 league goals in a single season with Bayern. That’s a Bundesliga record that might not get touched for a while.
For Poland, he’s the all-time leading scorer with 89 goals in 167 caps. He captained the team at two World Cups and four European Championships. At the 2026 World Cup break, Chicago sits third in the Eastern Conference with 26 points. They’re back in action July 16 against Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
This is Berhalter’s second season running the Fire. He took the job after coaching the U.S. men’s national team at the 2022 World Cup. Last year, Chicago made the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017. The roster already includes forward Hugo Cuypers, midfielder Philip Zinckernagel, and winger Jonathan Bamba. Goalkeeper Chris Brady, defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi, and defender Joel Waterman have all been playing at this summer’s World Cup.
The Fire currently play at Soldier Field. Their new soccer-specific stadium is supposed to open in 2028. For now, they just added one of the most accomplished strikers in modern history to a team that’s already trending up. That should speed things along.
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