Soccer
The latest big European name is on his way to Major League Soccer.
Robert Lewandowski has joined the Chicago Fire on a two-year deal, the Eastern Conference club announced Monday. The deal comes after the Polish international visited the Fire’s facilities earlier this month and met with Fire head coach and director of football Gregg Berhalter.
“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,” said Berhalter.
“His arrival reinforces our ambition to compete for trophies and raises the standards for the Club to heights worthy of this city,” Berhalter added. “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’s contract with Barcelona ended earlier this summer after a four-season stay with the La Liga giants. He tallied 120 goals in 193 appearances for the club, winning three league titles, one Copa Del Rey, and three Spanish SuperCups.
After coming up through his native Poland, Lewandowski joined Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in 2010. Lewandowski notched 103 goals in 187 appearances for the Black and Yellow, helping them win two league titles and two domestic cups, while also reaching the UEFA Champions League Final in 2013.
He later moved to Dortmund’s rivals Bayern Munich and proceeded to score 344 goals in 375 appearances for the German giants. Bayern lifted eight Bundesliga titles and 19 trophies in total with Lewandowski playing a major contributor in the squad.
On the international level, the 37-year-old has notched 89 goals in 167 caps for Poland, but missed out on the FIFA World Cup this summer. Poland lost in the UEFA Playoffs last spring after going 6-2-2 in qualifying.
The Fire will hope that Lewandowski’s arrival will help grow the fanbase ahead of the opening of the club’s new stadium, McDonald’s Park, in 2028.
Chicago is currently sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference and will return to MLS play on July 16.
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