At almost 38 years old, with more than 700 goals behind him, Robert Lewandowski is nearing the end of his European career. Like Messi and many others before him, he has chosen the United States for the final chapter of his playing days: Lewa chose Chicago Fire, and Chicago Fire chose Lewa, after several seasons spent trying to make the move happen. Perhaps more than any other club had done for a player of his stature. The appeal is easy to see. Illinois, and especially the metropolitan area around Lake Michigan, is home to the largest community of Americans with Polish roots in the country. Around 720,000 people. Almost the population of Kraków, Poland’s second city. The move is about more than football. A carefully planned operation, built around sport, identity and commercial potential. Lewandowski spoke about it himself during his presentation with the club, returning several times to his native language. “My success with this team will not be measured only by goals and trophies, but above all by my ability to help Fire expand its market share,” he said. “I hope to connect with the Polish community in the best possible way: not only so they can watch me, but so they can follow the whole team as it grows and develops. When you choose a new club, you look at the players, the league, the resources around you. But above all, you look at the country and the culture that surrounds it. Adapting to the local environment is fundamental. It was the same when I arrived in Barcelona, and it will be the same again in Chicago. I hope our expectations are realistic. Understanding the reality of the situation will be the best way to pursue them.”
In Chicago, Lewandowski will be coached by Gregg Berhalter, the former United States national team manager. He will enter a footballing environment unlike the one he has known in Europe, where what happens away from the pitch will matter almost as much as what happens on it. Marketing, visibility, audience, the ability to bring new people closer to the game: a city with such a deep Polish connection has rarely had a player of this magnitude to rally around. This is part of why football, and MLS in particular, is considered in the United States a sport with enormous room for growth. It reflects the way modern sport works. Beckham changed the perception of Miami. Messi accelerated it. A city once associated above all with palm trees, beaches and the Heat became one of football’s most visible destinations. For Chicago — a city whose traditional franchises are themselves moving through a period of transition — this is the opportunity to build around a global figure. For Robert, it is something different: the chance to enjoy football again, away from the constant pressure of European competition and with new motivations. He has already given football everything. The rest can simply be enjoyed.