Essien explains what shaped Lewandowski's move to MLS

Michael Essien believes Robert Lewandowski’s move to Chicago Fire will add even more star power to MLS, with the former Ghana international arguing that the Poland forward’s presence can only increase the league’s global profile.

Essien's verdict on Lewandowski's decision

Speaking to Super Express, Essien assessed Lewandowski’s transfer to the United States after the striker began life with Chicago Fire. The Polish international has already made his first two appearances for the club, starting against Inter Miami before coming off the bench against New York City.

For now, Lewandowski is still adapting to a new league and environment, but Essien’s view is clear: MLS has gained another major name. He pointed to the growing list of high-profile players in the competition and said Lewandowski’s arrival should make the league even more recognisable around the world.

Essien also reflected on Lewandowski’s standing in the game, recalling him as a young player who was already emerging as a star at Borussia Dortmund. In his assessment, the striker’s career leaves little left to prove after his achievements with Dortmund, Bayern and Barcelona.

Could he have stayed in Europe?

Essien stopped short of making a definitive judgment on whether Lewandowski should have remained in Europe for longer. Instead, he framed the move as a personal decision taken by the player and those around him.

His argument was that Lewandowski has already reached the highest level and built an outstanding career, so a late-career switch to MLS does not diminish his status. Essien also suggested that the example of Lionel Messi shows a player can still be seen as a major star while playing in the United States.

That perspective carries some weight given Essien’s own experience. The former midfielder finished his playing days outside Europe’s biggest spotlight, with spells at PERSIB Bandung and FK Sabail after a period away from the game. He knows the challenge of sustaining elite standards over a long career, which helps explain the measured tone of his comments.

Lewandowski's early Chicago Fire steps

Lewandowski’s start in Chicago has been closely watched. His first two outings have offered only an introduction to MLS rather than a full picture of what he might bring, and the sense from the source material is that improvement could come with time as he settles.

The next opportunity for the 37-year-old to make an impact will come when Chicago Fire face Charlotte FC. That match could also offer him the chance to score his first goal for the club.

Essien also comments on Polish clubs

The interview also touched on Essien’s recent look at Ekstraklasa sides through his current role as an assistant at Nordsjaelland. The Danish club played summer friendlies against Gornik Zabrze and Jagiellonia Bialystok, and Essien said both teams showed talented players with potential.

At the same time, he cautioned against reading too much into pre-season results, stressing that friendlies are not the true measure of a team. In his view, the real test comes in competitive matches.

Nordsjaelland, like those Polish clubs, are involved in European competition this season. Their campaign in the second qualifying round of the Conference League has already begun with a first-leg defeat away to GAIS, with the return match set to take place in Denmark.