Robert Lewandowski claims MLS Player of the Matchday in third Chicago Fire appearance: How does it compare to Lionel Messi?

Robert Lewandowski has already made an immediate splash in Major League Soccer, earning MLS Player of the Matchday honors in just his third appearance with the Chicago Fire. By securing the award so quickly into his tenure, the Polish superstar naturally invited comparisons to how long it took Lionel Messi to claim his first matchday honor with Inter Miami.

Following back-to-back frustrating losses (a 3-2 defeat against Inter Miami and a 3-1 setback against NYCFC in which Lewandowski was held off the scoresheet), the Fire returned home to face Charlotte FC. Although the visitors opened the scoring in the 18th minute, the Polish legend stepped up to spearhead a quick comeback.

In the 20th minute, Lewandowski netted the equalizer following a crisp team buildup, hitting a low shot from the edge of the box to log his first official MLS goal. He then completed his brace in the 68th minute, capitalizing on a sequence that originated with goalkeeper Chris Brady to coolly finish past the Charlotte keeper.

Marking his home debut at Soldier Field, Lewandowski’s two-goal performance propelled the Fire to a comeback victory and three valuable points, lifting Chicago to fourth place in the standings. In the process, he became the first Fire player to win Player of the Matchday since Tom Barlow and the first Polish international to earn the honor since Karol Swiderski in 2022.

Messi’s road to his first Player of the Matchday honor

Arriving as a marquee free-agent signing following his stint at FC Barcelona, Lewandowski needed just three matches to assert his superstar status in MLS. Lionel Messi has reigned as the undisputed face of the league since his arrival in 2023, but his journey to his first domestic matchday award took longer than expected.

Messi made his official MLS debut on August 26, 2023, against the New York Red Bulls, appearing in only six league matches during the second half of that campaign due to nagging injuries. The Argentine legend made his biggest initial mark in the 2023 Leagues Cup, scoring in all seven matches to lead Inter Miami to the title over Nashville SC.

Entering the 2024 MLS campaign, Messi hit the ground running following a full preseason in South Florida. He bagged a brace in a 5-0 derby victory against Orlando City early in the season, though he was narrowly edged out for the matchday recognition for that specific fixture.

Messi’s first MLS Player of the Matchday award eventually arrived on April 13, 2024, following Matchday 9. He earned the accolade after registering a goal and an assist in Inter Miami’s 3-2 road victory over Sporting Kansas City in front of 72,610 fans at Arrowhead Stadium.

From his debut against the Red Bulls, it took Messi 11 MLS matches to capture his first Player of the Matchday recognition. Since breaking through, however, he has cemented his league dominance by collecting a record 14 Matchday honors, including two already during the 2026 campaign.