November 5: Robert Lewandowski’s Chicago Fire shirt has been the best-selling shirt in Major League Soccer (MLS) since he joined the league in June, surpassing even Lionel Messi.
Messi still tops the all-year list, released by MLS on Tuesday, for the fourth straight season, having led every year since joining Inter Miami in 2023. But Lewandowski’s impact in just a few months has been remarkable.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich striker signed on June 29 and made his debut on July 22 against Messi’s Inter Miami. He has seven goals and five assists in 18 games, helping the Fire to fourth place in the Eastern Conference and a playoff spot.
Behind Messi on the 2026 list are LAFC’s Son Heung-min in second and Vancouver’s Thomas Müller in third. Antoine Griezmann is fifth, having been announced by Orlando City in March before arriving in July after finishing the season with Atletico Madrid. Cavan Sullivan of Philadelphia is sixth.
The listing includes sales in the MLS online store from January 1st through October 30th.
The rankings show how much of MLS’s commercial appeal is now based on established stars. Messi, Son, Müller, Griezmann and Lewandowski are well into their thirties and all arrived with huge global followings. The World Cup has also helped, with Nielsen data showing a sharp increase in US soccer fans this year.
Sullivan stands out as the exception. The 17-year-old became the youngest goalscorer in USMNT history against Mexico last month and is set to join Manchester City in January 2028. His place among the league’s biggest names suggests a homegrown American star can now sell jerseys alongside imports, something MLS has long hoped for.
The 2027 sprint season begins in February, before the league moves to a calendar synchronized with Europe.
Contact the writer of the story, Nick Webster, a (email protected)