From MLS veterans to South American playmakers the Polish Ekstraklasa has quietly become a landing spot for talent from North and South America. This season, 15 players from this side of the globe are featuring in Poland’s top flight and several are making a big impact. Colombian Camilo Mena and Honduras international Luis Palma are lighting up the Polish league, while former USMNT midfielder Kellyn Acosta is experiencing European club football for the first time in his career.

The Polish PKO BP Ekstraklasa features 18 teams and over 500 players from more than 60 countries. Nearly 50 footballers come from the Iberian Peninsula: there are 32 Spaniards and 14 Portuguese. Jesus Imaz is a brand name in Jagiellonia Białystok and everyone in Lech Poznań knows Joel Perreira as both won multiple trophies with Jagiellonia Białystok and Lech Poznań including the league titles.

Brazilians in fashion in Radom

Among this large international mixture there is also space for Americans: both from North and South. A total of 15 players represent countries like Brazil, Colombia, USA, Honduras, Canada and Argentina. Pele's homeland has the largest South American presence with six footballers. As many as 4 of them wear Radomiak Radom’s green shirt. The longest tenure belongs to Leandro for whom Radomiak Radom is home since 2012. The 37-year old has over 330 appearances and 105 goals for Radomiak Radom including 84 matches and 6 tallies in Ekstraklasa.

Next up is Maurides, who - since 2021- amassed 77 games, 18 goals and 10 assists for the Boys in Green. This season the 32-year old is the team’s top striker with 8 goals and 4 assists in 30 games. Former New York Red Bulls player Luquinhas is nearing 170 career Ekstraklasa games. Most of them came during his successful spell with Legia Warsaw, where between 2019-22 he captured two league titles and a Polish Cup trophy. MLS experience is listed also on Joao Pedro’s resume. In 2024 the 23-year old left-back featured in 7 games for Charlotte FC. So far in his debutant season at Radomiak Radom he appeared in 14 games while registering one assist.

The Brazilian contingent also includes Adriano and Leo Borges. Adriano has over 50 career Ekstraklasa games, 2 goals and 3 assists for Raków Częstochowa. This season the 24-year old winger featured 23 matches with 1 goal and 2 assists. Leo Borges’ spell at Pogoń Szczecin began in 2022 and since then he has 86 Ekstraklasa appearances, 2 goals and 3 assists (17/0/1 this season).

Mena impresses in Gdańsk

While the Brazilians provide depth across the league, a trio from Colombia arguably delivers the most star power. No one is bigger than Camilo Mena. The 23-year old winger moved to Lechia Gdańsk in 2023 from Valmiera FC, where he won a Latvian championship. Since then he has developed into one of Lechia Gdańsk’s most dangerous attacking players, contributing 14 goals and 27 assists. This season in 27 Ekstraklasa games he found the back of the net 5 times while registering 8 assists. His impressive stats and flashy form on the field make his current transfer worth 4 million Euros. That makes him third most expensive international player in Ekstraklasa behind his teammate Tomas Bobcek and Jonatan Braut Brunes (a cousin of Erling Halaand).

One of the most important players for Legia Warsaw since 2023 is Juergen Elitim. Former Deportivo La Coruña and Racing Santander midfielder already won a Polish Cup and two Polish Supercups with the Army Men. The 26-year old is closing in on 70 Ekstraklasa appearances, where he scored twice and added 9 assists (22/1/3 this season). Jesus Diaz featured in 38 total games in the Polish top flight. Most of them - 27 to be exact - were for Raków Częstochowa, but in September 2025 he transferred to Zagłębie Lubin, where so far he registered 1 goal and 2 assists in 11 games.

Americans testing themselves abroad

Three other players came to Ekstraklasa from the US. Leon Flach (former Philadelphia Union and USA U20 player) moved to Jagiellonia Białystok in February 2025. Up until now the 26-year old midfielder has 32 career Ekstraklasa games and 1 goal. In February of this year another American swapped MLS for Ekstraklasa: Kellyn Acosta. His move to Pogoń Szczecin is one of the more surprising transfers involving an American player this season. After spending his entire professional career in MLS (with FC Dallas, Colorado Rapids, LAFC and Chicago Fire) the former USMNT midfielder is finally testing himself in Europe at age 30. So far Acosta has 1 goal in 8 games for the side from Szczecin.

The longest tenured Yank in Ekstraklasa is Kahveh Zahiroleslam. The Iranian-American, who studied at Yale University, joined Cracovia in August of 2025 and scored 2 goals in 19 games. Interestingly enough his current club is owned by an American businessman of Polish descent Robert Platek, who also owns Portugal’s 1st division team Casa Pia.

Argentina might be the current World Cup title holders, but that soccer powerhouse has only one representative in Ekstraklasa. A 31-year old Lucas Masoero plays as a center back for Termalica Bruk-Bet Nieciecza. He has been in Europe since 2017 and previously played in Bulgaria, where he won the Bulgarian cup and SuperCup, Russia and Romania. His contract with the Elephants, where he played 16 games this season, expires in the summer of 2027. Also Canada has one player in Poland: Dominick Zator. A 31-year old defender, who has 3 caps with the Canada national team, first played in Kielce for Korona Kielce, but now is at Arka Gdynia. Between these two clubs Zator registered 1 goal and 2 assists in 74 appearances.

Palma emerges as a star in Poznań

We close the list with Luis Palma, who joined Lech Poznań this season on loan from Celtic Glasgow. The 26-year old is one of the biggest stars of the Polish top flight. He has 7 goals and 5 assists in 27 league games, but also did well in the Conference League, where he scored 2 and added 4 helpers in 10 matches. The Honduras national team player (7 goals in 34 games) is currently worth 3.5 million Euros and Lech Poznań fans would love for him to stay in Poznań. Remarkably Palma - as a 17-year old - spent some time in the United States. In 2019 he featured in 13 games scoring 1 goal for Real Monarchs in the USL Championship.

With players from MLS, South America and CONCACAF increasingly making their way to Poland, the Ekstraklasa is becoming a more international and competitive destination than many fans realize. Judging by the impact of players like Camilo Mena, Luis Palma or Kellyn Acosta, that trend may only continue.

North and South Americans in PKO BP Ekstraklasa - season 2025/26:
Brazil - 6:
Leandro (Radomiak Radom), Luquinhas (Radomiak), Maurides (Radomiak), Joao Pedro (Radomiak), Adriano (Raków Częstochowa), Leo Borges (Pogoń Szczecin)

Colombia - 3:
Camilo Mena (Lechia Gdańsk), Juergen Elitim (Legia Warsaw), Jesus Diaz (Zagłębie Lubin)

USA - 3:
Leon Flach (Jagiellonia Białystok), Kellyn Acosta (Pogoń), Kahveh Zahiroreslam (Cracovia)

Argentina - 1:
Lucas Masoero (Termalica Bruk-Bet Nieciecza)

Canada - 1:
Dominick Zator (Arka Gdynia)

Honduras - 1: Luis Pama (Lech Poznań)

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