Peter Nowak, is one of the greatest soccer players ever to grace the Major League Soccer stage and an instrumental figure in the Chicago Fire's first five seasons.

"Peter Nowak brought something special to MLS and Chicago and his brilliance will be remembered for years to come."-Peter Wilt, Chicago Fire GM

Recognized as one of the most talented playmakers in MLS, the 38-year-old Peter Nowak wraps up the last chapter of a playing career that spanned nearly 23 years. He mystified opponents and dazzled fans with his superb quickness, extraordinary vision and meticulous passing. He appeared in 114 games (all starts) with the Fire, registering 26 goals and 49 assists. His 100-points rank second in the team history. His 48 assists and 13-game winning assists stand as the most in team history.

"Since the Chicago Fire's inception in 1998, Peter Nowak has given the club and its fans all of his skills, passion and commitment. He has been a great example to every young player of what it means to be a professional. His contribution to the growth of the League have been immeasurable and his play will long remain a standard by which future players are judges."-Ivan Gazidis, Deputy Commissioner of Major League Soccer

Born in Pabianice, Poland, Peter Nowak arrived on the American scene on December 16, 1997, when he was signed as the Fire's first player ever. He was to become the team's central figure for the next five seasons as a team captain and play a leading role in the team's development.

A true virtuoso in the midfield, Peter Nowak is perhaps most remembered for his two-assist performance on October 25, 1998, leading the expansion Fire to its first-ever title with 2-0 win over defending champion D.C. United and earning MLS Cup '98 MVP honors in front of 51,350 spectators at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA.

Five days after captaining the team to the MLS Cup title, the incessant Peter Nowak helped the Fire to its first U.S. Open Cup title, guiding the "Man in Red" to a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on October 30, 1998, at Soldier Field and help the Fire complete "The Double"- a feat no other first-year professional sports team had ever accomplished. Peter Nowak would help the Chicago Fire recapture that magic by bringing the U.S. Open Cup back to Chicago two years later, helping Chicago to a 2-1 victory win over the Miami Fusion on October, 21, 2000, at Soldier Field.

"Peter Nowak has been the heart and soul of the Chicago Fire since the beginning. I enjoyed working together with him. He is a great friend and leader."-Bob Bradley, MetroStars Head Coach and former Chicago Fire Coach.

A savvy player with impeccable work ethics, Peter Nowak also led the Fire to two divisional crowns in 2000 and 2001, and a final appearance at MLS Cup 2000. He was named to the Pepsi MLS Best 11 for three seasons (1998, 2000 and 2001) and received Fire/Honda Team MVP honors for his contributions in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Prior to coming to Chicago, Peter Nowak spent the 1994-1998 season with the German powerhouse TSV 1860 Munich, where he appeared in 116 Bundesliga games, scoring 17 goals. He was named the Best Playmaker of the season in the Bundesliga during the 1995-1996 season.

Peter Nowak stared his professional career in 1979 at the age of 15, with Wlokniarz Pabianice. His career left him to play with such teams as: WKS Zawisza Bydgoszcs (Polish First Division), Widzew Lodz (Polish First Division), Bakirkoyspor (Turkish First Division), Young Boys Bern (Swiss First Division) and Dynamo Dresden (German Bundesliga). He made his first international debut in January 1990 and served as the captain of the Polish National Team from 1995-1997. He made 24 appearances for his country, scoring 3 goals. He was voted Poland's Player of the Year in 1996.