The Empire State Building glowed red and white. Robert Lewandowski starred.

New York City was ablaze with the colors of the Polish flag, thanks to the captain of the Polish national team. Robert Lewandowski lit the lights of one of the world's most recognizable buildings, paying tribute to Poland on the occasion of its National Independence Day.

Monday evening in New York took on a special character. The Empire State Building , a symbol of the global metropolis, illuminated in the colors of the Polish flag, attracting the attention of passersby and tourists from around the world. The ceremony, organized to commemorate November 11th, featured a special master of ceremonies – Robert Lewandowski – who officially inaugurated the building's illumination.

The Polish national team captain arrived at the venue accompanied by his wife, Anna Lewandowska , and was greeted with thunderous applause. This marks the first time Polish colors have taken over the heart of New York in such spectacular fashion.

"When Robert Lewandowski puts on a jersey with the eagle, he becomes the captain for ten teammates on the pitch. Today, he is the captain for ten million Poles, both men and women, and Americans of Polish descent," said Mateusz Sakowicz, Consul General of the Republic of Poland in New York, during the ceremony.

Robert Lewandowski and Mateusz Sakowicz on the Empire State Building. License: John Nacion / Getty Images

Lewandowski, standing against the backdrop of the illuminated Empire State Building, did not hide his emotions.

"This is a light for all Poles around the world. It is an honor for our entire homeland. I am proud to be Polish," he emphasized in his speech.

In an interview with an RMF FM correspondent, the captain of Barcelona and the Polish national team also revealed what he feels when thinking about Poland.

"We know it's November 11th, so the first reference is independence. What a wonderful country we are, what wonderful people we have. No matter where we are, we always show that we are from Poland," he said proudly.

For many participants, it was a symbolic moment of unity and emotion. Polish colors appeared on the Empire State Building for the first time since 2008, but Independence Day had never been celebrated in this way before. The illumination 17 years ago was connected to Poland's participation in the Beijing Olympics.