Dawid Bugaj Bio
Dawid Bugaj is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Major League Soccer club CF Montréal, where he wears the number 27 shirt. Born on 9 July 2004 in Sosnowiec, Poland, he came through the youth ranks of Norwegian side Molde FK before moving into senior football with Molde’s reserve side. After a spell in Italy with SPAL and a productive loan in his home country, Bugaj made the jump to North American soccer in 2024.
Standing 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) tall, Bugaj represents the modern attacking full-back profile, comfortable operating down the right flank and contributing in both defensive and offensive phases. He also holds dual Polish and Norwegian citizenship and has represented Poland at multiple youth international levels.
Early Life and Background
Dawid Bugaj was born on 9 July 2004 in Sosnowiec, a city in the Silesian region of southern Poland with a strong footballing tradition. He grew up in a sporting household: his father, Radosław Bugaj, was a professional footballer who spent about ten years playing in Poland, most notably with Zagłębie Sosnowiec, where he featured in the country’s second division during its former II liga era.
In 2007, when Dawid was three years old, Radosław moved to Norway after concluding his playing career, and the family settled there. The young Bugaj began playing organized football in Norway and joined the youth academy of Molde FK, one of the country’s most respected clubs and a regular developer of top-level talent.
Path to Soccer
Bugaj progressed through Molde FK’s academy and was promoted to the club’s reserve side, Molde FK 2, in 2019, where he made his senior league debut in a match against Eidsvold TF. Despite a promising introduction, opportunities at the second team were limited and he did not make another appearance for the reserves that year.
In 2020, Bugaj had a trial with German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, but no contract offer followed, and he instead joined Italian side SPAL on a permanent deal. He spent three seasons in SPAL’s youth setup developing his game before seeking senior minutes elsewhere.
Dawid Bugaj Career
Early Career (2019–2023)
Bugaj’s earliest senior football came with Molde FK 2 in the Norwegian reserve system, beginning in 2019. The brief stint offered him a first taste of men’s football but did not lead to a sustained run of appearances.
After moving to SPAL in 2020, he spent three full seasons in the Italian club’s academy, training at a high level and preparing for his next step. On 31 July 2023, he joined Polish second-tier side Lechia Gdańsk on loan for the 2023–24 campaign, returning to the country of his birth to play regular senior football.
Lechia Gdańsk Breakthrough (2023–2024)
The loan move to Lechia Gdańsk proved transformative. Bugaj slotted into the right-back role and became a consistent contributor as the club chased promotion from Poland’s second tier. His defensive reliability and willingness to push forward suited the team’s approach throughout the 2023–24 season.
Bugaj played a part as Lechia Gdańsk won the league title and secured automatic promotion back to the Ekstraklasa, Poland’s top flight. The campaign established him as a senior professional with a title-winning medal to his name at the age of 19.
CF Montréal Era (2024–Present)
On 16 July 2024, Bugaj completed a transfer to Major League Soccer side CF Montréal, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with an option for an additional two years, running through 2026. The move represented his first spell outside European club football and a major step up in profile.
Assigned the number 27 shirt, he joined a young Montréal squad looking to rebuild around emerging talent. His performances in preseason and early league action suggested a player adjusting quickly to the physical and tactical demands of MLS, with regular minutes at right-back helping him continue his development.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bugaj is an attack-minded right-back who combines defensive awareness with the willingness to overlap and deliver crosses into the box. His height and frame aid him in aerial duels, while his academy background at Molde and SPAL gave him a strong foundation in tactical discipline and positional play.
Notable Events and Milestones
His standout moments so far include a senior debut for Molde FK 2 against Eidsvold TF in 2019, his role in Lechia Gdańsk’s second-tier title and promotion in 2023–24, and his subsequent transfer to CF Montréal in July 2024, marking his arrival in Major League Soccer at age 20.
Dawid Bugaj Career Wins
At club level, Dawid Bugaj’s most significant piece of silverware came during his loan spell at Lechia Gdańsk, where he was part of the squad that won the Polish second-tier league and earned promotion to the Ekstraklasa in 2024. His earlier time at Molde FK and SPAL was spent in youth and reserve setups without senior team honours.
Lechia Gdańsk Highlights
Bugaj joined Lechia Gdańsk on loan in July 2023 and immediately became a regular at right-back. Across the 2023–24 season he featured consistently as the club secured the league championship and an immediate return to Poland’s top flight, capping a breakthrough year in his home country.
Other Wins & Performances
Outside his Lechia Gdańsk title, Bugaj’s senior honours are limited, with most of his development occurring in reserve and youth football at Molde FK and SPAL. At international youth level, he has been capped by Poland from the under-15s through the under-19s between 2019 and 2023.
Dawid Bugaj Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Football runs deep in the Bugaj family. His father, Radosław, was a professional footballer in Poland who spent around ten years in the game, most notably with Zagłębie Sosnowiec in the country’s second division. Radosław moved to Norway in 2007 when Dawid was three, settling there after his playing days ended.
His younger brother, Alex, is also a footballer and currently plays for Wisła Kraków II, continuing the family’s strong connection to the sport.
Personal Life
Bugaj holds dual Polish and Norwegian citizenship, a reflection of his upbringing in Norway following his father’s move there in 2007. He keeps his personal life largely out of the public eye and focuses the majority of his attention on his developing professional career with CF Montréal.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 MLS season, Dawid Bugaj remained part of the CF Montréal first-team picture after settling into the right-back role during the closing months of 2024. With a contract that runs through 2026, the club views him as a long-term piece of its rebuilding project.
The 2025 campaign offered him a full preseason to adapt to MLS rhythms and build chemistry with his teammates. Consistent selection at right-back allowed him to push for his first goal contributions in North America and to develop a clearer on-field partnership with the wider squad.
For a young Montréal side still establishing its identity, Bugaj’s combination of European academy polish and recent title-winning experience at Lechia Gdańsk made him a player to watch. The outlook for the rest of 2025 centred on consolidation, regular minutes, and helping the team climb the Eastern Conference standings.