Entertainer: Adrian Mierzejewski has been a hit with Sydney FC supporters. Credit:James Brickwood After his first few months of being a face in the crowd in the harbour city, a string of scintillating performances thrust Mierzejewski into the spotlight. And he is happy to be there. Before joining Sydney at the start of the year, he could barely shop in Turkey, Saudi Arabia or Poland without being swamped by supporters. It would be frustrating at times when juggling shopping bags and tired children, but it was also what the 41-time Polish international understood to be the byproduct of success. "When I was young, I dreamt about this, so I’m happy to make photos, sign signatures," he says. "One day I will miss it, so I want to make as much of it as I can. It makes me happy when people recognise me, when I see kids with shirts with my name on their back." For the better part of the past four years, Sydney FC boasted plenty of star performers, a handful of big names, but few big characters. Since the arrival of Graham Arnold in 2014, Sydney drifted away from glamour names to a glamour club with a focus on the greater good. It bore fruit, landing the club a title. But Mierzejewski is now emerging from the crowd.

Already, "Adrian 11" is the equal third most sold Sydney FC jersey alongside that of Bobo. Captain Alex Brosque (second) and last year's Johnny Warren medallist, Milos Ninkovic, are narrowly ahead. At face value, it doesn't suggest much about Mierzejewski's status, but timelines indicates the attacking midfielder has become a rapid hit. The other three all starred in Sydney FC's double-winning side of last season and remained for their title defence. Mierzejewski did not make his A-League debut until three months after this season's jersey went on sale and it was another two months until he really began to find his rhythm in Australia. Part of that rise as a cult hero is to do with his performances in the A-League: six assists and 10 goals in 17 league games for Sydney FC, none of which ended in defeat. Then there's the cocky character Sydney FC fans have rarely witnessed since the days of Alessandro Del Piero. After each and every one of those goals, Mierzejewski celebrates with his trademark body-builder pose, flexing his biceps with a smile. At Sydney FC it's a rare individual display.

It's one that began in Saudi Arabia when he was playing for local giants Al-Nassr, where a training-ground joke became a symbol. "Three years ago, in a pre-season camp I started making push-ups and the players were joking I had big biceps," he says. "Now I do it for my son. He tells me before every game to do my celebration." Fans have been quick to join in the "gun show" and he's found that, like Del Piero's famous tongue-poke celebration, it's catching on at Moore Park. "This is good – now I have to score more to make it more popular," he says. "I hope that they will put that in a FIFA game." In revelling in the spotlight, Mierzejewski displays the innate understanding of the role of a professional footballer in an entertainment industry. Much of that has to do with the man he modelled himself on. Despite growing up in a small town in north-east Poland, his heroes weren't those of his country such as Zbigniew Boniek, Grzegorz Lato or Kazimierz Deyna. Instead, it was the most infamous entertainer in the game's history.

"I had some older videos I used to always watch, cassettes of Maradona in the World Cup '90," he says. Watching the fleet-footed Argentinian dance his way to a World Cup final left a firm impression on how Mierzejewski felt the game should be played and the need for every team to have at least one showman. "It’s our job, it’s work, but it’s also a hobby," he says. "I like to enjoy the game and that’s why I do this ... I just played this way since I was young." He's a sublime talent, equally adept with either foot. He drifts between several positions in a matter of moments, slips through tight spaces, exposes space out wide, provides for his teammates and has a finishing record better than any other non-striker in the league. On top of this, he relishes the big occasion. He sprang to prominence in the 5-0 derby win over Western Sydney in December, scoring two goals, including a thunderous free-kick. If he had a regret, it was only a half-full stadium saw it.