Zbigniew Boniek

Zbigniew Boniek 2007

Zbigniew Kazimierz " Zibi " Boniek ( born March 3, 1956 in Bydgoszcz, Poland ) is a former Polish footballer and coach. Since the end of October 2012, he is the president of the Polish Football Association.

Playing career

In the club

The young Boniek began his career as a ten year old in 1966 Zawisza Bydgoszcz before he moved to the top club Widzew 1975. There he matured into a class player in midfield and one of the biggest stars of the Polish league. 1978 and 1980 Zibi Boniek was elected to Poland's Player of the Year. Boniek Widzew led to two championships (1981 and 1982 ) before he accepted an offer from the top Italian clubs Juventus and turned his back on his homeland.

With Juve Zbigniew Boniek played together with Claudio Gentile, Michel Platini and Paolo Rossi in one of the best club teams of the 1980s. In his first season, it came in the European Cup champion in the semifinals to meet his old club Widzew Łódź. Bonieks new team won 2-0 and 2-2 and moved into the final, which was lost against Hamburger SV 0-1 with a goal by Felix Magath. But the next few years should be successful: In 1983, he won the Italian Cup, 1984 Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup. One of his last appearances for the " Old Lady " was also one of his bitterest hours; at the national champion - final against Liverpool, there was a stampede in Brussels Heysel Stadium, where 39 people died ( Heysel disaster ). Juventus still won the European Champions Cup in 1984/85. His bonus for the victory he donated to the victims of the disaster.

After the season Boniek Turin turned his back and moved to AS Roma, where he turned out to be the sought reinforcement for the midfield. The end of 1986, he finished in the election to the European Footballer of the Year and was ranked sixth with Roma Italian Cup Winners' Cup. In his last season in Italy him were unsuccessful and the poles ended his active career in 1988.

In the National Team

In March 1976 Zbigniew Boniek disputed against Argentina in Krakow his first international match. With good performance, he recommended himself to the Polish squad for the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. On National Team coach Kazimierz Gorski he played with players such as Kazimierz Deyna, Robert Gadocha and Grzegorz Lato in the best Polish team in history, which won the silver medal in Montreal.

Two years later, took the pole at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina in part, where the Poles are not linked to the strong performance of the World Cup in 1974 and Montreal in the second round was the last stop. His second World Cup graduated Boniek 1982. In Spain, he scored three goals in the match against Belgium. His team finished the second final round of the first and secured the third place. In the 1986 World Cup in Mexico Boniek was the last time the Polish contingent, which, however, was far from the level of previous years and retired in the second round.

2004 was chosen Zbigniew Boniek Pelé is the only pole in the FIFA 100, a list of the best 125 living soccer players in the world yet.

After the active time

In the 1990s, Zbigniew Boniek worked in Italy as a coach and for a U.S. Lecce and AS Bari. From July to December 2002, he returned as a Polish national coach again briefly on the international football stage back.

From 2004 to 2006 he was co-owner of Widzew Łódź from 2007 to 2008, he served on the board of the association.

On 26 October 2012, he was elected president of the Polish Football Association Grzegorz Lato had after not seek re- election.

Achievements

• Polish Champion: 1980/81, 1981/82
• Italian Champion: 1983/84
• Italian Cup Winners: 1983 /84 1985/86
• European Cup Winners ' Cup: 1984/85
• European Cup Winners Cup Winners: 1983/84
• UEFA Super Cup winner: 1984
• World Cup winner: 1985
• World Cup bronze medalist: 1982