Paweł Brożek (English)

Z Historia Wisły

Paweł Brożek - born on April 21, 1983 in Kielce, is the second best striker in the history of Wisła Kraków and one of the most prominent Polish football players in the XXI century. He won 7 national titles with Wisła and was twice the best striker in the Polish League. He represented Wisła throughout his senior career, with the exception of loans to ŁKS Łódź and GKS Katowice and career abroad with Trabzonspor, Celtic and Recreativo Huelva in 2011-13. He appeared in 432 games of Wisła and scored 175 goals.

Biography

Paweł Brożek was born on April 21, 1983, in Kielce. He began his football career with his twin brother Piotr in the parish team Polonia Białogon, where they were brought by Father Andrzej Zapała. The twins stood out as talented players, and their skills were quickly recognized. At the age of 15, they joined SMS Zabrze, but their stay there was short-lived. In December 1998, thanks to Adam Nawałka, the youth training coordinator for Wisła Kraków, the brothers joined the team. Brożek quickly integrated into the junior team, showcasing his football abilities and scoring many goals. His performance contributed to the team's success, and they won the Polish championship in their age category in 2000.

Before celebrating the victory in the Polish junior championship, Brożek had already made his debut in the first team. On September 2, 1999, he played his first match against Ruch Radzionków in the League Cup. He played for 45 minutes before being substituted. In the same cup, Brożek made two more appearances. He patiently waited for his chance to play in the top league, and on April 8, 2001, he made his debut in the Ekstraklasa, Poland's highest football league. At just under 18 years old, he appeared in a match against Górnik Zabrze and provided an assist for Maciej Żurawski's goal. On his eighteenth birthday, April 21, 2001, Brożek scored his first goal in the Ekstraklasa, securing a 2-1 victory for Wisła over Zagłębie Lubin. In the 2000/2001 season, he played in eight matches and contributed to Wisła's championship title.

Brożek gained experience by playing for ŁKS Łódź in the second league and later returned to Wisła Kraków. Despite tough competition for a place in the starting lineup, he stayed with the team and helped them mainly in the Polish Cup. Wisła won the cup by defeating Wisła Płock, and two weeks later, they secured another league title. During the winter break of the 2003/2004 season, Brożek was loaned to GKS Katowice for 12 months. Meanwhile, Wisła won another championship, and Brożek received his third medal. He received his fourth gold medal the following year when he helped Wisła in the spring round of the 2004/2005 season after returning from the loan.

After Maciej Żurawski's departure to Celtic Glasgow, Paweł Brożek became the leading striker for Wisła Kraków, proving that the club made the right decision. On September 24, 2005, he scored his first career hat-trick against Lech Poznań, helping Wisła secure a 5-1 victory. In the 2005/2006 season, Brożek played in 30 matches and scored 13 goals. His good form earned him a place in the Polish national team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. However, Poland was eliminated in the group stage, and Brożek appeared as a substitute in all three matches.

After his performance at the World Cup, foreign clubs showed interest in Brożek, but the striker decided to stay with Wisła. The 2006/2007 season was not successful for Brożek or Wisła as a whole, as the team finished in eighth place. However, Brożek performed better in the UEFA Cup, scoring goals against FC Basel, AS Nancy, and Feyenoord Rotterdam. Under the coaching of Maciej Skorża in the 2007/2008 season, Brożek experienced a surge in form, leading the team to a championship title and becoming the league's top scorer for the first time in his career. He repeated this achievement the following season, securing another championship for Wisła. In the 2010/2011 season, Brożek wonhis seventh title before trying his luck abroad. After playing in Turkey, Scotland and Spain, he returned to Wisła Kraków in 2013 and continued to impress as a leading figure. In May 2018, Brożek scored a memorable goal in the 99th minute, securing a draw for Wisła against Lech Poznań, in what was intended as his final appearance in Wisła. Despite becoming a free agent, Brożek returned to the team in September 2018 to help the club when they needed it. Eventually, he decided to retire after the 2019–20 season, ending a beautiful chapter in Wisła Kraków's history.