Włodzimierz Smolarek


Włodzimierz Wojciech Smolarek was a Polish footballer who played as a winger or an attacking midfielder.
He played most of his 20-year professional career with Widzew Łódź and Utrecht, appearing in more than 200 official games for the former. He amassed Eredivisie totals of 212 matches and 45 goals, over the course of eight seasons.
Smolarek represented Poland in two World Cups, earning 60 caps. In 1984 and 1986, he won the Polish Footballer of the Year Award of the Piłka Nożna football weekly.

Club career

Born in Aleksandrów Łódzki, Smolarek played for Widzew Łódź and Legia Warsaw in his country. He won the Ekstraklasa championship with the former side in 1981 and 1982, as well as the 1985 Polish Cup.
In 1986, aged 29, Smolarek was allowed to leave the Iron Curtain nation, starting with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga where he won the German Cup in his second season, playing the full 90 minutes in the 1–0 win against VfL Bochum. He retired at 39 after eight years in the Netherlands, with Feyenoord and FC Utrecht, then went on to work with the first club as youth coach for nearly one decade.

International career

Smolarek made his debut for the Poland national team on 12 October 1980, in a 1–2 friendly loss in Argentina. Over the next 12 years he appeared in a further 59 internationals, being selected for the squads at two FIFA World Cups: in 1982 he helped the country finish third in Spain, scoring the opener in a 5–1 first group stage win against Peru. Four years later, celebrating his 50th appearance, he netted the only goal in the group phase contest against Portugal in an eventual round-of-16 exit.
In October 2009, Smolarek was hired by the Polish Football Association to oversee the national side's youth program.

Career statistics

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.7 December 1980Empire Stadium, Gżira, Malta1–02–01982 World Cup qualification
2.10 October 1981Zentrastadion, Leipzig, East Germany2–03–21982 World Cup qualification
3.10 October 1981Zentrastadion, Leipzig, East Germany3–13–21982 World Cup qualification
4.15 November 1981Olympic Stadium, Wrocław, Poland2–06–01982 World Cup qualification
5.15 November 1981Olympic Stadium, Wrocław, Poland4–06–01982 World Cup qualification
6.22 June 1982Estadio Riazor, A Coruña, Spain1–05–11982 FIFA World Cup
7.8 September 1982Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland1–03–2Euro 1984 qualifying
8.17 April 198310th-Anniversary Stadium, Warsaw, Poland1–01–1Euro 1984 qualifying
9.17 October 1984Municipal Stadium, Zabrze, Poland1–13–11986 World Cup qualification
10.31 October 1984Municipal Stadium, Mielec, Poland1–02–21986 World Cup qualification
11.19 May 1985Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece1–04–11986 World Cup qualification
12.7 June 1986Estadio Universitario, San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico1–01–01986 FIFA World Cup
13.17 May 1987Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary2–13–5Euro 1988 qualifying

Personal life

Smolarek was married to Zdzisława, fathering sons Euzebiusz and Mariusz. The former was also a footballer and a forward, who also represented Feyenoord and Poland and also had a three-year spell with Borussia Dortmund.
Smolarek died on 7 March 2012 at the age of 54, in his hometown, Aleksandrów Łódzki.

Honours

Widzew Łódź
Eintracht Frankfurt
Poland
Individual