Polish wave at Barcelona: Szczęsny set to join legendary club
28 September 2024 08:06
Wojciech Szczęsny is on the best path to becoming the sixth Polish athlete to wear the famous Barcelona jersey. The former Juventus FC goalkeeper may join the ranks of Poles who have already represented this club.
The first Pole to play for FC Barcelona's professional team was Bogdan Wenta. His photo was placed in the club's museum. Wenta, discovered by coach Leon Wallerand, played for "Barca" from 1992 to 1995.
His transfer to the club was a recognition of his excellent performances at Bidasoa Irun. Although he did not win the national championship or the Champions League, he could still boast of winning two Cup Winners' Cups, two Copa del Rey trophies, and the domestic Supercup in 1994.
Handball player Kamil Syprzak also joined Barcelona, playing from 2015 to 2019. The 208 cm tall pivot helped the team win the Spanish championship four times, the King's Cup, the ASOBAL Cup, and the Spanish Supercup.
Lewandowski paved the way
Robert Lewandowski paved the way for other Polish footballers to Barcelona. His transfer from Bayern Munich in July 2022 was one of the hottest topics of that summer.
Lewandowski quickly acclimatised to the new team, winning the Spanish championship and Supercup in his first season.
The next player was Polish footballer Ewa Pajor, who also joined Barcelona, signing a contract in June this year. She moved to Spain from the German VfL Wolfsburg. Pajor quickly adapted to the new team, already playing in three matches and scoring two goals.
The last Pole will be Wojciech Szczęsny, who is ready to move to Barcelona to replace the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The 34-year-old goalkeeper recently announced his retirement and is currently the subject of interest from the Catalan club. The Polish Press Agency reports that Szczęsny may soon join the team, continuing the Polish tradition in one of the world's most important clubs.
