Jan Tomaszewski
Jan Tomaszewski (Polish pronunciation:
Jan Tomaszewski
[jan tɔmaˈʂɛvskʲi]; born 9 January 1948) is a Polish
former professional footballer who played as a
goalkeeper in the 1970s. He kept goal for the Poland
national teams that came third at the 1974 World Cup,
where he was named Best Goalkeeper, that won the
silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics, and that
competed at the 1978 World Cup. He is regarded as
one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Polish
football.[1] He was later a football commentator and
politician.
Club career
Tomaszewski grew up in Wrocław where his parents
were expelled from Vilnius after World War II.[2]
Tomaszewski's club career was mainly at ŁKS Łódź, Tomaszewski in 1975
having been forbidden by Poland's communist Personal information
government to play abroad before the age of 30, even Date of birth 9 January 1948
after coming to international attention. Place of birth Wrocław, Poland
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
After the 1978 World Cup, he moved abroad, first to
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Belgian club Beerschot, and then Hércules in Spain,
Youth career
before retiring in 1984 after two more years with Łódź.
In all he won 63 caps for Poland,[3] making him at the 1960–1962 Śląsk Wrocław
time his country's most-capped goalkeeper, although Senior career*
that record was later broken by Artur Boruc in 2016.[4] Years Team Apps (Gls)
1963–1967 Gwardia Wrocław (0)
1967–1970 Śląsk Wrocław 25 (0)
International career 1970–1972 Legia Warsaw 19 (0)
1972–1978 ŁKS Łódź 155 (1)
Tomaszewski is best remembered by some for his 1978–1981 Beerschot 85 (0)
performance for the Poland national team against 1981–1982 Hércules 12 (0)
England, in a qualifying match for the 1974 World 1982–1984 ŁKS Łódź 4 (0)
Cup, which England needed to win.[5] Tomaszewski International career
had been labelled "a clown" by Brian Clough before
1971–1981 Poland 63 (0)
the match (the two men however became quite friendly
Managerial career
in later years), but had the last laugh as he turned in a
1989 Widzew Łódź
man-of-the-match performance repeatedly denying
England's attackers; the only goal he conceded being Medal record
an equalizing penalty from Allan Clarke.[6][7] Earlier, Men's football
Jan Domarski had scored for the Poles. Poland drew
Representing Poland
the game 1–1 and qualified for the finals in West
FIFA World Cup
Germany at the expense of England.[8]
1974 West Germany
In "The Story of the World Cup", Brian Glanville Olympic Games
wrote: "In retrospect, to be eliminated by so fine a side
1976 Montreal
as Poland seems no disgrace, but this is a posteriori
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
reasoning. I doubt if England could have made so
dazzling a contribution as Poland to the tournament,
yet it should be remembered that the Poland which beat
England and the Poland which took their place were two
very different propositions". (p. 191, 2005 edn.)
Other achievements
Poland went on to claim third place during a World Cup in
which Tomaszewski saved two penalties in two different
Copy of J. Tomaszewski medal and
matches (from Staffan Tapper and Uli Hoeneß) – the first
autograph in Sports Star Avenue in
'keeper in FIFA World Cup history to do so. Tomaszewski Dziwnów
went on to win a silver medal with Poland at the 1976
Summer Olympics, and also played in the 1978 World Cup,
where Poland disappointed in only managing to get as far as
the second group phase. Between 1989–1990, he served as
the goalkeepers' coach of the Poland national football team
led by Andrzej Strejlau.
Later life
After his playing career he worked as a commentator and
sports journalist writing articles in magazines including
Przegląd Sportowy. In 1986, he graduated from the
University of Physical Education in Warsaw. In 1991, he
published a book titled Kulisy reprezentacyjnej piłki (Promise
Publishing Institute, Łódź). Known for making many
controversial statements, he criticised the Polish Football Jan Tomaszewski (left) and Henryk
Kasperczak after third place match
Association (PZPN) on a number of occasions when the
Poland-Brazil, 1974 FIFA World Cup
organization was run by Marian Dziurowicz and Michał
Listkiewicz. He was elected to the Sejm at the 2011 election,
representing Łódź for Law and Justice.
Personal life
He was married three times. He married his third wife, Katarzyna (née Calińska), in 1988. She was a
Polish Champion in table tennis.[9] Tomaszewski has two daughters with her: Paulina and Małgorzata.[10]
Career statistics
Appearances, conceded goals and clean sheets by national team
Conceded Clean
National team Year Apps Goals Sheets
1971 1 3 0
1972 0 0 0
1973 13 9 6
1974 12 13 4
1975 9 7 3
Poland 1976 7 9 2
1977 12 15 1
1978 7 3 5
1979 0 0 0
1980 0 0 0
1981 2 1 1
Total 63 60 23
Honours
K. Beerschot V.A.C.
Belgian Cup: 1979
Poland[11]
Olympic silver medal: 1976
FIFA World Cup third place: 1974
References
1. Kamil Janczarek (23 April 2015). "Legendy Piłki Nożnej: Jan Tomaszewski" (https://pilkarskis
wiat.com/legendy-polskiej-pilki-noznej-jan-tomaszewski/#:~:text=Dla%20fan%C3%B3w%20
pi%C5%82ki%20no%C5%BCnej%20jest%20to%20jeden%20z,do%20Wroc%C5%82awia%
20z%20Wile%C5%84szczyzny%20po%20II%20wojnie%20%C5%9Bwiatowej.).
pilkarskiswiat.com (in Polish). Retrieved 21 November 2022.
2. Człowiek, który nie zatrzymał Niemiec (http://wyborcza.pl/1,75480,5264747.html) at Gazeta
Wyborcza
3. "Piłka nożna, Euro 2012, Reprezentacja Polski, Ligi Europejskie" (https://web.archive.org/w
eb/20120210204903/http://kadra.pl/index.php?strona=historia&dzial=reprezentanci&litera=
S). Kadra.pl. Archived from the original (http://www.kadra.pl/index.php?strona=historia&dzial
=reprezentanci&litera=S) on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
4. Dobek, Dariusz (14 November 2015). "Artur Boruc pobił rekord w liczbie występów w
reprezentacji Polski wśród bramkarzy" (http://eurosport.onet.pl/pilka-nozna/kadra/artur-boru
c-pobil-rekord-w-liczbie-wystepow-w-reprezentacji-polski-wsrod-bramkarzy/552nc7) [Artur
Boruc breaks record number of appearances for the Polish national team among
goalkeepers]. onet.sport (Eurosport) (in Polish). Retrieved 21 November 2016.
5. "England v Poland: 'clown' Jan Tomaszewski has the last laugh 40 years on" (https://www.tel
egraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/england/10376209/England-v-Poland-clown-Jan-Tomasze
wski-has-the-last-laugh-40-years-on.html). The Daily Telegraph. 13 October 2013. Retrieved
15 October 2013.
6. "Jan Tomaszewski: A man haunted for ever after being called a clown" (https://www.theguar
dian.com/football/2013/oct/12/jan-tomaszewski-poland-clown). Guardian UK. 13 October
2013. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
7. Alex Webber. "Here we go! As Poland heads to Qatar, fans will be hoping they recapture the
spirit of 1974" (https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/here-we-go-as-poland-heads-to-qatar-fa
ns-will-be-hoping-they-recapture-the-spirit-of-1974-34558). thefistnews. Retrieved
21 November 2022.
8. Bevan, Chris. "England v Poland 1973: When Clough's 'clown' stopped England" (https://ww
w.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24445822). BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
9. "Skoro jest cyrk to musi być klaun" (https://archive.today/20120713180826/http://pilka-nozn
a.przegladsportowy.pl/Pilka-nozna-Skoro-jest-cyrk-to-musi-byc-klaun-,artykul,40844,1,279.h
tml). przegladsportowy.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original (http://pilka-nozna.przeglads
portowy.pl/Pilka-nozna-Skoro-jest-cyrk-to-musi-byc-klaun-,artykul,40844,1,279.html) on 13
July 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
10. "Wnuk wybierze togę czy korki?" (https://gazetakrakowska.pl/wnuk-wybierze-toge-czy-korki/
ar/263055?cookie=1). gazetakrakowska.pl (in Polish). 31 May 2010. Retrieved
21 November 2022.
11. "Jan Tomaszewski" (http://www.90minut.pl/kariera.php?id=2224). 90minut.pl (in Polish).
Retrieved 2 August 2024.
External links
Jan Tomaszewski (https://web.archive.org/web/20150905/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournamen
ts/players-coaches/people=44695/index.html) – FIFA competition record (archived)
Jan Tomaszewski (https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/17453.html) at National-
Football-Teams.com
Jan Tomaszewski Profile (http://www.goalkeepersaredifferent.com/keepers/goalkeeping-gre
ats.html#Tomaszewski) at goalkeepersaredifferent.com
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jan_Tomaszewski&oldid=1266891326"
