Arkadiusz Milik facts for kids
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Milik with Marseille in 2021
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Arkadiusz Krystian Milik | ||
| Date of birth | 28 February 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Tychy, Poland | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Juventus | ||
| Number | 14 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2010 | Rozwój Katowice | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2011 | Rozwój Katowice | 10 | (4) |
| 2011–2013 | Górnik Zabrze | 38 | (11) |
| 2013–2015 | Bayer Leverkusen | 6 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → FC Augsburg (loan) | 18 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | → Ajax (loan) | 21 | (11) |
| 2015–2016 | Ajax | 31 | (21) |
| 2016–2022 | Napoli | 93 | (38) |
| 2021–2022 | → Marseille (loan) | 38 | (16) |
| 2022–2023 | Marseille | 2 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | → Juventus (loan) | 27 | (7) |
| 2023– | Juventus | 32 | (4) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011 | Poland U17 | 5 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | Poland U19 | 11 | (3) |
| 2012–2014 | Poland U21 | 15 | (3) |
| 2012– | Poland | 73 | (17) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:47, 25 May 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 June 2024 |
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Arkadiusz Krystian Milik (born on February 28, 1994) is a Polish professional footballer. He plays as a striker, which means he is a forward player who mainly scores goals. Currently, he plays for the Serie A club Juventus in Italy and for the Poland national team.
Milik started his football journey in the youth team of Rozwój Katowice. In 2011, he joined Górnik Zabrze. Later, in 2012, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen and also played on loan for FC Augsburg and Ajax. In the 2015–16 season, Ajax bought him permanently. He became one of the top goal scorers in the Eredivisie, which is the top football league in the Netherlands.
On August 1, 2016, Milik moved to the Italian club Napoli. He joined them for a fee of €35 million, taking the place of another famous player, Gonzalo Higuaín. Later, on January 21, 2021, he went on loan to the French club Marseille from Napoli.
Milik has also played for Poland in big international tournaments. He was part of the team at UEFA Euro 2016, where Poland reached the quarter-finals. He also played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where his team was eliminated in the group stage. In the 2022 World Cup, Poland made it to the round of 16.
Contents
Early Life and Football Start
A football coach named Sławomir "Moki" Mogilan noticed Arkadiusz Milik's talent when he was young. Mogilan helped Milik improve his skills and become more professional. When Milik was 16, he was invited to try out for English clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and Reading. However, he decided to stay in Poland and focus on his football career there.
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Rozwój Katowice
Milik began his football journey as a youth player at Rozwój Katowice. He played for their reserve team in the 2009–10 season. On October 23, 2010, at just 16 years old, he played his first game in the III liga (a Polish football league). He scored two goals in a 4–0 win. He finished that season with 10 appearances and 4 goals for Rozwój Katowice.
Moving to Górnik Zabrze
Even though other clubs were interested, Milik signed a one-year contract with Górnik Zabrze on July 1, 2011. He made his debut in the Ekstraklasa (Poland's top league) on July 31, 2011, in a 1–1 draw.
Time at Bayer Leverkusen
On December 17, 2012, Milik joined Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. He signed a contract until 2018. However, he didn't play much for Leverkusen, making only 6 appearances before moving to their reserve team.
Loan to FC Augsburg
On August 30, 2013, Milik was loaned to FC Augsburg for one year. During his time there, he played in 18 matches and scored 2 goals. One of his goals was an important equalizer in the 88th minute against Borussia Mönchengladbach, helping Augsburg get a draw.
Success with Ajax
On May 15, 2014, it was announced that Milik would play for Ajax, the Dutch champions, on loan for the 2014–15 season. Ajax also had the option to buy him later.
2014–15 Season at Ajax
On September 24, 2014, Milik played in the first official "Amsterdam derby" since 1983, a match between Ajax and JOS Watergraafsmeer in the KNVB Cup. Milik was the best player in that game, scoring six goals and helping with two others in Ajax's 9–0 victory. On December 10, 2014, he scored his first Champions League goal in a 4–0 win against APOEL. On April 1, 2015, Ajax decided to buy Milik permanently from Bayer Leverkusen.
2015–16 Season at Ajax
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For the 2015–16 season, Milik became Ajax's number 9 striker. He scored his first goal of the season in a Champions League qualifier. He also scored many goals in the 2015–16 Eredivisie season, including two goals against Roda JC and two against AZ. He also scored an important equalizer against Celtic in the Europa League group stage, helping Ajax win away from home.
Moving to Napoli
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Milik joined Napoli on August 1, 2016, for €35 million. He made his debut on August 27, scoring two goals in a 4–2 win against Milan in Serie A. He scored two goals again in September against Dynamo Kyiv and Bologna.
However, on October 8, Milik suffered a serious knee injury while playing for Poland. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which usually means a long time out of the game. But he recovered quickly and was back playing by February 2017. In September of the same year, he injured his other knee with another ACL tear, which kept him out for several months again.
In the 2020 Coppa Italia final on June 17, Milik scored the winning penalty kick in a shootout against Juventus, helping Napoli win the trophy. For the 2020–21 season, Milik was not included in Napoli's main squads because he decided not to extend his contract and turned down other transfer offers.
Time at Marseille
On January 21, 2021, Milik joined French club Olympique de Marseille on an 18-month loan. He made his debut two days later. On October 17, 2021, he scored his 10th goal for Marseille in just 17 games, making him a very efficient goalscorer for the club. He scored a hat-trick (three goals in one game) against Cannet Rocheville in the Coupe de France on December 19, 2021. He scored another hat-trick on February 4, 2022, in a 5–2 victory against Angers SCO. He also scored two goals in a Europa Conference League match against Qarabağ FK.
Playing for Juventus
On August 26, 2022, Juventus announced that Milik joined them on loan from Marseille for the 2022–23 season. He was the third Polish player to play for Juventus. On August 31, he scored his first goal for Juventus in a 2–0 win against Spezia.
On June 21, 2023, Juventus signed Milik permanently from Marseille. On January 11, 2024, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 victory over Frosinone, helping Juventus reach the Coppa Italia semi-finals. On April 23, 2024, he scored the winning goal against Lazio in the Coppa Italia semi-final, securing Juventus a spot in the final.
International Career for Poland
Milik scored a goal for the Poland under-17 team in a 4–1 win against England Schools U18 on April 13, 2011. He was called up to the under-19 team on July 15, 2011.
On October 12, 2012, Milik played his first game for the Polish senior team against South Africa. On December 14, he scored his first goal for the national team in a 4–1 friendly win against Macedonia.
UEFA Euro 2016 Performance
On October 11, 2014, Milik scored the first goal in a 2–0 win against world champions Germany in a Euro 2016 qualifying match. This was Poland's first-ever win against Germany. Milik and Robert Lewandowski formed a strong attacking partnership during the qualifiers.
In Euro 2016, Milik scored for Poland in their first game, a 1–0 win against Northern Ireland. He also scored his penalty kick in the shootout against Portugal in the quarter-finals, though Poland lost that match.
2018 FIFA World Cup
Milik played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Poland lost their first two group matches but won their final game against Japan 1–0. However, they were eliminated in the first round.
2022 FIFA World Cup
After missing UEFA Euro 2020 due to an injury, Milik was chosen for Poland's team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He played in three of Poland's four games. Poland was knocked out in the round of 16 by France.
UEFA Euro 2024 Injury
On May 29, 2024, Milik was named in the team for UEFA Euro 2024. However, just 80 seconds into a friendly game against Ukraine on June 7, he suffered a knee injury. This injury unfortunately meant he could not play in the tournament.
Playing Style
Arkadiusz Milik is a skilled left-footed forward. He usually plays as a main striker, but he can also play behind another forward or as a winger. He is good at both scoring goals and helping his teammates score. Milik is fast and moves well without the ball. He has a powerful and accurate shot, making him a great finisher. He is also physically strong, agile, and good at heading the ball. His playing style has been compared to his famous Polish teammate, Robert Lewandowski. When he was younger, in 2012, a sports magazine called Don Balón named him one of the 101 most promising young players in the world.
Personal Life
In 2013, Milik started dating Polish model Jessica Ziółek. They were together for almost eight years before ending their engagement in late 2020. Milik is now in a relationship with Agata Sieramska.
Milik appeared on the cover of the Polish version of the video game FIFA 16 alongside global football star Lionel Messi. When he was growing up, Milik supported Manchester United. He once said he dreamed of playing for them. His childhood football hero is Cristiano Ronaldo, and Milik has said Ronaldo inspired him.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rozwój Katowice | 2010–11 | III liga | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 4 | ||
| Górnik Zabrze | 2011–12 | Ekstraklasa | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 4 | ||
| 2012–13 | Ekstraklasa | 14 | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 15 | 8 | |||
| Total | 38 | 11 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 40 | 12 | ||||
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2012–13 | Bundesliga | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | |
| FC Augsburg (loan) | 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 2 | ||
| Ajax (loan) | 2014–15 | Eredivisie | 21 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 23 |
| Ajax | 2015–16 | Eredivisie | 31 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 3 | — | 42 | 24 | |
| Napoli | 2016–17 | Serie A | 17 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | — | 23 | 8 | |
| 2017–18 | Serie A | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 17 | 6 | ||
| 2018–19 | Serie A | 35 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | — | 47 | 20 | ||
| 2019–20 | Serie A | 26 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 3 | — | 35 | 14 | ||
| Total | 93 | 38 | 8 | 1 | 21 | 9 | — | 122 | 48 | |||
| Marseille (loan) | 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 16 | 10 | ||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 8 | — | 37 | 20 | ||
| Total | 38 | 16 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 8 | — | 53 | 30 | |||
| Marseille | 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| Juventus (loan) | 2022–23 | Serie A | 27 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 2 | — | 39 | 9 | |
| Juventus | 2023–24 | Serie A | 32 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 36 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 302 | 108 | 29 | 20 | 60 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 392 | 154 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | 2012 | 4 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 8 | 5 | |
| 2015 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 73 | 17 | |
Honours and Awards
Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 2019–20
Juventus
- Coppa Italia: 2023–24
Individual Awards
- Polish Newcomer of the Year: 2012
- Ekstraklasa Player of the Month: August 2012
- KNVB Cup top goalscorer: 2014–15 (8 goals)
- Coppa Italia top goalscorer: 2023–24 (4 goals)
See also
In Spanish: Arkadiusz Milik para niños
