Tomasz Frankowski facts for kids
Frankowski in 2010
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 August 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Białystok, Poland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1993 | Jagiellonia Białystok | 12 | (1) |
| 1993–1996 | Strasbourg | 21 | (2) |
| 1996 | Nagoya Grampus Eight | 0 | (0) |
| 1996–1997 | Poitiers | 32 | (22) |
| 1997–1998 | Martigues | 19 | (5) |
| 1998–2005 | Wisła Kraków | 173 | (115) |
| 2005–2006 | Elche | 14 | (8) |
| 2006–2007 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 16 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | → Tenerife (loan) | 19 | (3) |
| 2008 | Chicago Fire | 17 | (2) |
| 2009–2013 | Jagiellonia Białystok | 120 | (52) |
| Total | 450 | (211) | |
| International career | |||
| 1999–2006 | Poland | 22 | (10) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Tomasz Frankowski (born August 16, 1974) is a famous Polish former football player. He was a fantastic striker, scoring many goals. He scored 168 goals in 302 games in Poland's top league, Ekstraklasa. This makes him the third highest scorer ever in that league! He was also the top scorer in the league four times.
Tomasz had his best times playing for Wisła Kraków in Poland. He helped them win many important trophies. He also played football in France, Japan, Spain, England, and the United States.
He played 22 times for the Polish national team and scored ten goals. After he stopped playing football, he was elected to the European Parliament in 2019.
Contents
Football Career Highlights
Starting Out and Wisła Kraków Success
Tomasz Frankowski grew up in Białystok, Poland. He started his football journey with his hometown team, Jagiellonia Białystok, in 1991. After that, he moved to France to play for RC Strasbourg from 1993 to 1996. He also had a short time playing in Japan for Nagoya Grampus in 1996.
He then went back to France to play for CFP Poitiers (1996–1997) and FC Martigues (1997–1998). Finally, he returned to Poland to play for Wisła Kraków.
His time at Wisła Kraków was very successful. He helped the club win five Polish Championship titles. These were in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005. They also won two Polish Cups in 2002 and 2003, and a Polish Super Cup in 2001. Tomasz was the top scorer in the league three times while at Wisła. He also became the top scorer with Jagiellonia in 2011.
Playing in Spain with Elche
In August 2005, Tomasz moved to Spain to play for Elche CF. This team was in the Segunda División, which is Spain's second-highest football league. He played his first game on September 11, 2005.
A week later, in his first home game, he scored the first goal in a 2–0 win. He scored a total of eight goals in 14 games for Elche. This included scoring three goals in one game (a hat-trick) on December 8, 2005.
Time with Wolverhampton Wanderers
On January 25, 2006, Tomasz signed a contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers in England. This team played in the Football League Championship, which is the second-highest league in England.
He was loaned back to Spain in August 2006. He played for CD Tenerife for the 2006–07 season. He scored three goals in 18 games for them. When he returned to Wolverhampton, he had a knee injury. His contract with the club ended on August 31, 2007.
Playing in the United States with Chicago Fire
After some time away from playing, Tomasz joined the Chicago Fire S.C. team in the United States. He signed with them on February 19, 2008. He scored his first two goals for the club on April 3, 2008.
As the season went on, he played less often. He was released from the team on November 26, 2008.
Coming Home to Jagiellonia Białystok
On December 23, 2008, Tomasz Frankowski announced he would return to his first team, Jagiellonia Białystok. He signed a two-year contract. On March 28, 2010, he scored two goals in a 2–0 win. This made him one of the top goal scorers in Ekstraklasa history.
On August 1, 2010, Tomasz won his second Polish Super Cup with Jagiellonia. He scored the only goal in the winning game. In the 2010–11 season, he was the top scorer for the fourth time in his career, with 14 goals. He scored his 168th goal in the Polish top league on April 6, 2013. This made him the third all-time scorer in Ekstraklasa. He stopped playing football after the 2012–13 season.
Playing for Poland
Tomasz Frankowski scored ten goals in 22 games for the Polish national team. He played his first international game on April 28, 1999, against the Czech Republic. He scored his first goal for Poland the next year against Iceland.
He was Poland's top scorer during the qualifying games for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. However, he was not chosen for the World Cup team. He felt very disappointed by this decision. He played two more games for Poland later on, under a new coach.
Awards and Achievements
Tomasz Frankowski won many awards and trophies during his football career:
- Strasbourg
* UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1995
- Wisła Kraków
* Ekstraklasa (Polish League Champion): 1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05 * Polish Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03 * Polish League Cup: 2000–01 * Polish Super Cup: 2001
- Jagiellonia Białystok
* Polish Cup: 2009–10 * Polish Super Cup: 2010
- Individual Awards
* Ekstraklasa Top Scorer: 1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2010–11 * Polish Cup Top Scorer: 2001–02, 2009–10 * Polish Newcomer of the Year: 1998 * Ekstraklasa Player of the Year: 2004 * Ekstraklasa Player of the Month: October 2010
Life After Football: Politics
After retiring from football, Tomasz Frankowski became involved in politics. He is a member of a political group called Civic Platform. In 2019, he was elected to the European Parliament. This means he helps make decisions for countries in Europe.
In 2021, he spoke out against some ideas in football. He did not agree with the plan for a European Super League. He also did not think the World Cup should happen every two years.
See also
In Spanish: Tomasz Frankowski para niños
