Tomasz Kuszczak facts for kids
Kuszczak in 2016 with Birmingham City
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tomasz Mirosław Kuszczak | ||
| Date of birth | 20 March 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Krosno Odrzańskie, Poland | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–1999 | Śląsk Wrocław | ||
| 1999–2000 | Uerdingen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2000–2004 | Hertha BSC II | 87 | (0) |
| 2001–2004 | Hertha BSC | 0 | (0) |
| 2004–2007 | West Bromwich Albion | 31 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | → Manchester United (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2007–2012 | Manchester United | 26 | (0) |
| 2012 | → Watford (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 84 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 13 | (0) |
| 2015–2019 | Birmingham City | 89 | (0) |
| Total | 349 | (0) | |
| National team | |||
| 1998 | Poland U16 | 3 | (0) |
| 2000 | Poland U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2001–2003 | Poland U21 | 14 | (0) |
| 2003–2012 | Poland | 11 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2023–2024 | Poland (goalkeeping coach) | ||
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Tomasz Mirosław Kuszczak (born 20 March 1982) is a former professional footballer from Poland. He played as a goalkeeper. He was most recently a goalkeeping coach for the Poland national team.
Tomasz was born in Krosno Odrzańskie, Poland. He played for several clubs, including Śląsk Wrocław in Poland and German clubs KFC Uerdingen 05 and Hertha BSC. In 2004, he moved to England to play for West Bromwich Albion.
In 2006, he joined Manchester United. There, he was a backup goalkeeper to Edwin van der Sar. He helped Manchester United win many trophies. These included three Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League.
After leaving Manchester United in 2012, Kuszczak played for Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He then joined Birmingham City in 2015. He played for Birmingham City until he retired in 2019.
Kuszczak also played for the Poland under-21 team 14 times. He played for the senior national team 11 times. He was part of Poland's team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting in Germany
Tomasz Kuszczak started his football journey in Germany. He joined the German club Hertha BSC in 2000. He spent a year with their reserve team. Then, he moved up to the main team in 2001.
For three seasons, he was the third-choice goalkeeper. He did not play in any Bundesliga games during this time. In 2004, he left Hertha BSC. He then signed with West Bromwich Albion in England.
Time at West Bromwich Albion
Kuszczak made his first appearance for West Brom on 18 September 2004. It was a Premier League match against Fulham. The game ended in a 1–1 draw.
He became a hero in a crucial match against Manchester United. This was near the end of the 2004–05 season. West Bromwich was fighting to avoid relegation. Kuszczak had to step in when the main goalkeeper got injured. He played very well, and West Bromwich drew the game 1–1. This helped his team stay in the league.
In the 2005–06 season, Kuszczak became the main goalkeeper. He made an amazing save against Wigan Athletic. This save was voted "Save of the Season" by fans. Even with his great efforts, his club was relegated at the end of the season.
Joining Manchester United
On 10 August 2006, Kuszczak joined Manchester United. He first joined on a loan deal. Then, he became a permanent player in July 2007. He was a backup goalkeeper to the famous Edwin van der Sar.
He made his first game for Manchester United against Arsenal. He saved a penalty kick in that game. Even though he saved the penalty, Arsenal won the match 1–0.
Kuszczak won many trophies with Manchester United. These included three Premier League titles. He also won two Football League Cups and three FA Community Shields. He was part of the team that won the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Champions League.
In March 2008, he received a red card in an FA Cup game. This meant a player had to play as a goalkeeper. This led to Manchester United being knocked out of the competition.
He signed a new contract in September 2008. This kept him at the club until 2012. He played in the 2010 Football League Cup Final. Manchester United won this trophy with a 2–1 victory.
In February 2012, Kuszczak joined Watford on a temporary loan. He played 13 games for Watford. He said he joined Watford because he wanted to play more. His loan ended at the end of the season.
On 1 June 2012, Manchester United confirmed Kuszczak's contract ended. He left the club.
Playing for Brighton & Hove Albion
On 19 June 2012, Kuszczak signed a two-year contract with Brighton & Hove Albion. He said he chose Brighton because he believed the club was moving forward. He wanted to help them reach the Premier League again.
He quickly became an important player for Brighton. He won the "Player of the Month" award in early 2013. This was for his many game-saving performances. He played 84 games for Brighton. He left the club at the end of the 2013–14 season.
Short Time at Wolverhampton Wanderers
On 3 November 2014, Kuszczak signed a short contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers. This was after a trial with the club. He played 13 games for them. His contract was extended until the end of the 2014–15 season.
Final Club: Birmingham City
On 1 July 2015, Kuszczak signed a two-year contract with Birmingham City. In his first game, he saved a penalty kick. This helped Birmingham City win 2–1.
He was the main goalkeeper for the whole season. He started the 2016–17 season as the main keeper too. He got injured in September. Another goalkeeper, Adam Legzdins, played in his place.
Kuszczak returned to the team later that season. He helped the team avoid relegation. He signed another two-year contract. However, a new manager brought in a new goalkeeper. Kuszczak did not play as much after that. He left Birmingham City in May 2019 when his contract ended.
International Career
Kuszczak made his first international appearance for Poland on 11 December 2003. This was against Malta. Poland won the game 4–0.
He was chosen for Poland's team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, he did not play in any games during the tournament. He was the backup goalkeeper.
He was also named in Poland's team for UEFA Euro 2008. But he had to leave the squad because of a back injury. He was replaced by another goalkeeper.
Kuszczak was called up for World Cup qualifiers in 2013. He was a backup for injured goalkeepers. He played in a friendly match against Uruguay in November.
Life After Playing Football
After retiring from playing football, Tomasz Kuszczak moved back to Poland. He started a construction company there. He also earned a degree in sports journalism from college.
In September 2023, he joined the staff of the Poland national team. He became a goalkeeping coach. However, in March 2024, it was announced he was no longer with the national team.
Honours and Achievements
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2010–11
- Football League Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10
- FA Community Shield: 2007, 2008, 2010
- UEFA Champions League: 2007–08
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2008
Poland U18
- UEFA European Under-18 Championship: 2001
See also
In Spanish: Tomasz Kuszczak para niños
