Zbigniew Boniek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zbigniew Boniek
Boniek in 2015
UEFA Vice President
In office 20 April 2021 – 3 April 2025 Serving with Armand Duka, David Gill, Gabriele Gravina and Laura McAllister
President	Aleksander Čeferin
Vice President	Karl-Erik Nilsson (as first vice-president)
26th President of the PZPN
In office 26 October 2012 – 18 August 2021
Preceded by	Grzegorz Lato
Succeeded by	Cezary Kulesza
Personal details
Born	(1956-03-03) 3 March 1956 (age 69) Bydgoszcz, Poland
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Occupation	Footballer Football administrator
Association football career Position(s) Midfielder Forward Sweeper Youth career 1966–1973 Zawisza Bydgoszcz Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 1973–1975 Zawisza Bydgoszcz 41 (14) 1975–1982 Widzew Łódź 172 (50) 1982–1985 Juventus 81 (14) 1985–1988 Roma 76 (17) Total 367 (95) International career 1976–1988 Poland 80 (24) Managerial career 1990–1991 Lecce 1991–1992 Bari 1992–1993 Sambenedettese 1994–1996 Avellino 2002 Poland Medal record Men's football Representing  Poland FIFA World Cup Third 1982 Spain *Club domestic league appearances and goals

Zbigniew Boniek, born on March 3, 1956, is a famous Polish former football player. He also served as a vice-president for UEFA, which is the main football organization in Europe. He played as a midfielder, but could also play as a right winger or a second striker. Many people think he is one of Poland's best football players ever. Even the legendary Pelé chose him as one of the top 100 living footballers in 2004.

Boniek played 80 international matches for Poland, scoring 24 goals. He played in three FIFA World Cup tournaments in a row. He helped Poland win third place in the 1982 FIFA World Cup and was named to the tournament's best team. His biggest club successes were with Juventus in Italy. There, he won many important titles between 1983 and 1985. These included the Serie A league title, the Coppa Italia cup, the European Cup, the European Cup Winners' Cup, and the European Super Cup. He was the first Polish player to win a major European club title. He also won the Polish Footballer of the Year award in 1978 and 1982.

In the early 1990s, Boniek coached several Italian clubs. He also managed the Polish national team in 2002. In 2019, he was honored by being added to the Italian Football Hall of Fame.

Playing for Clubs

Boniek was born in Bydgoszcz, Poland. He started his football journey playing for Polish clubs. These included Zawisza Bydgoszcz and later Widzew Łódź.

Joining Juventus

In 1982, Boniek moved to Italy to play for the famous club Juventus. In his first season, he helped Juventus win the Coppa Italia. They also finished second in the league and reached the 1983 European Cup Final.

The next season, Boniek played a key role. Juventus won both the Serie A title and the Cup Winners' Cup in 1984. Boniek scored the winning goal in the 2–1 final match against Porto. Later that year, he helped them win the European Super Cup. He scored two goals in their 2–0 win against Liverpool.

In 1985, he won the European Cup with Juventus. They played against Liverpool again in the 1985 European Cup Final. Boniek won a penalty kick, which Michel Platini scored to win the title. However, this victory was overshadowed by the sad events of the Heysel Disaster.

Playing for Roma

After Juventus, Boniek joined Roma for the 1985–86 season. He won another Coppa Italia with Roma in 1986. He finished his professional playing career with Roma in 1988.

Playing for Poland

Zbigniew Boniek, top scorer for Poland in the 1982 World Cup

Boniek played for the Polish national team 80 times. He scored 24 goals between 1976 and 1988. He played in the 1978 FIFA World Cup, 1982 FIFA World Cup, and 1986 FIFA World Cup.

1978 World Cup

At the 1978 World Cup, Boniek started as a substitute. He scored two goals in a 3–1 win against Mexico. This helped Poland win their group. However, Poland was later knocked out in the second round.

1982 World Cup Success

Boniek was a star player for Poland at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. He helped his team reach the semi-finals. He scored four goals during the tournament. He scored in a 5–1 win over Peru. In the second round, he scored three goals (a hat-trick) in a 3–0 win against Belgium.

He missed the semi-final match against Italy because of a suspension. But he returned for the third-place match against France. Poland won this match, earning a bronze medal. Boniek was chosen for the tournament's best team.

1986 World Cup

The 1986 FIFA World Cup was not as successful for Poland. They made it to the second round but lost 4–0 to Brazil.

How Boniek Played

Boniek usually played as a midfielder. But he was also good at playing as a forward. He liked to play freely between different positions. He could play on either side of the field or in the middle. Throughout his career, he played as an attacking midfielder, a right winger, a playmaker, a central midfielder, a centre-forward, or a second striker.

Boniek was known for his unique mustache and outgoing personality. He was a tall, brave, and hard-working player. He was very fast and had quick reactions. He was especially good at making sudden runs to get past defenders. He often received long passes from his teammate Michel Platini. This made him very dangerous on counterattacks. Diego Maradona even called Boniek "one of the finest players of their generation."

Boniek was a very talented, creative, and skillful footballer. He was one of the best dribblers of his time. He also had great technique and flair. While he didn't score a huge number of goals, he was known for scoring important goals in big matches. He could finish well with either foot or his head.

Sometimes, he was criticized for not always being involved enough in the game. He also struggled against teams that didn't give him much space.

Gianni Agnelli, the Juventus president, nicknamed him Bello di notte ("Beauty at night"). This was because he played exceptionally well in European club matches, which were played in the evening. In these games, opponents often gave him more space. This allowed him to dribble, score goals, or create chances for his teammates with his passing and vision. The Italian press also called him Zibì.

Towards the end of his career, as he became slower, he sometimes played in a defensive role as a sweeper.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Boniek became a coach. He coached several Italian clubs. These included Lecce (1990–91), Bari (1991–92), Sambenedettese (1992–93), and Avellino (1994–96).

He also served as a vice-president for the Polish Football Association. In July 2002, he became the manager of the Polish national team. He left the role in December 2002 after only five matches.

Life After Playing

After his playing career, Boniek had a successful business career. He also worked as a football expert and commentator.

In 2004, Pelé named Boniek as one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers. This was part of FIFA's 100th anniversary celebrations. In 2009, he received the Golden Foot 'Legend' career award.

On October 26, 2012, he became the chairman of the Polish Football Association. He was known for supporting football fans and allowing things like pyrotechnics in stadiums. His time as chairman ended on August 18, 2021. Cezary Kulesza took over from him.

Personal Life

Boniek has a university degree in education. His father, Józef Boniek, was also a professional football player and later a manager. In 1976, Zbigniew married Wiesława. They have three children: two daughters named Karolina and Kamila, and a son named Tomasz.

Legacy and Recognition

’’Boniek Star’’, Władysławowo, Poland

A Honduran football player, Óscar Boniek García, was given the middle name Boniek to honor Zbigniew Boniek. García even chose to have "Boniek" written on the back of his jersey when he played for Houston.

In 2018, Boniek became an honorary citizen of Łódź, a city in Poland. In 2019, Forbes Polska magazine and Pentagon Research named him the most influential person in Polish sport. In the same year, he was voted into Poland's Team of the Century. This was part of a poll celebrating 100 years of the Polish Football Association.

In 2020, a book about Boniek called Zibi, czyli Boniek was published. Boniek also released his own autobiography that year, titled Zbigniew Boniek. Mecze mojego życia (Zbigniew Boniek: The Matches of My Life).

Career Statistics

Club

International

International Goals

Scores and results list Poland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Boniek goal.

List of international goals scored by Zbigniew Boniek

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	11 May 1976	Basel, Switzerland	Switzerland	1–2	1–2	Friendly
2	31 October 1976	Warsaw, Poland	Cyprus	3–0	5–0	1978 FIFA World Cup qualification
3	19 June 1977	São Paulo, Brazil	Brazil	1–3	1–3	Friendly
4	5 April 1978	Poznań, Poland	Greece	5–0	5–2	Friendly
5	12 April 1978	Łódź, Poland	Republic of Ireland	1–0	3–0	Friendly
6	10 June 1978	Rosario, Argentina	Mexico	1–0	3–1	1978 FIFA World Cup
7				3–1
8	15 November 1978	Wrocław, Poland	Switzerland	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying
9	18 April 1979	Leipzig, East Germany	East Germany	1–0	1–2	UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying
10	2 May 1979	Chorzów, Poland	Netherlands	1–0	2–0	UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying
11	29 August 1979	Warsaw, Poland	Romania	3–0	3–0	Friendly
12	13 May 1980	Frankfurt, West Germany	West Germany	1–1	1–3	Friendly
13	28 May 1980	Poznań, Poland	Scotland	1–0	1–0	Friendly
14	28 October 1981	Buenos Aires, Argentina	Argentina	2–1	2–1	Friendly
15	15 November 1981	Wrocław, Poland	Malta	6–0	6–0	1982 FIFA World Cup qualification
16	18 November 1981	Łódź, Poland	Spain	2–1	2–3	Friendly
17	22 June 1982	A Coruña, Spain	Peru	3–0	5–1	1982 FIFA World Cup
18	28 June 1982	Barcelona, Spain	Belgium	1–0	3–0	1982 FIFA World Cup
19				2–0
20				3–0
21	22 May 1983	Chorzów, Poland	Soviet Union	1–0	1–1	UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying
22	27 March 1984	Zürich, Switzerland	Switzerland	1–0	1–1	Friendly
23	19 May 1985	Athens, Greece	Greece	3–1	4–1	1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
24	30 May 1985	Tirana, Albania	Albania	1–0	1–0	1986 FIFA World Cup qualification

Awards and Honors

Boniek (right) in 2011.

Boniek depicted on an Armenian commemorative coin in 2009.

Boniek received many awards and honors throughout his career:

Club Trophies

• Widzew Łódź
  • Ekstraklasa (Polish League): 1980–81, 1981–82
• Juventus
  • Serie A (Italian League): 1983–84
  • Coppa Italia (Italian Cup): 1982–83
  • European Cup: 1984–85
  • European Super Cup: 1984
  • European Cup Winners' Cup: 1983–84
• Roma
  • Coppa Italia (Italian Cup): 1985–86

International Achievements

• Poland
  • FIFA World Cup third place: 1982

Individual Awards

• Polish Newcomer of the Year: 1976
• Piłka Nożna Polish Footballer of the Year: 1978, 1982
• Ballon d'Or third place: 1982
• FIFA World Cup All-star Team: 1982
• ADN Eastern European Footballer of the Season: 1982
• FIFA 100: 2004 (chosen by Pelé as one of the greatest living footballers)
• Golden Foot Legends Award: 2009
• FAI International Football Awards – International Personality: 2012
• Italian Football Hall of Fame: 2019
• Polish Football Association National Team of the Century: 1919–2019

Special Honors

• Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta: 1982
• 3rd class knight of Order of Merit of the Italian Republic: 1997

See also

In Spanish: Zbigniew Boniek para niños