Ex-Poland Winger Blaszczykowski Announces Retirement

 

Former Poland captain and Borussia Dortmund winger Jakub Blaszczykowski announced on Thursday that he has made the decision to retire from professional football.

At 37 years old, Blaszczykowski holds the distinction of being his country's second-highest capped player, having represented Poland 109 times, just behind Robert Lewandowski's 142 appearances. He made his debut for the national team in March 2006 during a friendly match against Saudi Arabia.

In June, he bid farewell to international football in a friendly game against Germany, exiting the pitch to a guard of honor from both teams.

Expressing his gratitude on Instagram, Blaszczykowski said, "Every road has an end... Thank you so much for the great support I received every step of the way. It was worth playing, sacrificing myself for you."

His playing career comes to a close after a second stint at Polish second-tier club Wisla Krakow. He initially played for Wisla from 2004 to 2007, winning the Polish top flight title in 2005 before joining Borussia Dortmund.

During his time at Dortmund from 2007 to 2016, he made nearly 200 appearances in the Bundesliga, contributing to the team's success with two league titles, one German Cup, and three Super Cups. He also played a crucial role in Dortmund's runner-up finish in the 2012-13 Champions League.

Following his tenure at Dortmund, Blaszczykowski spent a year on loan at Serie A side Fiorentina before returning to Germany in August 2016 to sign a three-year deal with VfL Wolfsburg.

A farewell ceremony is scheduled for August 5 during Wisla's first home game of the 2023-24 season to honor Jakub Blaszczykowski's remarkable career.