The Most Famous

SOCCER PLAYERS from Poland

This page contains a list of the greatest Polish Soccer Players. The pantheon dataset contains 21,273 Soccer Players, 215 of which were born in Poland. This makes Poland the birth place of the 22nd most number of Soccer Players behind Croatia, and Austria.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Polish Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Polish Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Polish Soccer Players.

1. Robert Lewandowski (b. 1988)

With an HPI of 69.12, Robert Lewandowski is the most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 96 different languages on wikipedia.

Robert Lewandowski (Polish pronunciation: [ˈrɔbɛrt lɛvanˈdɔfskʲi] ; born 21 August 1988) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a striker for La Liga club Barcelona and captains the Poland national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time, he is one of only five players to have scored 100 goals with three different clubs, ranks third for the all-time top goalscorers in the UEFA Champions League (only behind Messi and Ronaldo) with 105 goals, and ranks third for the all-time European men's top goal scorers in international football (86). He has scored over 700 senior career goals for club and country. Beginning his career in the third and second tiers of Polish football with Znicz Pruszków, Lewandowski moved to top-flight Lech Poznań, helping the team win the 2009–10 Ekstraklasa. In 2010, he transferred to Borussia Dortmund, where he won two consecutive Bundesliga titles and the league's top goalscorer award. In 2013, he also featured with Dortmund in the 2013 UEFA Champions League final. Ahead of the 2014–15 season, Lewandowski joined Dortmund's domestic rivals, Bayern Munich, on a free transfer. In Munich, he won the Bundesliga title in all of his eight seasons at the club and was integral in their Champions League win in 2019–20 as part of a treble. Lewandowski was widely expected to win the 2020 Ballon d'Or, but it was not awarded due to the impact of COVID-19. In 2022, he moved to Barcelona, where he has since won two La Liga titles, the Copa del Rey, and the Pichichi Trophy; his Pichichi Trophy win made him the joint-record holder for most top scorer awards in Europe's top five leagues with eight. A full international for Poland since 2008, Lewandowski has earned 160 caps, and was a member of their team at the UEFA European Championship in 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024, and the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022. Having captained the national team since 2014, he briefly retired in 2025, before returning and being reinstated as captain later the same year. With 86 international goals, Lewandowski is the all-time top scorer for Poland. Lewandowski has been named the Polish Footballer of the Year a record twelve times and the Polish Sports Personality of the Year three times. Lewandowski won the Best FIFA Men's Player Award in 2020 and 2021. Further awards include the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award in 2020, the IFFHS World's Best Player in 2020 and 2021, the European Golden Shoe for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons, and the Gerd Müller Trophy in 2021 and 2022. He was runner-up for the Ballon d'Or in 2021. He is one of the most successful players in Bundesliga and Bayern history, being named the VDV Bundesliga Player of the Season a record five times and winning the Bundesliga Top Scorer Award in a joint-record seven seasons, among other records.

2. Miroslav Klose (b. 1978)

With an HPI of 69.12, Miroslav Klose is the 2nd most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 91 different languages.

Miroslav Josef Klose (German: [ˈmiːʁoslaf ˈkloːzə] , Polish: Mirosław Józef Klose; born Mirosław Marian Klose; 9 June 1978) is a German professional football manager and former player who currently serves as head coach of 1. FC Nürnberg. A striker, Klose is the all-time top scorer for Germany and holds the record for the most goals scored in the FIFA World Cup with 16 goals scored over four editions of the tournament between 2002 and 2014. Klose is best known for his performances with the German national team. Starting his career at FC 08 Homburg, Klose played in the Bundesliga for Kaiserslautern before becoming one of the most prolific scorers in the league with Werder Bremen, where he was awarded the German Footballer of the Year in 2006 and also named to the kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season in 2004–05 and 2005–06. His performances saw him move to Bayern Munich in 2007. During his time at Bayern, Klose won the 2007–08 and 2009–10 league titles. In 2011, Klose moved to Serie A club Lazio, where he won the 2012–13 Coppa Italia and eventually finished his playing career in 2016 after five years at the club. He was part of the squad that won the 2014 World Cup, having previously finished second (2002) and third (2006, 2010) in the competition; he finished as runner-up with Germany at UEFA Euro 2008 and joint-third place at UEFA Euro 2012. He holds the record for the most goals scored in FIFA World Cup tournaments, having scored five goals in his debut World Cup in 2002 and having won the Golden Boot at the 2006 World Cup in Germany by again scoring five times. He also scored four times in the 2010 World Cup and twice at the 2014 World Cup, in the latter tournament overtaking Brazil's Ronaldo's then-record of 15 goals to top the all-time list. He retired from the national team in August 2014, shortly after Germany's victory at the 2014 World Cup.

3. Grzegorz Lato (b. 1950)

With an HPI of 68.48, Grzegorz Lato is the 3rd most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 46 different languages.

Grzegorz Bolesław Lato (Polish pronunciation: [ˈɡʐɛɡɔʐ ˈlatɔ]; born 8 April 1950) is a Polish former professional football player and manager who played as a winger. He was a member of Poland's golden generation of football players who rose to fame in the 1970s and early 80s. Over a decade, he represented Poland at five major tournaments starting with gold at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich and ending with a third-place finish at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. He reached the peak of his career at the 1974 World Cup, where he was the leading scorer and the only Pole to-date to have won the honour. In 1981, he won the Polish Footballer of the Year Award presented by the Piłka Nożna football weekly. After retiring from his playing career, he had a brief stint as manager in several clubs in and out of Poland. Lato, as a member of Democratic Left Alliance, was a Polish Senator for the Rzeszów region, between 2001 and 2005. On 30 October 2008, he was elected president of the Polish Football Association (PZPN). As president of the PZPN he oversaw the Euro 2012 tournament, which was co-hosted by Poland. He was succeeded by Zbigniew Boniek on 26 October 2012. He patrons the Mielec Municipal Stadium.

4. Udo Lattek (1935 - 2015)

With an HPI of 67.71, Udo Lattek is the 4th most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 36 different languages.

Udo Lattek (16 January 1935 – 31 January 2015) was a German professional football player and coach. Lattek is one of the most successful coaches in the history of the game, having won 15 major titles, most famously with Bayern Munich. He also won major trophies with Borussia Mönchengladbach and Barcelona. In addition to these clubs, his managerial career saw him coach Borussia Dortmund, Schalke 04 and 1. FC Köln before his retirement from the game. Alongside the Italian Giovanni Trapattoni and Portuguese José Mourinho, he is the only coach to have won all three major European club titles, and—along with Mourinho—the only one to do so with three clubs.

5. Zbigniew Boniek (b. 1956)

With an HPI of 67.47, Zbigniew Boniek is the 5th most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 50 different languages.

Zbigniew Kazimierz Boniek (Polish pronunciation: [ˈzbiɡɲɛv ˈbɔɲɛk]; born 3 March 1956) is a Polish former footballer and was most recently a UEFA vice-president. A former midfielder, who was also capable of playing mostly as a right winger and second striker, he is considered one of the greatest Polish players of all time, and was selected by Pelé as one of the 100 best living footballers in 2004. In an 80-cap international career, Boniek scored 24 goals and played at three consecutive World Cups, helping Poland to 3rd place in 1982 and making the Team of the Tournament. His greatest achievements in club football were at Juventus in Italy, winning the Serie A, Coppa Italia, European Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup, and European Super Cup between 1983 and 1985, being the first Polish footballer to win a confederation title and one of the first Central and Eastern European players to do so with a non-conational club. In 1978 and 1982, he won the Polish Footballer of the Year Award presented by the Piłka Nożna football weekly. In the early 1990s, Boniek managed several Italian clubs, and also the Poland national team in 2002. In 2019, he was inducted in the Italian Football Hall of Fame.

6. Kazimierz Deyna (1947 - 1989)

With an HPI of 65.41, Kazimierz Deyna is the 6th most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 40 different languages.

Kazimierz Deyna (Polish pronunciation: [kaˈʑimjɛʐ ˈdɛjna] ; 23 October 1947 – 1 September 1989) was a Polish professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder in the playmaker role and was one of the most highly regarded players of his generation, due to his excellent vision. Throughout his career he played for such clubs as Legia Warsaw, Manchester City and San Diego Sockers. At the international level, he earned 97 caps and scored 41 goals helping Poland claim 3rd place at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. At the 1972 Summer Olympics, he won gold with Poland and was the top goalscorer of the tournament. From 1973 to 1978, he served as captain of the national representation. In 1976, he won silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. In 1973 and 1974, he won the Polish Footballer of the Year Award. In 1974, he claimed third place in the Ballon d'Or. He was named "the greatest Polish footballer of the 20th century" by the Piłka Nożna football weekly.

7. Wojciech Szczęsny (b. 1990)

With an HPI of 64.92, Wojciech Szczęsny is the 7th most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 64 different languages.

Wojciech Tomasz Szczęsny (Polish pronunciation: [ˈvɔjt͡ɕɛx ˈtɔmaʂ ˈʂt͡ʂɛ̃snɨ] ; born 18 April 1990) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Barcelona. After starting his club career at Legia Warsaw, Szczęsny signed for Arsenal in January 2006, where he made his professional debut in 2009. After a spell on loan with Brentford the following season, he later became the capital club's first choice goalkeeper, winning two FA Cups and being the joint recipient of the 2013–14 Premier League Golden Glove alongside Petr Čech. He subsequently went on two consecutive season-long loans to Italian club Roma in 2015, where his performances earned him a move to reigning league champions Juventus in 2017. After serving mainly as a back-up to Gianluigi Buffon in his first season, during which he won a domestic double, he inherited the starting spot from the departed Buffon the following season, winning his second Serie A title; his performances also earned him a Yashin Trophy nomination in 2019. He won a third consecutive league title the following season, also winning the Serie A Best Goalkeeper Award. He briefly retired from professional football in 2024, before reversing his decision shortly after to join Barcelona, where he won a domestic treble in his debut season. At international level, Szczęsny earned 84 caps for Poland between his debut in 2009 and 2024, and was included in the nation's squad as it co-hosted UEFA Euro 2012; he would later participate in three more editions of the tournament (2016, 2020 and 2024), as well as two FIFA World Cups (2018 and 2022).

8. Lukas Podolski (b. 1985)

With an HPI of 64.84, Lukas Podolski is the 8th most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 79 different languages.

Lukas Josef Podolski (German: [ˈluːkas poˈdɔlskiː]; born Łukasz Józef Podolski, Polish: [ˈwukaʂ pɔˈdɔlskʲi], 4 June 1985) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker or left winger for Ekstraklasa club Górnik Zabrze. He is known for his powerful and accurate left foot, explosive shooting, technique and probing attacks from the left side. Podolski joined 1. FC Köln in 1995 where he made it into the first team in 2003 resulting in 81 appearances for the club before moving to Bayern Munich. With Bayern, Podolski won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in 2008. Podolski returned to 1. FC Köln in 2009. He later signed for Premier League club Arsenal in 2012, with whom he won the FA Cup in 2014. He then moved on loan to Serie A club Inter Milan in January 2015, before signing six months later for Galatasaray where he also won the Turkish Cup of 2016. Born in Poland, Podolski was eligible to play for both Poland and Germany (due to his Silesian paternal grandparents having been born in then-Imperial Germany), and he was open to playing for the Polish team but was rejected by the then Polish coach Paweł Janas in 2003, having already appeared for Germany at youth level. After making his first appearance for the senior team in 2004, Podolski enjoyed great success with the Germany national team. He was part of the squad in seven major tournaments, winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He is the fourth most-capped player in German history, with 130 caps, and the third-highest goalscorer in German history, having scored 49 times. On 29 May 2013, Podolski scored the fastest goal in Germany national team history at that time, after just nine seconds of the 4–2 friendly win over Ecuador. It was at that time the second fastest international goal in history, second only to San Marino's Davide Gualtieri's 8.3-second strike against England in 1993. Podolski retired from international football on 22 March 2017 after scoring the winner as captain in a friendly against England.

9. Ernst Wilimowski (1916 - 1997)

With an HPI of 64.55, Ernst Wilimowski is the 9th most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Ernest Otton Wilimowski (German: Ernst Otto Wilimowski, born Ernst Otto Prandella; 23 June 1916 – 30 August 1997), nicknamed "Ezi", was a Polish and German footballer who played as a forward. Willimowski had a career spanned nearly a quarter of a century in both countries, Poland and Germany, and was capped for their respective national teams. According to RSSSF, he scored at least 683 goals in 484 official games, making him the 17th greatest goalscorer of all time and over 1077 total goals including friendlies. He is the most prolific goalscorer in official matches in one season in recorded history according to RSSSF, with 107 goals scored in 45 matches. Wilimowski was the first player to score four goals in a single FIFA World Cup game. Wilimowski also occasionally played ice hockey for the team Pogoń Katowice.

10. Włodzimierz Lubański (b. 1947)

With an HPI of 62.68, Włodzimierz Lubański is the 10th most famous Polish Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 38 different languages.

Włodzimierz 'Włodek' Leonard Lubański (Polish pronunciation: [vwɔˈd͡ʑimiɛʐ luˈbaɲskʲi]; born 28 February 1947 in Gliwice-Sośnica) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is the second-highest all-time goal scorer for the Poland national team, behind Robert Lewandowski, and the youngest-ever player to appear for Poland, making his debut at the age of 16 years and 188 days. For his national team, Lubański amassed 75 caps between 1963 and 1980, scoring 48 goals.

People

Pantheon has 220 people classified as Polish soccer players born between 1896 and 2004. Of these 220, 199 (90.45%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Polish soccer players include Robert Lewandowski, Miroslav Klose, and Grzegorz Lato. The most famous deceased Polish soccer players include Udo Lattek, Kazimierz Deyna, and Ernst Wilimowski. As of April 2024, 12 new Polish soccer players have been added to Pantheon including Jakub Piotrowski, Radosław Majecki, and Kacper Urbański.