Zygfryd Szołtysik

Zygfryd Szołtysik, affectionately known as 'Zyga' or 'Mały' due to his petite stature, is a celebrated Polish former professional footballer who made a significant impact as a midfielder. His football journey began at Zryw Chorzów, a club renowned for nurturing young talent, where he quickly caught the attention of Górnik Zabrze, leading to his contract with the club in 1962.

During his remarkable sixteen-year tenure at Górnik Zabrze, interrupted only by a season at Valenciennes FC, Szołtysik became a club legend. He played in three hundred ninety-five matches in the Polish league, making him the club's all-time leader in that category, and his total appearances for Górnik exceeded five hundred. His contributions helped the team secure seven Polish Ekstraklasa titles and six Polish Cup victories, along with a historic appearance in the only European final achieved by a Polish club in 1970.

Szołtysik's international career began in 1963 when he debuted for the Polish national team in a resounding nine-nil victory against Norway, a record that stood for decades. He was part of the Polish squad that qualified for the 1972 Olympic Games, where he played a pivotal role in a crucial match against the Soviet Union, scoring the decisive goal that led Poland to a two-one victory. This triumph ultimately contributed to Poland winning the gold medal after defeating Hungary in the final.

In recognition of his talent, Szołtysik was awarded the prestigious 'Złote Buty' (Gold Shoes) by the newspaper 'Sport' in 1969. After leaving Poland for Canada in nineteen seventy-eight, he returned to play for Górnik Knurów for six years before concluding his football career in Germany in nineteen ninety.