Kazimierz_Deyna

Kazimierz Deyna

Kazimierz Deyna

Polish footballer (1947-1989)

Kazimierz Deyna (Polish pronunciation: [kaˈʑimjɛʐ ˈdɛjna] ⓘ;[lower-alpha 1] 23 October 1947 – 1 September 1989)[1] 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.[2]

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Early life

Deyna was born in Starogard Gdański to Franciszek (1911–1976) – a dairy worker, and Jadwiga (1917–1981)[3] – a housewife. He had six sisters and two brothers – Henryk and Franciszek, who also were footballers; Henryk played for Włókniarz Starogard Gdański, while Franciszek was a Starogardzki KS player.[4]

Club career

Legia Warsaw

Deyna began playing youth football in 1958 at his local club Włókniarz Starogard Gdański. In 1966 he made one appearance for ŁKS Łódź (on 8 October in a 0–0 draw against Górnik Zabrze).[5] But he was quickly snapped up by Legia Warsaw. In communist Poland each team had its own "sponsor". The Warsaw club was much more powerful as it was the military club. Moreover, it was the favourite club of the authorities. Deyna was called up into the army and in this way he had to play for Legia Warsaw. He made a name for himself during his first season, becoming one of Legia's most important players. In 1969 and 1970 his team won the Polish Championship.[6] After his performances at the 1974 World Cup, European top teams like AS Saint-Étienne, AS Monaco, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich tried to acquire his services but he was unable to join, since the communist regime in Poland prevented him from moving to Western Europe. Real Madrid was so determined to acquire Deyna that they sent a shirt to Warsaw with his name and number "14".

Manchester City

Soon afterwards Deyna was transferred to English club Manchester City, making his debut in November 1978,[7] and being one of the first wave of overseas players to play in the English league.[8] His time in England was marred by a series of injuries, and he left in January 1981, shortly after Manchester City made a managerial change, having made only 43 appearances in all competitions. However, he was regarded as an exceptionally gifted playmaker and became a cult figure with City fans.[8] Deyna scored thirteen goals in his time with the club. Furthermore, his seven goals in the last eight games of the 1978–79 season were crucial for Manchester City in their relegation battle.

San Diego Sockers

The jersey that Deyna wore during his run on San Diego Sockers

Deyna appeared in the 1981 film Escape to Victory as Paul Wolcheck.[1] In the same year, he emigrated to the United States, where he signed with the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League in January 1981. During the next seven years, he played four NASL outdoor seasons, one NASL indoor season and five Major Indoor Soccer League seasons with the Sockers, winning five championships. The Sockers released him in June 1987.[9] He was a 1983 NASL Second Team All Star.[10]

International career

Deyna with Poland in 1974

On 24 April 1968, Deyna made his debut for the Poland national team in a match against Turkey in Chorzów. He won the gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich,[11] and the bronze in Football World Cup 1974, after a match against Brazil.[12] In 1972, he was also the Top Goalscorer of the Olympic Games, with a total of nine goals.[13]

In 1976 Summer Olympics his team yet again reached the finals and won the silver medal.[11] Additionally, he was ranked third in the European Footballer of the Year for 1974, behind Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer.

Deyna played for Poland on 97 (84 after the deduction of Olympic Football Tournament competition games[14]) occasions, scoring 41 goals, and often captained the side. He had the ability to score from unusual positions, for example directly from a corner. Because of his achievements and talents, he was chosen Football Player of the Year several times by Polish fans. In 1978, he captained Poland at the Football World Cup in Argentina, where the team reached the second phase.

Death

Kazimierz Deyna tomb in Powązki Military Cemetery

Deyna died in a car accident in San Diego, California, aged 41. In 1994, he was chosen by the Polish Football Association (PZPN) and the readers of all Polish sports-related newspapers as the Greatest Polish Football Player of All Time. His number 10 is retired by Legia Warsaw and the Sockers. In June 2012 Kazimierz Deyna's remains were exhumed and reburied in Warsaw's Powązki Military Cemetery.

Career statistics

Club

More information Club, Season ...

International

More information National team, Year ...
Scores and results list Poland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Deyna goal.
More information No., Date ...

Honours

Exhibition dedicated to Kazimierz Deyna at Legia Warsaw Museum
Deyna's statue on Łazienkowska Street in Warsaw

Legia Warsaw[18]

Poland[18]

Individual

National

Notes

  1. In isolation, Kazimierz is pronounced [kaˈʑimjɛʂ].

References

  1. [1]
    "Kazimierz Deyna". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  2. [2]
    "Polonia 1972 – 1974: generazione di fenomeni" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  3. [3]
    "Kazimierz Deyna" (in Polish). 20 June 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  4. [4]
    "Kazimierz Deyna – Legenda, która trwa" (in Polish). kazimierdzeyna.pl. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  5. [5]
    "Kariera" (in Polish). deyna.info. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
  6. [6]
    "Legia Warszawa". polishsoccer.net. Archived from the original on 24 January 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  7. [7]
    "Kazimierz Deyna". sporting-heroes.net. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  8. [8]
    Ric Turner (25 February 2009). "The 50 greatest Manchester City players". The Times. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  9. [9]
    Sockers set free Deyna, 4 others The San Diego Union (CA) – Friday, 12 June 1987
  10. [10]
    NASL All Star Teams Archived 11 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  11. [11]
    "Kazimierz Deyna". DatabaseOlympics. Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  12. [12]
    "1974 FIFA World Cup Germany". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  13. [13]
    "Munich, 1972". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  14. [14]
    "France '98 and USA '99 influence the Century Clubs". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  15. [15]
    "Kazimierz DEYNA".
  16. [16]
    "Historia Legii Warszawa - Legia.Net".
  17. [17]
    "Kazimierz Deyna - Goals in International Matches".
  18. [18]
    "Warsaw remembers Poland legend Deyna". UEFA.com. 6 June 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  19. [19]
    "FUWO 1973" (PDF). FCC-Wiki. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  20. [20]
    "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1974". RSSSF. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  21. [21]
    "Eric Batty's World XI – The Seventies". Beyond The Last Man. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  22. [22]
    "Nowiny Rzeszowskie : organ KW Polskiej Zjednoczonej Partii Robotniczej. 1972, nr 242-268, 270-271". pbc.rzeszow.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  23. [23]
    "Pogrzeb Kazimierza Deyny na polskiej ziemi". sport.interia.pl (in Polish). 6 June 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
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