Image via @LaczyNasPilka on Twitter
It was a strange sensation reading the Instagram post with which Wojciech Szczęsny formally communicated his decision to retire, given we already knew of his intention to retire from international football sooner rather than later. To retire from the game completely however, did come slightly from left-field, much as it had been rumoured in the immediate days preceding yesterday’s announcement.
As someone who had the privilege of seeing Szczęsny play both earlier in his career at Arsenal and lastly just prior to Euro 2024, I felt that I should throw in a few of my opinions when it came to his career, not that I’ll be saying anything drastically different to many of the other fans and pundits sharing their memories of his career.
Certainly I found myself thinking that 34 is much too young for Szczęsny to be ending his career, despite the pain he had to deal with for years after his serious weightlifting injury as a teenager, but if the rumours of the clubs asking for his services are to be believed he really would be going out on top.
Reflecting on his career in England, Szczęsny was someone who I always felt never got the respect he deserved, although this changed later on after he no longer played for Arsenal and he was successful in Italy as well, which I think is perhaps the chapter of his career that will be remembered most fondly.
As for his career with Poland, it was often a stick to beat Szczęsny with that as far as tournament football went, he was sent off in Euro 2012, Łukasz Fabiański was the hero of Euro 2016, and Szczęsny had the ignominy of opening game failings in both the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020. However, that Spain game at Euro 2020, not to mention the 2022 World Cup and the opening game of this last Euro mean that Szczęsny should hold his head higher when it comes to being remembered on the international tournament stage.
This is before you get into the fact that when Szczęsny played for Poland, particularly from 2014 onwards, he was almost guaranteed to make at least one important save in every match. There has been some debate about whether Szczęsny will go down as the best goalkeeper in the history of Polish football, and whilst I wouldn’t be so absolute in declaring that, he certainly belongs in the conversation and would be in the top tier of Polish goalkeepers.
I for one agree with the idea that Szczęsny calling time on his playing days on his own terms, because of how he feels, is courageous and a decision worth lauding. That said, I can also see an eventuality where such a project or proposal is put forward to Szczęsny that reignites something in him or is so attractive to the point where given his age he may consider coming out of retirement.
To end on that note would be churlish of me, given that Szczęsny seems absolute and very genuine in his commitment to spending more time with his family and stepping away from the game for good.
Also given that the aforementioned criticism of Szczęsny, at least in Poland, was that he was a liability in tournament football, it has been heartening that everyone sharing their favourite memories of Szczęsny’s career yesterday seemed to be one of his penalty saves in the 2022 World Cup. A certain poetic justice delivered, deserving of a professional who frequently spoke his mind. I for one will miss Szczęsny, and I hope to see him continue to be forthright in his opinions just as he was when playing.
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