Damian Szymański

Damian Dawid Szymański (born 16 June 1995) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Greek Super League club AEK Athens and the Poland national team.

Damian Szymański
Szymański with Akhmat Grozny in 2019
Personal information
Full name Damian Dawid Szymański[1]
Date of birth (1995-06-16) 16 June 1995[1]
Place of birth Kraśnik, Poland
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 AEK Athens
Number 4
Youth career
MUKS Kraśnik
0000–2011 Stal Kraśnik
2011–2012 GKS Bełchatów
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2016 GKS Bełchatów 48 (2)
2016–2017 Jagiellonia Białystok 16 (1)
2017–2019 Wisła Płock 49 (6)
2019–2020 Akhmat Grozny 13 (0)
2020 → AEK Athens (loan) 16 (1)
2020– AEK Athens 104 (8)
International career‡
2014 Poland U20 2 (0)
2018– Poland 17 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 07:20, 8 April 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 November 2023

Club career

Early club career

Szymański started his career with GKS Bełchatów.[2]

Akhmat Grozny

On 12 January 2019, Wisła Płock announced his transfer to the Russian Premier League club FC Akhmat Grozny.[3] Three days later Akhmat confirmed that the club signed a 4.5-year contract with Szymański.[4]

AEK Athens

On 13 January 2020, Szymański travelled to Athens to pass his medicals and complete a move to AEK Athens.[5] The Polish midfielder will join the Greek club on an initial six-month loan, and AEK will maintain the right to buy him for a fee of €1,500,000.[6] One day later, the deal was made official and Szymański was presented by his new club.[7]

On 30 June 2020, Szymański signed a four-year contract with AEK after his transfer from Akhmat Grozny was made permanent.[8] The Greek club paid €1,300,000 for his services, while Akhmat will keep a resale rate of 15%.[9] Five days later, Szymanski scored his first goal for the club, sealing an emphatic 4–1 away win against Aris Thessaloniki.[10]

On 20 January 2021, he scored helping to a 2–0 home win against Apollon Smyrnis for the first leg of the Greek Cup round of 16.[11] On 15 February 2021, he sealed a dramatic 4–2 away win against AEL, after a low cross from Levi García.[12] The following week, Szymański scored a brace in a 2–2 home draw against Asteras Tripolis.[13] On 5 December 2021, he was the only scorer in a vital 1–0 home win against rivals Panathinaikos.[14]

At the start of the 2022–23 season, the appointment of Matías Almeyda as the club's new coach helped Damian to revive his career, eventually receiving a call-up for the 2022 World Cup. He also became the team's second captain, behind Sergio Araujo. The Argentine coach managed to harness his athleticism and passion, making him a significant member of the team, thus attracting interest from various clubs including Standard Liège.[15]

On 20 April 2023, Szymański signed a new contract with AEK Athens, running until the summer of 2027.[16]

International career
Szymański with Poland in 2019

Szymański debuted for the Polish senior squad on 7 September 2018 in a 2018–19 UEFA Nations League A game against Italy.[17] He started for the return game against the same country on 14 October.

On 8 September 2021, Szymański scored his first goal, an equaliser in the injury time of the second half during 1-1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification draw against England.[18]

Career statistics

Club
As of 28 February 2024[19]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GKS Bełchatów 2013–14 I liga 19210——200
2014–15 Ekstraklasa 19020——210
2015–16 I liga 10000——210
Total 48230——512
Jagiellonia Białystok 2016–17 Ekstraklasa 15110——161
2017–18 Ekstraklasa 10—2[lower-alpha 1]0—30
Total 1611020—191
Wisła Płock 2017–18 Ekstraklasa 29400——294
2018–19 Ekstraklasa 20232——234
Total 49632——528
Akhmat Grozny 2018–19 Russian Premier League 90———90
2019–20 Russian Premier League 4000——40
Total 13000——130
AEK Athens (loan) 2019–20 Superleague Greece 16150——211
AEK Athens 2020–21 Superleague Greece 21361——274
2021–22 Superleague Greece 3223020—372
2022–23 Superleague Greece 30240——342
2023–24 Superleague Greece 1611010[lower-alpha 2]0—271
Total 1159191120—14610
Career total 241182631400028121
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League

International
As of 21 November 2023[20]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Poland
201840
202131
202230
202371
Total172

International goals

Scores and results list Poland's goal tally first.

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.8 September 2021Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland England1–11–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.24 March 2023Fortuna Arena, Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic1–01–0UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying

Honours
GKS Bełchatów
AEK Athens

References
  1. "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Poland (POL)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 21. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. Talent poparty ciężką pracą? Przede wszystkim ciężka praca weszlo.com
  3. "Kolejny wielki transfer! Szymański w Achmacie Grozny" [Another big transfer! Szymański in Akhmat Grozny]. Wisła Płock (in Russian). 12 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  4. "Магомед Даудов: "Дамиан Шиманьски – первый новичок нашего клуба в 2019 году"" [Magomed Daudov: Damian Szymański is our first new player in 2019]. FC Akhmat Grozny (in Russian). 15 January 2019.
  5. "ΑΕΚ: Έφερε Σιμάνσκι!". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 13 January 2020.
  6. "ΑΕΚ: Σιμάνσκι με 1,5 εκατ. ευρώ". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 13 January 2020.
  7. "ΑΕΚ: Ανακοίνωσε τον Σιμάνσκι". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 13 January 2020.
  8. "AEK FC signed Damian Szymanski on a four-year deal!". AEK Athens. 30 June 2020.
  9. "ΑΕΚ: Ανακοίνωσε τον Σιμάνσκι μέχρι το 2024". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 30 June 2020.
  10. "Άρης - ΑΕΚ 1-4: Φουλ για σεντόνι η Ένωση". Sport24 Greece. 5 July 2020.
  11. "ΑΕΚ - Απόλλων 2-0: "Πέταξε" προς τα προημιτελικά". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 20 January 2021.
  12. "ΑΕΛ - ΑΕΚ 2-4: Ο από μηχανής Αθανασιάδης της έδωσε το τρίποντο σε ματς-θρίλερ". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 15 February 2021.
  13. "ΑΕΚ - Αστέρας 2-2: Ο Σιμάνσκι την έσωσε, η ατυχία την σταμάτησε". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 20 February 2021.
  14. "ΑΕΚ - Παναθηναϊκός 1-0". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 5 December 2021.
  15. "ΑΕΚ: Η πολιορκία για τους παίκτες της Ένωσης μόλις άρχισε". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 27 January 2023.
  16. "ΑΕΚ: Ανανέωσε έως το 2027 ο Σιμάνσκι". Sport24 Greece (in Greek). 20 April 2023.
  17. Małachowski, Adam (7 September 2018). "Damian Szymański z debiutem w reprezentacji, cały mecz Arka Recy. Polska pod wodzą Jerzego Brzęczka remisuje z Włochami" [Damian Szymański with his debut in the national team, the whole match of Ark Recy. Poland under Jerzy Brzęczek draws with Italy]. Gazeta Wyborcza (in Polish).
  18. "Poland 1-1 England: Painful final minutes for England but they edge closer to Qatar 2022". BBC Sport. 9 September 2021.
  19. "Damian Szymański". SofaScore. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  20. "Szymański, Damian". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  21. "I liga 2013/2014". 90minut.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
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