Marcin Wasilewski
Wasilewski with Anderlecht in 2011
Personal information
Full name Marcin Ryszard Wasilewski[1]
Date of birth (1980-06-09) 9 June 1980
Place of birth Kraków, Poland
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2000 Hutnik Kraków 54 (0)
2000–2002 Śląsk Wrocław 51 (5)
2002–2005 Wisła Płock 60 (3)
2005–2006 Amica Wronki 24 (4)
2006–2007 Lech Poznań 14 (5)
2007–2013 Anderlecht 143 (20)
2013–2017 Leicester City 61 (1)
2017–2020 Wisła Kraków 57 (1)
Total 464 (39)
International career
2002–2013 Poland 60 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Marcin Ryszard Wasilewski (Polish pronunciation: [ˈmart͡ɕin vaɕiˈlɛfskʲi]; born 9 June 1980) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a centre back. He is best known for winning the Premier League with Leicester City and getting injured after a challenge by Axel Witsel during a match in 2009.

Career

Early career

Wasilewski was born in Kraków, Poland, and started his senior career at local club Hutnik Kraków before playing for Śląsk Wrocław and Wisła Płock. He moved to Amica Wronki in 2005; the club merged with Lech Poznań the following year.

Anderlecht

He was acquired by Belgian side Anderlecht in January 2007. During the 2008–09 season he was the club's third-most prolific goalscorer, tying with Guillaume Gillet at eight goals.

Leg injury

On 30 August 2009, Wasilewski suffered an open leg fracture in the 26th minute of the 1–1 Jupiler League draw between Anderlecht and Standard Liège when Liège's Axel Witsel made a challenge. Witsel was red-carded for the offence. Wasilewski underwent corrective surgery for open fractures to both the tibia and fibula. Witsel was suspended for eight games by the Belgian FA over the incident, after an appeal.[3]

Return

After a long rehabilitation, Wasilewski made his return on 8 May 2010.[4] He celebrated his return to Anderlecht's first eleven with the opening goal of his side's 2–1 win at S.V. Zulte Waregem.

His drive to return was rewarded with a new contract until the summer of 2013, with the club describing him as "a club monument, who had to deliver an inhuman battle".[5]

Wasilewski and Witsel, then of Zenit St. Petersburg, met again on the field on 24 October 2012 in a UEFA Champions League group match. Wasilewski announced in advance that he would refuse to shake hands with Witsel before the game, with Anderlecht management accepting his decision.[6] However, he ultimately changed his mind and accepted Witsel's hand, saying that he did not want to "turn the atmosphere of the match into a personal duel".[7]

Leicester City

Wasilewski playing for Leicester City in a league match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 15 May 2016

On 14 September 2013, Wasilewski was reported to be undergoing a trial with Leicester City in the English Championship, in the hope of landing a contract.[8] On 17 September he was confirmed as having signed for the Foxes on a one-year contract.[9] He made his debut in a League Cup third-round match against Derby County on 24 September, playing the entire match as Leicester won 2–1.[10] On 30 November 2013, a coachload of Anderlecht fans travelled to Leicester's King Power Stadium to support Wasilewski at his new club.[11] There were emotional scenes after he played a key role in City's 3–0 win over Millwall.[11] Wasilewski established himself as a first-team regular as Leicester finished the season as Championship champions and secured their return to the Premier League. On 22 May 2014, he extended his contract by a further year.

Wasilewski made his Premier League debut on 1 November 2014, in the 0–1 defeat against West Bromwich Albion, during which he appeared to elbow opposing striker Saido Berahino; however, the FA cleared the defender.[12] On 31 January 2015, Wasilewski scored his first goal in English football, heading in a late consolation goal in Leicester's 3–1 defeat by Manchester United[13] which was also the second goal ever scored in the Premier League by a Polish footballer; Robert Warzycha had scored in the competition's opening weekend, 22+1⁄2 years earlier.[14] On 4 June, Wasilewski announced via his Instagram account that he had signed a new one-year contract with Leicester City.[15]

He made his first league appearance of the 2015–16 Premier League season on 19 December 2015 when he started in a 3–2 win over Everton.[16] Wasilewski played only two league games before Leicester's Premier League trophy presentation on 7 May 2016, making him ineligible for a winner's medal (a minimum of five league games is required).[17] Nonetheless, owing to teammate Robert Huth's suspension, Wasilewski played the final two matches of the Premier League season, taking his appearances up to four. On 14 June 2016, Wasilewski signed a one-year extension to his contract.[18]

Wasilewski's first senior appearance in 2016–17 ended in his dismissal in the 89th minute for elbowing Diego Costa in a 2–4 EFL Cup third-round defeat to Chelsea on 20 September 2016.[19]

International

Wasilewski made his debut in a friendly match against Denmark in Copenhagen on 20 November 2002.[20] Wasilewski was also part of the Poland squads for Euro 2008 and Euro 2012.

Career statistics

Wasilewski and his family celebrating Leicester's Premier League victory at the King Power Stadium on 7 May 2016

Club

As of 2 February 2019[21][22]
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hutnik Kraków 1998–99 I liga 140———140
1999–2000 400———400
Total 540———540
Śląsk Wrocław 2000–01 Ekstraklasa 251———251
2001–02 264———264
Total 515———515
Wisła Płock 2002–03 Ekstraklasa 251———251
2003–04 201—20—221
2004–05 151———151
Total 603—20—623
Amica Wronki 2005–06 Ekstraklasa 244———244
Lech Poznań 2006–07 145—1[lower-alpha 1]0—155
Anderlecht 2006–07 Belgian Pro League 1420000—142
2007–08 26300111—373
2008–09 3080010—318
2009–10 610040—101
2010–11 1730020—193
2011–12 3032081—404
2012–13 22040601[lower-alpha 2]0330
Total 14520603221018421
Leicester City 2013–14 Championship 31010—3[lower-alpha 3]0350
2014–15 Premier League 25120—1[lower-alpha 3]0281
2015–16 4021—3[lower-alpha 3]091
2016–17 1020101[lower-alpha 3]050
Total 611711080772
Wisła Kraków 2017–18 Ekstraklasa 17100——171
2018–19 19000——190
Total 36100——361
Career total 445391313629050341
  1. ↑ Appearance in UEFA Intertoto Cup
  2. ↑ Appearance in Belgian Super Cup
  3. 1 2 3 4 Appearances in League Cup

International

As of 10 July 2016[22]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Poland
200210
200340
200410
200510
200651
2007110
2008110
200941
201000
201160
2012131
201330
Total603

International goals

Scores and results list Poland's goal tally first.[23]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.6 December 2006Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates2–05–2Friendly
2.12 August 2009Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium, Bydgoszcz Greece1–0[24]2–0Friendly
3.2 June 2012Pepsi Arena, Warsaw Andorra4–04–0Friendly

Honours

Anderlecht

Leicester City

References

  1. ↑ Andrzej Gowarzewski: Biało-Czerwoni. Dzieje reprezentacji Polski (6) 2008–2015. Katowice: Wydawnictwo GiA, 2016, p. 251. ISBN 978-83-88232-48-0.
  2. ↑ "Player profile: Marcin Wasilewski: Overview". Premier League. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "Witsel handed lengthy ban". Sky Sports.
  4. ↑ Koźmiński, Piort (10 March 2010). "Wasilewski grateful for Anderlecht return". UEFA. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  5. ↑ Scholten, Berend (1 February 2011). "Anderlecht reward Wasilewski for winning battle". UEFA. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  6. ↑ "No handshake between Wasyl and Witsel". anderlecht-online.be. 24 October 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Champions League: The latest on Anderlecht". Zenit. 24 October 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Hubbard, Ryan (14 September 2013). "Wasilewski on trial at Leicester City". EKSTRAKLASAreview.co.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Foxes complete Wasilewski signing". LCFC.com. Leicester City F.C. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  10. ↑ Leicester 2 – 1 Derby, BBC Sport, 24 September 2013, retrieved 2 January 2014
  11. 1 2 Leicester City 3 Millwall 0 – match report: Emphatic win sees City top Championship, Leicester Mercury, 30 November 2013, archived from the original on 2 January 2014, retrieved 2 January 2014
  12. ↑ "Premier League: Leicester defender Marcin Wasilewski avoids FA action". Sky Sports. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  13. ↑ "Manchester United 3–1 Leicester City". BBC Sport. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  14. ↑ "Global Game: The 91 Different Premier League Goal Scorer Nationalities". 3 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Marcin Wasilewski signs new one-year contract at Leicester City". Leicester Mercury. Archived from the original on 7 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Everton 2–3 Leicester". BBC Sport. 19 December 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  17. ↑ "Which Leicester players get a Premier League winners' medal?". Sky Sports. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  18. ↑ "Wasilewski signs new one-year contract". Leicester City FC. 14 June 2016.
  19. ↑ Gary Rose (20 September 2016). "Leicester City 2–4 Chelsea (AET)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  20. ↑ FIFA World Cup – Wasilewski – UEFA.com, UEFA, retrieved 2 January 2014
  21. ↑ "M. WASILEWSKI". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  22. 1 2 "Wasilewski, Marcin". National-Football-Teams. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  23. ↑ Andrzej Gowarzewski: Biało-Czerwoni. Dzieje reprezentacji Polski (6) 2008–2015. Katowice: Wydawnictwo GiA, 2016, p. 41. ISBN 978-83-88232-48-0.
  24. ↑ Andrzej Gowarzewski: Biało-Czerwoni. Dzieje reprezentacji Polski (6) 2008-2015. Katowice: Wydawnictwo GiA, 2016, p. 41. ISBN 978-83-88232-48-0.
  25. ↑ Anderson, John, ed. (2014). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2014–2015. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 200–201. ISBN 978-1-4722-1251-1.
  26. ↑ He did not receive a medal because he did not play 5 matches
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