Krzysztof Piątek

Krzysztof Piątek (Polish pronunciation: [ˈkʂɨʂtɔf ˈpjɔntɛk]; born 1 July 1995) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Süper Lig club İstanbul Başakşehir and the Poland national team.

Krzysztof Piątek
Piątek with Hertha BSC in 2022
Personal information
Full name Krzysztof Piątek[1]
Date of birth (1995-07-01) 1 July 1995[1]
Place of birth Dzierżoniów, Poland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 İstanbul Başakşehir
Number 9
Youth career
0000–2006 Niemczanka Niemcza
2006–2011 Dziewiątka Dzierżoniów
2011–2012 Lechia Dzierżoniów
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Lechia Dzierżoniów 6 (0)
2013–2016 Zagłębie Lubin 72 (15)
2016–2018 Cracovia 63 (32)
2018–2019 Genoa 19 (13)
2019–2020 AC Milan 36 (13)
2020–2023 Hertha BSC 56 (12)
2022 → Fiorentina (loan) 14 (3)
2022–2023 → Salernitana (loan) 33 (4)
2023– İstanbul Başakşehir 8 (0)
International career‡
2015–2016 Poland U20 3 (1)
2015–2017 Poland U21 14 (2)
2018– Poland 27 (11)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 November 2022

Piątek began his professional career with Ekstraklasa club Zagłębie Lubin. Over the course of four seasons, he scored 15 goals in 72 appearances for the team, before joining Cracovia in 2016, for whom he scored 32 goals across two seasons. In 2018, Piątek signed for Genoa in Italy's Serie A. After 19 goals in 21 competitive games in his first half-season, he transferred to AC Milan in January 2019, before signing for Hertha BSC a year later.

Club career

Early career

Piątek began his career with local side Niemczanka Niemcza and Dziewiątka Dzierżoniów (2006–2011).[2] He then moved to Lechia Dzierżoniów of III liga in 2011.[3]

Zagłębie Lubin

Piątek signed for Zagłębie Lubin in 2013 and initially played in junior and reserve teams of the club. After the arrival of Piotr Stokowiec as the new coach, however, he was quickly promoted to the first team on 14 May 2014[3] and then made his Ekstraklasa debut on 18 May 2014 in a match against Cracovia.[4] Over the course of the next season, he became a regular starter for Zagłębie, who played in I liga, the second tier of Polish football. He scored his first senior career goal on 12 September 2014 in a 1–0 win to Chrobry Głogów and his first brace on 31 October 2014 at Widzew Łódź. After earning promotion with the club, Piątek scored his first league goal on 14 August 2015 in a 2–1 win against Lech Poznań and helped the team finish third in the 2015–16 Ekstraklasa season, earning a medal and qualifying for European competitions for the first time in club's history since the championship winning team of 2006–07.

He played a total number of 85 matches for Zagłębie and scored 18 times, including appearances in the Polish Cup and UEFA Europa League qualifying stages.

Cracovia

In 2016, Piątek joined fellow Polish side Cracovia and over the course of the next two seasons, he scored 32 league goals in 65 appearances for the club.[5] That tally included a haul of 21 goals during his second season which saw him end the 2017–18 Ekstraklasa campaign as the third top goalscorer in Poland.[6][7]

Genoa

On 8 June 2018, Piątek signed a four-year contract with Italian club Genoa for a reported fee of €4 million.[8] He scored four goals, including a hat-trick in the opening 19 minutes, on debut in a 4–0 Coppa Italia win over Lecce.[9] He made his Serie A debut on 26 August, scoring in the opening six minutes of the match in a 2–1 win over Empoli.[10] The following week, he scored his first brace of the season in a 5–3 loss to Sassuolo, which was followed by another strike in a 4–1 loss to Lazio, thus becoming the first player since Andriy Shevchenko in 1999 to score five goals in his first four Serie A appearances.[11]

During his following match, a 2–0 victory over Chievo, he scored his 10th goal across all competitions and in the process became the first player across Europe's major leagues to reach the milestone for the season.[12] On 30 September, Piątek scored a brace inside three minutes in a 2–1 win over Frosinone to make it 8 goals in six matches, the best start to a season by a debutant since Karl Aage Hansen in the 1949–50 campaign.[13] In his very next match, he became the first player since Gabriel Batistuta in the 1994–95 season to score in each of his first seven Serie A appearances when he netted in a 3–1 defeat to Parma.[14]

AC Milan
Piątek (with number 9) at AC Milan in 2020

On 23 January 2019, AC Milan announced the signing of Piątek on a contract lasting until 30 June 2023,[15] for a reported fee of €35 million.[16] He was signed as a replacement for Gonzalo Higuaín, who joined Chelsea,[17] and he was assigned the number 19 shirt, previously worn by Leonardo Bonucci.[18]

Piątek made his debut for Milan on 26 January, in a goalless home draw against Napoli, as a 71st-minute substitute for Patrick Cutrone.[19] Three days later against the same opponents also at San Siro, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, and was given a standing ovation when he made way for Cutrone.[20] On 3 February, Piątek scored his first league goal away to Roma, which ended 1–1.[21] He then scored three goals in the next two consecutive matches: one against Cagliari Calcio and two against Atalanta, becoming the first Milan player to score in his first three starts in the league since Mario Balotelli in 2013.[22]

Ahead of the 2019–20 Serie A season, Piątek switched to the number 9 shirt.[23] He scored four league goals in the first half of the season before leaving the club.[24]

Hertha BSC

In January 2020, Hertha BSC announced the signing of Piątek for a reported fee of €27 million, on a long-term contract. He was given the number 7 jersey.[25][24]

Loan spells in Italy

On 8 January 2022, he returned to Italy and joined Fiorentina on loan.[26] On 1 September 2022, Piątek joined Salernitana on loan with an option to buy.[27]

İstanbul Başakşehir

On 18 July 2023, Piątek signed for Turkish club İstanbul Başakşehir on a three-year contract.[28]

International career

Uncapped, Piątek was included in Poland's preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup,[29] but was one of 12 players cut from the final team for the tournament in Russia.[30]

He made his international debut on 11 September 2018, starting in a 1–1 friendly draw with the Republic of Ireland in Wrocław and making way for Mateusz Klich after 61 minutes.[31] Exactly one month later, he made his competitive debut in a UEFA Nations League match against Portugal and scored the opening goal in a 3–2 defeat.[32]

Regarded as an important player for the national team and ready to play alongside Robert Lewandowski and Arkadiusz Milik in an attacking trio, Piątek was forced to miss the postponed Euro 2020 due to ankle injury in May 2021 that required surgery and months of rehabilitation.[33]

Style of play

Piątek has been described as a "classic" "number 9" striker most efficient inside the opponent's penalty area, courtesy of his excellent positioning, accurate finishing, height, physical strength, and tenacity in aerial or physical challenges with opponents.[34] His team play outside the penalty area and playmaking abilities have been cited as areas in need of improvement, however.[35][36]

During his time in Genoa, Piątek played in a 3–5–2 formation as a main striker, usually on the left, most often supported by Christian Kouamé, a pacey forward with excellent dribbling and passing skills. In Milan, he became a lone striker in a 4–3–3 formation, supported by wingers on either side of the pitch.

Piątek has named Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski as his two favourite strikers who he wishes to emulate.[37] He has also cited Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry as his childhood inspirations.

Personal life

He is married to Paulina Procyk. The wedding took place on 1 June 2019 in Castle of the Order of St. John in Łagów (Lubusz Voivodeship).[38]

He is called by fans as "Il Pistolero" (the Gunslinger) due to his habit of Wild West celebration of gun-firing, associated with the 19th century United States.[39][40]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 14 August 2023[41][42]
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lechia Dzierżoniów 2012–13 III liga 60——60
Zagłębie Lubin 2013–14 Ekstraklasa 4000—40
2014–15 I liga 30831—339
2015–16 Ekstraklasa 33632—368
2016–17 Ekstraklasa 51106[lower-alpha 2]0121
Total 721573608518
Cracovia 2016–17 Ekstraklasa 2711——2711
2017–18 Ekstraklasa 362120—3821
Total 633220—6532
Genoa 2018–19 Serie A 191326—2119
AC Milan 2018–19 Serie A 18932—2111
2019–20 Serie A 18421—205
Total 361353—4116
Hertha BSC 2019–20 Bundesliga 15411—165
2020–21 Bundesliga 32700—327
2021–22 Bundesliga 9110—101
Total 561221—5813
Fiorentina (loan) 2021–22 Serie A 14343—186
Salernitana (loan) 2022–23 Serie A 334——334
İstanbul Başakşehir 2023–24 Süper Lig 1000—10
Career total 30092221660328108
  1. Includes Polish Cup, Coppa Italia, DFB-Pokal, Turkish Cup
  2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International
As of match played 30 November 2022[43]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Poland 201821
201984
202052
202162
202262
Total2711
As of match played 16 November 2022. Poland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Piątek goal.[43]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1
 11 October 2018Stadion Śląski, Chorzów, Poland2 Portugal1–02–32018–19 UEFA Nations League A
2
 21 March 2019Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria3 Austria1–01–0UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
3
 7 June 2019Philip II Arena, Skopje, North Macedonia5 North Macedonia1–01–0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
4
 10 June 2019Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland6 Israel1–04–0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
5
 16 November 2019Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem, Israel10  Israel2–02–1 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
6
 7 October 2020Stadion Energa, Gdańsk, Poland12 Finland4–05–1Friendly
7
 11 November 2020Stadion Śląski, Chorzów, Poland14 Ukraine1–02–0 Friendly
8
 25 March 2021Puskás Aréna, Budapest, Hungary16 Hungary1–23–32022 FIFA World Cup qualification
9
 9 October 2021Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland19 San Marino5–05–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
10
 24 March 2022Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland22 Scotland1–11–1Friendly
11
 16 November 2022Stadion Wojska Polskiego, Warsaw, Poland25 Chile1–01–0Friendly

Honours

Zagłębie Lublin

Individual

[44]

References
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  2. Wiśniowski, Tomasz (23 January 2019). ""Krzysztof Piątek był największym łobuzem w drużynie". Odkryto go w Niemczy, rusza podbić Mediolan". Eurosport TVN24 (in Polish). Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  3. "Krzysztof Piątek trenuje z pierwszą drużyną Zagłębia Lubin". 90minut. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  4. "Zagłębie Lubin 1–2 Cracovia". 90minut. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  5. Sear, Jack (8 October 2018). "Scouting Report: Who is Europe's top scorer Krzysztof Piątek and why is he linked to Barcelona?". Squawka. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  6. Burton, Chris (21 September 2018). "'New Lewandowski' Piatek shrugs off Barcelona transfer talk". Goal. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
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  30. "World Cup 2018: Kamil Glik picked in Poland squad, then gets injured". BBC Sport. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
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  39. "The Next Great Goal Celebration Craze Is Upon Us". the18.com. The 18. 3 February 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
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