Michał Żuk

Michał Żuk (born 2 January 2009) is a Polish-Spanish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Barcelona.[1]

Michał Żuk
Personal information
Date of birth (2009-01-02) 2 January 2009
Place of birth Catalonia, Spain
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Barcelona
Youth career
Aqua Hotel
2016–2022 Barcelona
2022–2023 Pogoń Szczecin
2023– Barcelona
International career‡
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Spain U15 3 (0)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:00, 9 October 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

Born in Catalonia, Spain,[2] to Polish parents from the Zamość region, Żuk grew up in Girona, starting his career with Aqua Hotel, where he scored 27 goals in 16 games as a midfielder.[3][4][5] This caught the eye of Spanish giants Barcelona, and he joined the Catalan club's La Masia academy in 2016.[5][6] Żuk progressed well through Barcelona's youth ranks, racking up over 400 goals by the time he was eleven.[7] He was seen as one of Barcelona's biggest young prospects.[4]

In June 2022, Michał and his brother Miłosz moved to Pogoń Szczecin due to their parents relocating to Poland.[8] However, only a year later, it was reported by Spanish journalist Albert Rogé that Żuk and his brother had returned to Spain, both joining the academy of Barcelona.[9]

International career

Though born in Spain, Żuk is also eligible to represent his parents' native Poland.[5][10] During a November 2021 visit to the Poland national football team's training, Żuk and his brother, Miłosz, discussed the possibility of representing Poland's youth international teams in the future with president of the Polish FA, Cezary Kulesza.[11]

In September 2023, he received call-ups to both Spanish and Polish under-15 national teams, and chose to represent his country of birth.[12] He made his debut for La Furia Roja's youth system on 2 October against Iceland.[13]

Style of play

Noted for his superior technical ability, especially his exceptional ball control and excellent vision, Żuk has been compared to former Spanish great, and Barcelona legend, Andrés Iniesta.[14][15][16] As with most talented dribblers to come out of Barcelona's youth academy in recent years, he has also been compared to Argentine football legend Lionel Messi.[7][17]

Personal life

Family

Żuk's brother, Miłosz, is also a footballer, and was playing for the youth team of Girona.[11][18] Miłosz currently also plays for FC Barcelona.[8]

Sponsorship

In 2018, Żuk signed a sponsorship deal with German company Adidas.[5][19] In doing so, he became one of the youngest athletes to have signed a deal with the sporting goods manufacturer.[7]

References
  1. "Akademia Pogoń Szczecin" [Akademia Pogoń Szczecin]. akademia.pogonszczecin.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  2. "Promising Barça youngster walks away for family reasons". sport.es. Ediciones Deportivas Catalanas, S.A.U. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  3. Szymczak, Dawid (15 July 2022). "Z Barcelony do Pogoni Szczecin. Ojciec Michała Żuka tłumaczy: "Takie same szanse"" [From Barcelona to Pogoń Szczecin. Michał Żuk's father explains: "The same opportunities"]. sport.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  4. Picó, Diego (29 May 2021). "Michal Zuk: La Masia star shines in LaLiga Promises". marca.com. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  5. König, Kosta (11 June 2021). "Adidas signee, Griezmann lookalike: Profiling Barca's 'most hyped child' Michal Zuk". tribuna.com. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  6. Garcia, Ruben (28 May 2021). "Michal Zuk: el niño de 12 años que juega en el Barcelona y es la estrella del torneo La Liga Promises" [Michal Zuk: the 12-year-old boy who plays for Barcelona and is the star of the La Liga Promises tournament]. serpadres.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  7. Szymczak, Dawid (25 December 2020). ""Pod dachem mam dwóch najmłodszych na świecie chłopców, którzy podpisali kontrakt z Adidasem"" ["Under my roof I have two of the world's youngest boys who have signed a contract with Adidas"]. sport.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  8. Janiak, Mateusz (27 June 2022). "Bracia Żuk zamienią Barcelonę i Gironę na Pogoń Szczecin" [The Żuk brothers will replace Barcelona and Girona with Pogoń Szczecin]. weszlo.com (in Polish). Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  9. Partum, Antoni (2 August 2023). "Michał Żuk znalazł nowy klub po roku gry w Polsce. Hit!" [Michał Żuk found a new club after playing for a year in Poland. Hit!]. sport.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  10. Jarek-Radłowska, Weronika (12 January 2021). "Michał i Miłosz Żuk i ich z przygoda z futbolem w Hiszpanii" [Michal and Milosz Zuk and their football adventure in Spain.]. babybyann.com (in Polish). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  11. Szymczak, Dawid (11 November 2021). "Prezes PZPN wziął na stronę ojca utalentowanych braci Żuków. Padło ważne pytanie o przyszłość" [The president of the Polish Football Association talked to the talented Żuk brothers' father. An important question was asked about the future]. sport.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  12. sport.pl (in Polish). 13 September 2023 https://www.sport.pl/pilka/7,64946,30183249,michal-zuk-juz-wybral-reprezentacje-w-ktorej-bedzie-gral-chce.html. Retrieved 9 October 2023. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. "CRÓNICA España se estrena con victoria ante Islandia en el Torneo de Desarrollo UEFA (1-4)" (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. 2 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  14. Jupiter, Andre (22 January 2021). "Michal Zuk, chi è il piccolo fenomeno del calcio che ha stregato il Barcellona – VIDEO" [Michal Zuk, who is the little football phenomenon who bewitched Barcelona – VIDEO]. newnotizie.it (in Italian). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  15. "Młody Polak robi furorę w Barcelonie. Jest jednym z największych talentów akademii" [The young Pole is a sensation in Barcelona. He is one of the academy's greatest talents]. sport.onet.pl (in Polish). 22 October 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  16. Kłyszejko, Jakub (22 October 2021). "Michał Żuk trafił do "jedenastki" największych talentów La Masii. Młody Polak znów doceniony w Hiszpanii" [Michał Żuk went to the "eleven" of the greatest talents of La Masia. The young Pole is appreciated again in Spain]. sport.tvp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  17. "Michal Zuk, ¿el nuevo Messi del Barça y La Masia?" [Michal Zuk, the new Messi of Barça and La Masia?]. es.besoccer.com (in Spanish). 28 May 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  18. Borciuch, Marcin (28 May 2021). "Michał Żuk w kadrze Barcelony na duży turniej. Zdążyli porównać go do Griezmanna" [Michal Zuk in the Barcelona team for a large tournament. They compared him to Griezmann]. sportowefakty.wp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  19. "El secreto de las marcas de apostar por las promesas del fútbol" [The secret of the brands to bet on the promises of football]. marketingregistrado.com (in Spanish). 27 December 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
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