Kazimierz Deyna

{{short description|Polish footballer (1947-1989)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Kazimierz Deyna

| image = Kazimierz Deyna.jpg

| upright = 1.1

| caption = Deyna in 1970

| fullname = Kazimierz Deyna

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1947|10|23}}

| birth_place = Starogard, Poland

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1989|09|01|1947|10|23}}

| death_place = San Diego, California, United States

| height = 1.80 m

| position = Attacking midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1958–1966 | youthclubs1 = Włókniarz Starogard Gdański

| years1 = 1966 | clubs1 = ŁKS Łódź | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1966–1978 | clubs2 = Legia Warsaw | caps2 = 304 | goals2 = 93

| years3 = 1978–1981 | clubs3 = Manchester City | caps3 = 38 | goals3 = 12

| years4 = 1981–1984 | clubs4 = San Diego Sockers | caps4 = 90 | goals4 = 44

| years5 = 1981–1987 | clubs5 = San Diego Sockers (indoor) | caps5 = 169 | goals5 = 118

| totalcaps = 602

| totalgoals = 267

| nationalyears1 = 1968–1978 | nationalteam1 = Poland | nationalcaps1 = 97 | nationalgoals1 = 41

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Sport|Men's football}}

{{Medal|Country|{{fb|POL}}}}

{{Medal|Comp|FIFA World Cup}}

{{Medal|3rd|1974 West Germany|}}

{{Medal|Comp|Olympic Games}}

{{MedalGold|1972 Munich | Team}}

{{MedalSilver|1976 Montréal | Team}}

}}

Kazimierz Deyna ({{IPA|pl|kaˈʑimjɛʐ ˈdɛjna|-|Pl-Kazimierz_Deyna.ogg}};{{Efn|In isolation, Kazimierz is pronounced {{IPA|pl|kaˈʑimjɛʂ|}}.|name=|group=}} 23 October 1947 – 1 September 1989) was a Polish professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder in the playmaker role and was one of the most highly regarded players of his generation, due to his excellent vision.{{cite web|url=http://storiedicalcio.altervista.org/blog/polonia-1972-1974.html|title=Polonia 1972 – 1974: generazione di fenomeni|date=30 November 2015|publisher=Storie di Calcio|language=it|access-date=13 March 2017}} Throughout his career he played for such clubs as Legia Warsaw, Manchester City and San Diego Sockers.

At the international level, he earned 97 caps and scored 41 goals helping Poland claim 3rd place at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. At the 1972 Summer Olympics, he won gold with Poland and was the top goalscorer of the tournament. From 1973 to 1978, he served as captain of the national representation. In 1976, he won silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

In 1973 and 1974, he won the Polish Footballer of the Year Award.{{Cite web |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/footballer_of_the_year/polen/# |title=Player of the year – Poland |website=worldfootball.net |access-date=22 December 2024}} In 1974, he claimed third place in the Ballon d'Or. He was named "the greatest Polish footballer of the 20th century" by the Piłka Nożna football weekly.{{Cite web |url=https://www.rmf.fm/magazyn/news,10834,kazimierz-deyna-byl-najlepszym-polskim-pilkarzem-xx-wieku-28-lat-temu-zginal-w-wypadku.html |language=pl |title=Kazimierz Deyna był najlepszym polskim piłkarzem XX wieku. 28 lat temu zginął w wypadku |website=rmf.fm |date=1 September 2017 |access-date=21 December 2024}}

Early life

Deyna was born in Starogard to Franciszek (1911–1976), a dairy worker, and Jadwiga (1917–1981),{{cite web | url = http://legia.com/index.php?typ=podstrona&id=91| title = Kazimierz Deyna| date = 20 June 2012 |language=pl |access-date=26 June 2012}} a housewife. He had six sisters and two brothers, Henryk and Franciszek, who also were footballers. Henryk played for Włókniarz Starogard Gdański, while Franciszek was a Starogardzki KS player.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kazimierzdeyna.pl/ |title=Kazimierz Deyna – Legenda, która trwa |publisher=kazimierdzeyna.pl |language=pl |access-date=1 September 2010}}

Club career

=Legia Warsaw=

Deyna began playing youth football in 1958 at his local club Włókniarz Starogard Gdański. In 1966 he made one appearance for ŁKS Łódź (on 8 October in a 0–0 draw against Górnik Zabrze).{{Cite web|url=http://deyna.info/kariera.php |title=Kariera |publisher=deyna.info |language=pl |access-date=1 September 2010}} But he was quickly snapped up by Legia Warsaw. In communist Poland each team had its own "sponsor". The Warsaw club was much more powerful as it was the military club. Moreover, it was the favourite club of the authorities. Deyna was called up into the army and in this way he had to play for Legia Warsaw. He made a name for himself during his first season, becoming one of Legia's most important players.

In 1969 and 1970 his team won the Polish Championship.{{Cite news|url=http://polishsoccer.net/legia_warszawa.htm |title=Legia Warszawa |work=polishsoccer.net |access-date=25 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124044755/http://polishsoccer.net/legia_warszawa.htm |archive-date=24 January 2009 }} After his performances at the 1974 World Cup, European top teams like AS Saint-Étienne, AS Monaco, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich tried to acquire his services but he was unable to join, since the communist regime in Poland prevented him from moving to Western Europe. Real Madrid was so determined to acquire Deyna that they sent a shirt to Warsaw with his name and number "14".

=Manchester City=

Soon afterwards Deyna was transferred to English club Manchester City, making his debut in November 1978,{{Cite news|url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=17201|title=Kazimierz Deyna|work=sporting-heroes.net|access-date=25 February 2009}} and being one of the first wave of overseas players to play in the English league. His time in England was marred by a series of injuries, and he left in January 1981, shortly after Manchester City made a managerial change, having made only 43 appearances in all competitions. However, he was regarded as an exceptionally gifted playmaker and became a cult figure with City fans.{{Cite news|author =Ric Turner|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_city/article5795355.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805132850/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_city/article5795355.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 August 2011|title=The 50 greatest Manchester City players|date=25 February 2009|work=The Times|access-date=25 February 2009}} Deyna scored thirteen goals in his time with the club. Furthermore, his seven goals in the last eight games of the 1978–79 season were crucial for Manchester City in their relegation battle.

=San Diego Sockers=

File:Kazimierz deyna in sockers.jpg]]

Deyna appeared in the 1981 film Escape to Victory as Paul Wolcheck.{{Cite news|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0223391|title=Kazimierz Deyna|work=Internet Movie Database|access-date=25 February 2009}} In the same year, he emigrated to the United States, where he signed with the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League in January 1981. During the next seven years, he played four NASL outdoor seasons, one NASL indoor season and five Major Indoor Soccer League seasons with the Sockers, winning five championships. The Sockers released him in June 1987.Sockers set free Deyna, 4 others The San Diego Union (CA) – Friday, 12 June 1987 He was a 1983 NASL Second Team All Star.[http://national.soccerhall.org/history/NASL%20All-League%20Teams.htm NASL All Star Teams] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811214750/http://national.soccerhall.org/history/NASL%20All-League%20Teams.htm |date=11 August 2015 }}

International career

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-N0706-0039, Fußball-WM, VR Polen - Brasilien 1-0 Deyna.jpg

On 24 April 1968, Deyna made his debut for the Poland national team in a match against Turkey in Chorzów. He won the gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich,{{Cite news|url=http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=DEYNAKAZ01 |title=Kazimierz Deyna |work=DatabaseOlympics |access-date=25 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524061942/http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=DEYNAKAZ01 |archive-date=24 May 2009 }} and the bronze in Football World Cup 1974, after a match against Brazil.{{Cite news|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=39/overview.html |title=1974 FIFA World Cup Germany |work=FIFA.com |access-date=25 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306182800/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition%3D39/overview.html |archive-date= 6 March 2012 }} In 1972, he was also the Top Goalscorer of the Olympic Games, with a total of nine goals.{{Cite news|url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament=512/edition=197110/overview.html |title=Munich, 1972 |work=FIFA.com |access-date=25 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215142344/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/tournament%3D512/edition%3D197110/overview.html |archive-date=15 February 2009 }}

In 1976 Summer Olympics his team yet again reached the finals and won the silver medal. Additionally, he was ranked third in the European Footballer of the Year for 1974, behind Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer.

Deyna played for Poland on 97 (84 after the deduction of Olympic Football Tournament competition games{{Cite news|url=https://www.fifa.com/newscentre/news/newsid=70523.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207032115/http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/news/newsid=70523.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 February 2008|title=France '98 and USA '99 influence the Century Clubs|work=FIFA.com|access-date=25 February 2009}}) occasions, scoring 41 goals, and often captained the side. He had the ability to score from unusual positions, for example directly from a corner. Because of his achievements and talents, he was chosen Football Player of the Year several times by Polish fans. In 1978, he captained Poland at the Football World Cup in Argentina, where the team reached the second phase.

Death

File:Kazimierz Deyna grób.JPG]]

Deyna died in a car accident in San Diego, California on 1 September 1989, aged 41 (just two days before another fatal car accident claimed the life of another international football star, the Italian Gaetano Scirea). In 1994, he was chosen by the Polish Football Association (PZPN) and the readers of all Polish sports-related newspapers as the Greatest Polish Football Player of All Time. His number 10 is retired by Legia Warsaw and the Sockers. In June 2012 Kazimierz Deyna's remains were exhumed and reburied in Warsaw's Powązki Military Cemetery.

Career statistics

=Club=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{Cite web | url=http://www.level-k.com/player/K_Deyna.htm | title=Kazimierz DEYNA}}{{Cite web | url=http://www.legia.net/historia/index.php?s=zawodnik&id=81 | title=Historia Legii Warszawa - Legia.Net | access-date=25 February 2011 | archive-date=23 July 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723180942/http://www.legia.net/historia/index.php?s=zawodnik&id=81 | url-status=dead }}

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|Cup

!colspan="2"|League Cup

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
ŁKS Łódź1966–67Ekstraklasa10
rowspan="14"|Legia Warsaw1966–67rowspan="13"|Ekstraklasa12611colspan="2"|–00137
1967–6823620colspan="2"|–442910
1968–69261265colspan="2"|–623819
1969–7023543colspan="2"|–833511
1970–7123344colspan="2"|–61338
1971–72261068colspan="2"|–403618
1972–7325874colspan="2"|–333515
1973–7427832colspan="2"|–523512
1974–7526500colspan="2"|–20285
1975–76261121colspan="2"|–2812
1976–7728940colspan="2"|–223411
1977–7828941colspan="2"|–3310
1978–7911221colspan="2"|–133
colspan="2"|Total

!304

93
rowspan="4"|Manchester City1978–79rowspan="3"|First Division136201011177
1979–802260010236
1980–8130000030
colspan="2"|Total

!38

12
rowspan="5"|San Diego Sockers1981rowspan="4"|North American Soccer League3915
19822611
19831815
1984238
colspan="2"|Total

!106

49
colspan="3"|Career total

!449

159539203

=International=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National teamYearAppsGoals
rowspan="11"|Poland

|1968

50
196987
197052
197151
1972109
1973141
1974124
197586
197683
1977124
1978104
colspan="2"|Total9741

:Scores and results list Poland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Deyna goal.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Kazimierz Deyna{{Cite web | url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/deyna-intlg.html | title=Kazimierz Deyna - Goals in International Matches}}''

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

align="center"|1rowspan="2"|20 April 1969rowspan="2"|Kraków, Polandrowspan="2"|{{fb|LUX}}align="center"|4–0rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|8–0rowspan="2"|1970 FIFA World Cup qualification
align="center"|2align="center"|5–0
align="center"|315 June 1969Sofia, Bulgaria{{flagicon image|Flag_of_Bulgaria_(1967–1971).svg|BUL}} Bulgariaalign="center"|1–2align="center"|1–41970 FIFA World Cup qualification
align="center"|427 August 1969Łódź, Poland{{fb|NOR}}align="center"|3–0align="center"|6–1Friendly
align="center"|5rowspan="2"|12 October 1969rowspan="2"|Luxembourg, Luxembourgrowspan="2"|{{fb|LUX}}align="center"|1–1rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|5–1rowspan="2"|1970 FIFA World Cup qualification
align="center"|6align="center"|5–1
align="center"|79 November 1969Warsaw, Poland{{flagicon image|Flag_of_Bulgaria_(1967–1971).svg|BUL}} Bulgariaalign="center"|3–0align="center"|3–01970 FIFA World Cup qualification
align="center"|816 May 1970Kraków, Poland{{fb|GDR}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|1–1Friendly
align="center"|92 September 1970Warsaw, Poland{{fb|DEN}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|5–0Friendly
align="center"|105 May 1971Lausanne, Switzerland{{fb|SUI}}align="center"|3–1align="center"|4–2Friendly
align="center"|1130 August 1972Regensburg, West Germany{{fb|GHA}}align="center"|3–0align="center"|4–01972 Summer Olympics
align="center"|123 September 1972Regensburg, West Germany{{fb|DEN}}align="center"|1–1align="center"|1–11972 Summer Olympics
align="center"|135 September 1972Augsburg, West Germany{{fb|URS}}align="center"|1–1align="center"|2–11972 Summer Olympics
align="center"|14rowspan="2"|8 September 1972rowspan="2"|Nürnberg, West Germanyrowspan="2"|{{fb|MAR}}align="center"|3–0rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|5–0rowspan="2"|1972 Summer Olympics
align="center"|15align="center"|5–0
align="center"|16rowspan="2"|10 September 1972rowspan="2"|Munich, West Germanyrowspan="2"|{{fb|HUN}}align="center"|1–1rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|2–1rowspan="2"|1972 Summer Olympics
align="center"|17align="center"|2–1
align="center"|18rowspan="2"|15 October 1972rowspan="2"|Bydgoszcz, Polandrowspan="2"|{{fb|TCH}}align="center"|1–0rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|3–0rowspan="2"|Friendly
align="center"|19align="center"|2–0
align="center"|2010 October 1973Rotterdam, Netherlands{{fb|NED}}align="center"|1–1align="center"|1–1Friendly
align="center"|2117 April 1974Liège, Belgium{{fb|BEL}}align="center"|1–1align="center"|1–1Friendly
align="center"|2219 June 1974Munich, West Germany{{flagicon image|Flag of Haiti (1964–1986).svg|HAI|1964}} Haitialign="center"|2–0align="center"|7–01974 FIFA World Cup
align="center"|2323 June 1974Stuttgart, West Germany{{fb|ITA}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|2–11974 FIFA World Cup
align="center"|2430 June 1974Frankfurt, West Germany{{fb|YUG}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|2–11974 FIFA World Cup
align="center"|25rowspan="3"|26 March 1975rowspan="3"|Poznań, Polandrowspan="3"|{{fb|USA}}align="center"|3–0rowspan="3" style="text-align:center"|7–0rowspan="3"|Friendly
align="center"|26align="center"|6–0
align="center"|27align="center"|7–0
align="center"|28rowspan="2"|6 July 1975rowspan="2"|Montreal, Canadarowspan="2"|{{fb|CAN}}align="center"|3–0rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|8–1rowspan="2"|Friendly
align="center"|29align="center"|6–1
align="center"|309 July 1975Toronto, Canada{{fb|CAN}}align="center"|4–1align="center"|4–1Friendly
align="center"|3122 July 1976Montreal, Canada{{fb|IRN|1964}}align="center"|2–1align="center"|3–21976 Summer Olympics
align="center"|32rowspan="2"|31 October 1976rowspan="2"|Warsaw, Polandrowspan="2"|{{fb|CYP|1960}}align="center"|1–0rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|5–0rowspan="2"|1978 FIFA World Cup qualification
align="center"|33align="center"|3–0
align="center"|3410 July 1977Lima, Peru{{fb|PER}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|3–1Friendly
align="center"|3521 September 1977Chorzów, Poland{{fb|DEN}}align="center"|3–0align="center"|4–11978 FIFA World Cup qualification
align="center"|3629 October 1977Chorzów, Poland{{fb|POR}}align="center"|1–0align="center"|1–11978 FIFA World Cup qualification
align="center"|3712 November 1977Wrocław, Poland{{fb|SWE}}align="center"|2–1align="center"|2–1Friendly
align="center"|38rowspan="2"|5 April 1978rowspan="2"|Poznań, Polandrowspan="2"|{{fb|GRE|old}}align="center"|2–0rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|5–2rowspan="2"|Friendly
align="center"|39align="center"|4–0
align="center"|4012 April 1978Łódź, Poland{{fb|IRL}}align="center"|2–0align="center"|3–0Friendly
align="center"|4110 June 1978Rosario, Argentina{{fb|MEX}}align="center"|2–1align="center"|3–11978 FIFA World Cup

Honours

File:Muzeum Legii Warszawa 05.JPG

File:Pomnik Kazimierza Deyny w Warszawie 2021.jpg

Legia Warsaw{{Cite news|url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0254-0d7deed11e00-9d66f60383ed-1000--warsaw-remembers-poland-legend-deyna/|title=Warsaw remembers Poland legend Deyna|date=6 June 2012|work=UEFA|access-date=31 October 2016}}

Poland

Individual

  • Olympic top scorer: 1972
  • FUWO European Team of the Season: 1972{{cite web|url=https://www.fcc-supporters.org/fuwo/files/FUWO%201973/FUWO%201973%2002.pdf |website=FCC-Wiki|title=FUWO 1973|access-date=23 April 2024 }}
  • Sport Ideal European XI: 1972,{{cite web|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1972/12/31/pagina-15/972425/pdf.html |website=Mundo Deportivo|title=Sport 1972|access-date=4 June 2024 }} 1973{{cite web|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1974/01/03/pagina-9/995405/pdf.html |website=Mundo Deportivo|title=Sport 1973|access-date=4 June 2024 }}
  • Piłka Nożna Polish Footballer of the Year: 1973, 1974{{cite web |title=Laureaci |url=https://pilkanozna.pl/laureaci/ |website=pilkanozna.pl |access-date=16 July 2024 |language=pl}}
  • ADN Eastern European Footballer of the Season: 1973, 1974{{cite web|url=http://ukrfootball.ua/news/albert-dzhayich-blohin-stoyichkov-levandovski-shcho-spilnogo |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304200112/http://ukrfootball.ua/news/albert-dzhayich-blohin-stoyichkov-levandovski-shcho-spilnogo |url-status=dead |archive-date=2016-03-04 |website=WebArchive |title=Eastern European Footballer of the season|access-date=5 July 2024 }}
  • Ballon d'Or third place: 1974;{{cite web|url= https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy74.html|title=European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1974|work=RSSSF|access-date=31 October 2016 }}
  • FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1974
  • World XI: 1974{{cite web |url=https://beyondthelastman.com/2013/11/07/eric-battys-world-xis-the-seventies/ |website=Beyond The Last Man |date=7 November 2013 |title=Eric Batty's World XI – The Seventies |access-date=22 July 2020 |archive-date=5 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705040250/https://beyondthelastman.com/2013/11/07/eric-battys-world-xis-the-seventies/ |url-status=live }}
  • Polish Football Association National Team of the Century: 1919–2019{{Cite web |date=6 December 2019 |title=Poznaliśmy Reprezentację 100-lecia! Zobacz najlepszy zespół w historii Polski! - Federacja |url=https://pzpn.pl/federacja/aktualnosci/2019-12-07/poznalismy-reprezentacje-100-lecia-zobacz-najlepszy-zespol-w-historii-polski |access-date=28 January 2025 |website=PZPN - Łączy nas piłka |language=pl}}

National

  • Gold Cross of Merit: 1972{{Cite web |url=https://www.pbc.rzeszow.pl/publication/5224 |language=pl |title=Nowiny Rzeszowskie : organ KW Polskiej Zjednoczonej Partii Robotniczej. 1972, nr 242-268, 270-271 |website=pbc.rzeszow.pl |date=1972 |access-date=27 January 2024}}
  • Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta: 1974
  • Polish Olympic Committee Gold Medal: 2012 (posthumously){{Cite web |url=https://sport.interia.pl/pilka-nozna/news-pogrzeb-kazimierza-deyny-na-polskiej-ziemi,nId,610774 |language=pl |title=Pogrzeb Kazimierza Deyny na polskiej ziemi |website=sport.interia.pl |date=6 June 2012 |access-date=27 January 2024}}

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}