His popularity in Poland could not be equaled by anyone. “The fans loved me”

Marek Citko definitely gained the greatest popularity with a goal in a place to which the history of Polish football has been referring for over half a century. We’re talking about Wembley Stadium. On October 9, 1996, in a qualifying match for the 1998 World Cup, the player, then playing for Widzew Łódź, scored a goal for the Polish national team.

The Poles ultimately lost the match (1-2), but the young boy’s hit changed his life forever.

Marek Citko, the crowd favorite. It was a big star in Poland!

Unfortunately for the career of the footballer from Białystok, in 1997 he suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury. This meant that the talent, who had scored goals for Widzew not only in Poland, but also in the Champions League (1996/97 season), had to start almost everything from scratch. Sporty again.

Citko, whom, among others, wanted to have in their ranks. clubs from the English league, he never returned to such a high level. Both in terms of sports and in terms of interest from fans.

Years later, the former footballer recalls that time with great fondness when it was difficult to find any more famous footballer in Poland – and Citko could also easily compete with representatives of other sports.

– It was very troublesome then. I couldn’t leave the house normally, go to the cinema or to a restaurant. At some point I got used to it. I knew this was my job. There are fans, but I really wasn’t aware and prepared for this madness. And it was crazy, really. I’m not saying how the police stopped me or wherever I went, it was sympathy and everyone wanted to help me. I felt so honored that it was just football, but I showed these emotions and the fans loved me. So it was a very nice feeling – admitted Citko in an interview for Sport.pl.

The Włókniarz Białystok student, who is currently (i.e. 2026) 52 years old, finished his football career in 2007. The player’s last club was Polonia Warszawa.