This is Robert Lewandowski’s successor? Jacek Magiera believed in him

When he left Wrocław, relegated from PKO BP Ekstraklasa Śląsk, with a broken metatarsal injury, few people expected that he would conquer the German pitch. What’s more, Mateusz Żukowski – because we are talking about him – played 66 matches for the club from the capital of Lower Silesia.

How many really successful ones were there that determined the face of the band? Certainly fewer than those that brought criticism against Zhukovsky. He was often referred to as the “headless horseman”, who is active, but little results from this activity. And sometimes it ends with fatal mistakes that affect the final result of the matches.

Mateusz Żukowski is a star in Germany. Jacek Magiera believed in him

However, it turned out that what was suspected in Wrocław finally came true on German pitches. Jacek Magiera believed very strongly in Żukowski. The much-lamented coach, whom we said goodbye to unexpectedly in April this year, coached the player during his time in Silesia. Zhukovsky was tried in various positions. But Magiera has repeatedly emphasized that the boy looks very good in training and we just have to wait until he translates it into match conditions.

It was a success, but in all its glory – already beyond our western border. Żukowski moved to the Bundesliga, landing in 1. FC Magdeburg. He became a player of the German club in September 2025. When the Pole started playing regularly, self-confidence appeared, and now it is difficult to imagine not only this particular team, but the entire 2. Bundesliga without Zhukovsky. This is hardly surprising, as he is the leader of the scorer’s classification. It is therefore hardly surprising that his name was even mentioned in the context of appointments to coach Jan Urban’s team.

Certainly, the late Magiera would welcome his former protégé to the most important team in the country with a smile. Żukowski has repeatedly emphasized how important this coach was in his career. The Pole dedicated the weekend’s goal to Magiera, several dozen hours after the tragic news of his death that shocked the football community.

Does Żukowski have the potential to become a real offensive option in the Polish national team? It seems that the Pole will need confirmation of his effectiveness also in the next season. The Polish striker has certainly shown that he has “something” in him that allows him to catch a great scoring streak, and the ball not only looks for him, but is also able to create a dangerous situation himself – showing off, among others, long-range shots.

Has Robert Lewandowski found a successor in the Bundesliga? It’s a lot for now… too big a word, but undoubtedly after “Lewy” and his many years of showing at the highest level, both in BVB or Bayern Munich, now Żukowski has become famous. And the Polish national team cannot afford to miss a goal-scoring striker, especially in the face of the upcoming era… without Lewandowski. Or “Lewy” to a much smaller extent, saved for the most important matches – if this type of concept is adopted by the coach and captain of the national team.