Jakub "Kuba" Bà Âaszczykowski (; born 14 December 1985) is a Polish businessman and former professional footballer who played as a winger. He is a part owner of Polish football club Wisà Âa Kraków, where he began his professional career and established himself at a young age. In 2007, he joined Borussia Dortmund, where he spent the majority of his career, making over 250 appearances and winning two Bundesliga titles, two DFL-Supercups, and one DFB-Pokal.
BÃ Âaszczykowski was twice named Polish Footballer of the Year in 2008 and 2010. With 109 appearances, he is the second-most capped player of the Poland national team, and captained them as they co-hosted UEFA Euro 2012, while also appearing at UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Raised in Truskolasy near CzÃÂstochowa, Bà Âaszczykowski began training at Raków CzÃÂstochowa when he was eight years old. In 2002, at age 16, he joined the youth side of Górnik Zabrze. In early 2003, he joined KS CzÃÂstochowa and played in the Polish fourth league until the end of 2004. His uncle, former Poland captain Jerzy BrzÃÂczek, then helped him get a trial at Wisà Âa Kraków, where he impressed then-manager Werner LiÃÂka.
Bà Âaszczykowski quickly broke into Wisà Âa's first team, with his first league appearance coming on 20 March 2005 against Polonia Warsaw. By the end of the season, he was an established part of the starting 11. With Wisà Âa he won the Polish Ekstraklasa title in his debut season, and they were runners-up the following season. Additionally he won Canal+'s "Football Oscar" for the best midfielder in the Polish top division. He was also named to the Ekstraklasa Best XI of the 2006âÂÂ07 season in the Polish Footballers' Association voting.
In February 2007, Bà Âaszczykowski signed a four-year contract with Borussia Dortmund for an undisclosed fee, joining the Bundesliga side in July of that year. He played with the shirt name "Kuba", a diminutive form of his first name, until 2012. During the 2008âÂÂ09 season, he was plagued by a torn leg muscle. He was, nevertheless, voted Polish Footballer of the Year in December 2008.
Bà Âaszczykowski with Borussia Dortmund won the Bundesliga title for two consecutive seasons in 2010âÂÂ11 and 2011âÂÂ12. He also won the 2011âÂÂ12 DFB-Pokal, providing two assists in the final 5âÂÂ2 victory over Bayern Munich. In July 2012, he was named on UEFA's 32-man shortlist for the Best Player in Europe award.
Bà Âaszczykowski signed a new contract with Borussia Dortmund on 24 July 2012, keeping him with the German club until 2016. He scored his first goal of the 2012âÂÂ13 season in the opening round of the DFB-Pokal on 18 August 2012, setting up Marco Reus for Dortmund's opening goal before netting their second, as the Yellow-Blacks achieved a 3âÂÂ0 victory at FC Oberneuland. On 25 January 2013, Bà Âaszczykowski scored two goals within the first 21 minutes against 1. FC Nürnberg, sending Dortmund on their way to a 3âÂÂ0 victory and putting the defending champions within just nine points of league leaders Bayern. In Dortmund's 3âÂÂ2 victory over Bayer 04 Leverkusen on 3 February, which moved Dortmund above Leverkusen into second place, he converted a penalty in the ninth minute to put his side up 2âÂÂ0. He scored Dortmund's third goal in a 3âÂÂ0 rout of Shakhtar Donetsk on 5 March, completing a 5âÂÂ2 aggregate victory over the Ukrainian champions as Dortmund progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The result meant that the Yellow-Blacks had advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time in 15 years.
On 2 June 2013, Bà Âaszczykowski signed a new contract with Borussia Dortmund, keeping him at the club until 2018. On 27 July 2013, Bà Âaszczykowski won the 2013 DFL-Supercup with Dortmund 4âÂÂ2 against rivals Bayern Munich. On 26 October 2013, Bà Âaszczykowski scored a goal for Dortmund in the Revierderby against rivals Schalke in a 3âÂÂ1 win for Dortmund.
On 31 August 2015, BÃ Âaszczykowski joined Fiorentina for a season-long loan from Borussia Dortmund.
On 1 August 2016, Bà Âaszczykowski joined VfL Wolfsburg on a three-year contract for a reported fee of â¬5 million. In January 2019, his contract with Wolfsburg was dissolved.
On 7 February 2019, Bà Âaszczykowski rejoined former club Wisà Âa Kraków on a free transfer. In April 2020, he became part owner of the club. He missed most of the 2021âÂÂ22 and 2022âÂÂ23 campaigns after suffering a torn ACL in November 2021. On 20 July 2023, on the eve of the 2023âÂÂ24 season, Bà Âaszczykowski announced his retirement from professional football, at age 37.
BÃ Âaszczykowski debuted for the Poland national team on 28 March 2006 in a friendly match against Saudi Arabia. He was not selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup due to injury. He scored his first goal for Poland on 22 August 2007 in a friendly against Russia. BÃ Âaszczykowski was an important part of Poland's successful UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign and was named in Poland's squad for UEFA Euro 2008, but he withdrew due to injury. On 17 November 2010, in a friendly match against Ivory Coast, BÃ Âaszczykowski made his debut as captain of the Poland national team.
On 8 June 2012, in the opening game of UEFA Euro 2012 against Greece, Bà Âaszczykowski assisted Robert Lewandowski's goal in a 1âÂÂ1 draw. In the second group stage match against Russia, he scored a long range equalising goal in a 1âÂÂ1 draw and was named Man of the Match.
Bà Âaszczykowski was Poland's current top scorer in their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign with four goals. His first two strikes were from the penalty spot, his first gave Poland an early lead in their opening group game with Montenegro, a match which finished 2âÂÂ2. His second goal came four days later, again giving Poland the lead in their 2âÂÂ0 win over Moldova. He did not feature in the 1âÂÂ1 draw with England due to injury. Bà Âaszczykowski got the assist for Piszczek's goal in the 3âÂÂ1 defeat to Ukraine. He did not feature against San Marino four days later due to an injury sustained in the pre-match warm up. On 7 June 2013, he scored his third goal of the qualifying campaign by grabbing the opener against Moldova â a game which finished 1âÂÂ1. After San Marino scored an equaliser in a qualifying match on 10 September 2013, Bà Âaszczykowski restored the lead just a minute later and Poland went on to win the match 5âÂÂ1.
During nearly half of the qualifying campaign, Bà Âaszczykowski was out of the national squad due to injury. He marked his return when coming on as a substitute in a qualifying match against Georgia, where the former Polish captain provided an assist against Georgia for the current captain, Robert Lewandowski, who scored a hat-trick in the final five minutes of the match in a 4âÂÂ0 win. He scored a penalty against Gibraltar in an 8âÂÂ1 victory and played in all the remaining games of qualification.
On 12 June, Poland's opening game, Bà Âaszczykowski played a key role in providing a cross and assisting in Arkadiusz Milik's goal in a 1âÂÂ0 win over Northern Ireland. This was Poland's first win at European Championship. Bà Âaszczykowski also played in a goalless draw against Germany, but was dropped to the bench for the final group game against Ukraine. He came on as a substitute at halftime to score the only goal which sealed Poland the victory, earned them second spot in the group with seven points, behind Germany on goal difference. This marked their first advancement to the knockout stage at a European championship. On 25 June, the first game in the group of 16, Bà Âaszczykowski scored the opening goal for Poland against Switzerland. The game ended 1âÂÂ1, going into extra time and then a penalty shootout. Bà Âaszczykowski delivered his spot kick and Poland won 5âÂÂ4, advancing to the quarter final. The next knockout game against Portugal ended 1âÂÂ1 after extra time, but Poland lost in the penalty shootout after he could not convert his penalty kick.
Bà Âaszczykowski was selected for the final 23-man Poland squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but played only in the first game, a 2âÂÂ1 defeat to Senegal in which he came off as a substitute at half-time.
Bà Âaszczykowski scored on his record-breaking 103rd Poland cap, a 3âÂÂ2 defeat to Portugal in the 2018âÂÂ19 UEFA Nations League.
On 16 June 2023, almost four years after his last call-up in the team, BÃ Âaszczykowski was called up for a friendly match against Germany at National Stadium. He started his farewell game as a captain and left the pitch in the 16th minute to a guard of honor from both teams. BÃ Âaszczykowski retired the following month.
As a child, Bà Âaszczykowski witnessed a family tragedy which had a major influence on his life. In September 1996, when he was 10 years old, his father, who abused alcohol, stabbed his mother to death. After his father went to prison, he and his older brother, Dawid, were raised by their grandmother. He briefly gave up football, but with the encouragement of his uncle, Jerzy BrzÃÂczek, a former captain of the Poland national football team, he decided to resume training at Raków CzÃÂstochowa two months later. Bà Âaszczykowski has credited his successes to his grandmother. He dedicates every goal he scores to his mother and can be seen looking up to the sky during goal celebrations.
On 7 September 2024, a special Borussia Dortmund legends farewell match was held in order to pay tribute to Bà Âaszczykowski and his compatriot à Âukasz Piszczek who helped shape some of the most successful years in the club's history between 2010 and 2015. The match was overseen by former club coach Jürgen Klopp and attracted over 81,000 spectators at the Signal Iduna Park. The match ended in a 5âÂÂ4 victory of the Bà Âaszczykowski team.
Bà Âaszczykowski married Agata Goà Âaszewska in June 2010. Their daughter, Oliwia, was born in 2011. Their second daughter, Lena, was born in 2014.
He is a devout Catholic who reads the Bible on a daily basis, prays often, and participates in the Nie wstydzÃÂ siÃÂ Jezusa (Polish for "I am not ashamed of Jesus") project.
In 2024, he was the subject of a documentary film entitled Kuba, which premiered on 23 February on Prime Video.
Wisà Âa Kraków
Borussia Dortmund
Individual