If you are asked to name the best Polish footballers in Premier League history, it would be a huge surprise if you did not pick a goalkeeper.
For, of the 23 Polish players to have appeared in England’s top-tier, six have been goalkeepers – Artur Boruc, Jerzy Dudek, Tomasz Kuszczak, Jakub Stolarczyk, Wojciech Szczęsny and West Ham United's Łukasz Fabiański.
Between them, those half-dozen stoppers have won two UEFA Champions Leagues, a FIFA Club World Cup, three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, three EFL Cups, two EFL Championships and 277 international caps.
None has played as many Premier League matches – 375 – or kept as many Premier League clean sheets – 92 – as Fabiański who, a few weeks short of his 40th birthday, continues to keep goal for the Hammers at an elite level.
In July last year, Fabiański was joined in east London by the first Polish female to keep goal in the Barclays Women’s Super League, Kinga Szemik.
The 27-year-old has been one of only two ever-present goalkeepers in the WSL this season, starting all 16 matches for Rehanne Skinner’s improving side, and ranking second in total saves made with 59.
Both goalkeepers, it is fair to say, are integral members of their respective squads.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, Szemik sat down with compatriot Fabiański at Rush Green to discuss the Polish goalkeeping tradition, growing up in the central European country and making a mark in the game…
Kinga, you grew up in Żywiec, which is a town on the River Sola in southern Poland. What can you remember of your childhood?
KS: “I grew up around the lakes and the mountains. It was very pretty. I was pretty much always outdoors, running around, playing sports, it was great. I think that’s why I’m so fond of being a footballer!”
LF: “I know the name Żywiec because it is very famous for one thing and that’s a big beer company. It’s one of the biggest and probably one of the best in Europe! Apart from that, and it being in the south of Poland, I don’t know much about it!”
And what about you, Łukasz, can you tell us about where you grew up?
LF: “I was born in Kostrzyn nad Odrą because the hospital in the city where my family lived, Słubice, was actually closed because they were doing some renovations, so my Mum had to go to Kostrzyn and that’s where I was born, but straight after I was born I taken back to my hometown, Słubice. The one thing that’s common to where Kinga grew up is that we also had a river, the Odrą, which is probably the second biggest river in Poland which flows from my hometown up through Kostrzyn and north towards Szczecin and into the Baltic Sea.”
KS: “It’s funny because one of my really good friends from the national team, Paulina Dudek, is also from the same town as Łukasz, Słubice. I was also there when I was a teenager for a camp with the national team, but I couldn’t tell you much about it. I just remember it's very close to Germany.”
LF: “Yes, there is a big connection now between Poland and Germany. We try to co-work together, and my hometown and the other side across the river in Germany called Frankfurt an der Oder, they try to call it ‘Subfurt’ and put both names in one as both cities work well together!”
What was it like growing up as a young footballer in Poland?
KS: “First of all, you have to remember that women’s football is growing in Poland, but back when I was a child it was not that popular, so I was really the only girl in my town who played, so I played with the boys, because that was the only way I could play. That was the biggest challenge to play because I was alone and my family didn’t understand. It was socially perceived as a men’s sport, so they would say ‘Why don’t you go and play volleyball or something else?’, but I had so much passion for football.
“As time went on, they started realising ‘Oh, she actually loves this, so we will support her’, and from then on they were nothing but supportive. As I got older, I left Poland and joined other clubs and it got easier for me.”
What are your best memories?
KS: “I have so many connected with football. It started with running around with my brothers. I was the youngest, so I was always being the goalie because that's the rule!”
Does Kinga’s story resonate with you, Łukasz, with not many girls playing football when you were growing up?
LF: “First of all, I want to say that's a beautiful answer because if you think about it, obviously growing up as a boy, especially back in the day at my age, all you did was just play football outside with your mates, and you rarely saw any girls involved. So for me, when you ask me about any struggles, I can't really say [I had any] because everyone wanted to play football, so you just got on with it and always had people to play with and you weren’t put in a position like Kinga said and weren’t asked to change your sport.
“So, in terms of my growing up and development, I'm not going to say it was smooth because obviously there were some little obstacles but not like in Kinga's case. Now, like you said, women’s football in Poland is growing, it’s becoming more popular and you see a lot more girls getting involved and trying it.”
There is a so-called ‘Goalkeepers’ Union’ in squads between goalkeepers fighting for the same starting place in the team, but does it still exist?
LF: “I think so, yes. I think it has changed over the years. Maybe back in the day, again, the rivalry between ‘keepers was a little bit different. Now, with the amount of games that you have to play throughout the season, there will be a time that you will get your opportunity. I think that helps to create a better understanding and bond you together as a group.”
KS: “It’s also such a specific position that only the other goalkeepers can understand what you're going through.”
Do you two get together in a footballing sense and share some tips on goalkeeping?
KS: “I have a confession to make. Since I was a kid, I was a big fan of Łukasz! He is one of the greatest Polish goalkeepers ever and I admire him so much, so just being at the same Club it feels so unreal. It’s crazy! I remember watching the men's national team on television and Łukasz playing and he has always been a very strong point in the team and always very appreciated.”
LF: “My son Jan so into football, so whenever the game is on TV, he tries to watch and follow. He's aware as well that Kinga is the number one for West Ham. He hasn't had a chance yet to see it live, but when there's a chance I'll try to take him to see the women’s game live and watch Kinga playing, for sure.”