Szymański with Akhmat Grozny in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Damian Dawid Szymański[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1995-06-16) 16 June 1995 (age 29)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Kraśnik, Poland | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | AEK Athens | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| MUKS Kraśnik | |||
| 0000–2011 | Stal Kraśnik | ||
| 2011–2012 | GKS Bełchatów | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2016 | GKS Bełchatów | 48 | (2) |
| 2016–2017 | Jagiellonia Białystok | 16 | (1) |
| 2017–2019 | Wisła Płock | 49 | (6) |
| 2019–2020 | Akhmat Grozny | 13 | (0) |
| 2020 | → AEK Athens (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2020– | AEK Athens | 109 | (9) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2014 | Poland U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2018– | Poland | 18 | (2) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:23, 20 May 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 June 2024 | |||
Damian Dawid Szymański (born 16 June 1995) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Greek Super League club AEK Athens, which he captains, and the Poland national team.
Szymański started his career with GKS Bełchatów.[2]
On 12 January 2019, Wisła Płock announced his transfer to the Russian Premier League club FC Akhmat Grozny.[3] Three days later Akhmat confirmed that the club signed a 4.5-year contract with Szymański.[4]
On 13 January 2020, Szymański travelled to Athens to pass his medicals and complete a move to AEK Athens.[5] The Polish midfielder will join the Greek club on an initial six-month loan, and AEK will maintain the right to buy him for a fee of €1,500,000.[6] One day later, the deal was made official and Szymański was presented by his new club.[7]
On 30 June 2020, Szymański signed a four-year contract with AEK after his transfer from Akhmat Grozny was made permanent.[8] The Greek club paid €1,300,000 for his services, while Akhmat will keep a resale rate of 15%.[9] Five days later, Szymanski scored his first goal for the club, sealing an emphatic 4–1 away win against Aris Thessaloniki.[10]
On 20 January 2021, he scored helping to a 2–0 home win against Apollon Smyrnis for the first leg of the Greek Cup round of 16.[11] On 15 February 2021, he sealed a dramatic 4–2 away win against AEL, after a low cross from Levi García.[12] The following week, Szymański scored a brace in a 2–2 home draw against Asteras Tripolis.[13] On 5 December 2021, he was the only scorer in a vital 1–0 home win against rivals Panathinaikos.[14]
At the start of the 2022–23 season, the appointment of Matías Almeyda as the club's new coach helped Damian to revive his career, eventually receiving a call-up for the 2022 World Cup. He also became the team's second captain, behind Sergio Araujo. The Argentine coach managed to harness his athleticism and passion, making him a significant member of the team, thus attracting interest from various clubs including Standard Liège.[15]
On 20 April 2023, Szymański signed a new contract with AEK Athens, running until the summer of 2027.[16]
Szymański debuted for the Polish senior squad on 7 September 2018 in a 2018–19 UEFA Nations League A game against Italy.[17] He started for the return game against the same country on 14 October.[citation needed]
On 8 September 2021, Szymański scored his first goal, an equaliser in the injury time of the second half during a 1–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification draw against England.[18]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| GKS Bełchatów | 2013–14 | I liga | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Ekstraklasa | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 | |||
| 2015–16 | I liga | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 | |||
| Total | 48 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 51 | 2 | ||||
| Jagiellonia Białystok | 2016–17 | Ekstraklasa | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| 2017–18 | Ekstraklasa | 1 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 19 | 1 | |||
| Wisła Płock | 2017–18 | Ekstraklasa | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 4 | ||
| 2018–19 | Ekstraklasa | 20 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 23 | 4 | |||
| Total | 49 | 6 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 52 | 8 | ||||
| Akhmat Grozny | 2018–19 | Russian Premier League | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2019–20 | Russian Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| AEK Athens (loan) | 2019–20 | Superleague Greece | 16 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||
| AEK Athens | 2020–21 | Superleague Greece | 21 | 3 | 6 | 1 | — | — | 27 | 4 | ||
| 2021–22 | Superleague Greece | 32 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 37 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Superleague Greece | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 2 | |||
| 2023–24 | Superleague Greece | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10[b] | 0 | — | 37 | 2 | ||
| Total | 125 | 10 | 19 | 1 | 12 | 0 | — | 156 | 11 | |||
| Career total | 251 | 19 | 26 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 291 | 22 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | 2018 | 4 | 0 |
| 2021 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 18 | 2 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 September 2021 | Stadion Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland |  England |
1–1 | 1–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 24 March 2023 | Fortuna Arena, Prague, Czech Republic |  Czech Republic |
1–3 | 1–3 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |
GKS Bełchatów
AEK Athens
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AEK Athens F.C. – current squad
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Poland squads
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