Damian Szymański

Damian Szymański
	Szymański with Akhmat Grozny in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Damian Dawid Szymański
Date of birth	16 June 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth	Kraśnik, Poland
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
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
2013–2016	GKS Bełchatów
2016–2017	Jagiellonia Białystok
2017–2019	Wisła Płock
2019–2020	Akhmat Grozny
2020	→ AEK Athens (loan)
2020–	AEK Athens
International career‡
2014	Poland U20
2018–	Poland
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:00, 3 November 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.

Club career

Early club career

Szymański started his career with GKS Bełchatów.^[2]

Akhmat Grozny

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]

AEK Athens

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]

International career

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]

Szymański was included in the 47-man preliminary squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.^[19] He was included in the final squad.^[20]

Szymański was included in the 29-man preliminary squad for the UEFA Euro 2024.^[21] He was included in the final squad.^[22]

Career statistics

Club

As of 19 May 2024^[23]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup^[a]		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	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	—		—		10	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^[b]	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^[c]	0	—		37	2
	Total		125	10	19	1	12	0	—		156	11
Career total			251	19	26	3	14	0	0	0	291	22

^ Includes Polish Cup, Russian Cup, Greek Football Cup
^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
^ Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of 10 June 2024^[24]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Poland	2018	4	0
	2021	3	1
	2022	3	0
	2023	7	1
	2024	1	0
Total		18	2

Scores and results list Poland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Szymański goal.

List of international goals scored by Damian Szymański
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