Dawid Kownacki Explained

Dawid Kownacki
Upright:0.8
Full Name:Dawid Igor Kownacki[1]
Birth Date:14 March 1997
Birth Place:Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland
Height:1.85 m[2]
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Fortuna Düsseldorf
(on loan from Werder Bremen)
Clubnumber:24
Youthclubs1:GKP Gorzów Wielkopolski
Youthyears2:2005–2013
Youthclubs2:Lech Poznań
Years1:2013–2016
Clubs1:Lech Poznań II
Caps1:8
Goals1:5
Years2:2013–2017
Clubs2:Lech Poznań
Caps2:94
Goals2:21
Years3:2017–2020
Clubs3:Sampdoria
Caps3:35
Goals3:6
Years4:2019–2020
Clubs4:Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)
Caps4:25
Goals4:4
Years5:2020–2023
Clubs5:Fortuna Düsseldorf
Caps5:71
Goals5:21
Years6:2021–2022
Clubs6:Lech Poznań (loan)
Caps6:14
Goals6:4
Years7:2023–
Clubs7:Werder Bremen
Caps7:22
Goals7:0
Years8:2024–
Clubs8:Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)
Caps8:0
Goals8:0
Nationalyears1:2011
Nationalteam1:Poland U15
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:7
Nationalyears2:2012
Nationalteam2:Poland U16
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:2012–2014
Nationalteam3:Poland U17
Nationalcaps3:10
Nationalgoals3:8
Nationalyears4:2014–2016
Nationalteam4:Poland U19
Nationalcaps4:4
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2015–2019
Nationalteam5:Poland U21
Nationalcaps5:23
Nationalgoals5:15
Nationalyears6:2018–2021
Nationalteam6:Poland
Nationalcaps6:7
Nationalgoals6:1
Club-Update:18 May 2024

Dawid Igor Kownacki (; born 14 March 1997) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Fortuna Düsseldorf, on loan from Werder Bremen. He has also played for the Poland national team. Besides Poland, he has played in Italy and Germany.[3]

Early career

Having started out at local side GKP Gorzów Wielkopolski, Kownacki joined Lech Poznań in 2005, coming through the youth ranks and making it to the first team in December 2013. He scored his first Ekstraklasa goal in February 2014 in a 5–1 loss at Pogoń Szczecin, becoming one of only five players aged under 17 to have registered in Poland's top flight. He won his first league title the following season: "At 16, people were calling me 'the new Lewandowski' which was tough to handle, but I changed my attitude, grew up and am now much better at not taking to heart what people say. Of course, I still have big dreams".[4]

Club career

Sampdoria

On 11 July 2017, Kownacki signed a five-year contract with Italian side Sampdoria.[5]

In November, he scored a brace and assisted another goal in Sampdoria's 4–1 Coppa Italia win against Delfino Pescara in the fourth round.[6]

Fortuna Düsseldorf and loan to Lech Poźnan

On 31 January 2019, Kownacki joined to German Bundesliga club Fortuna Düsseldorf on loan with an option to buy.[7] On 30 June 2019, he rejoined Fortuna on another loan with an obligation to buy,[8] which was fulfilled in January 2020.

On 2 February 2022, Kownacki returned to his boyhood club Lech Poznań loan until the end of the season.[9]

Werder Bremen

On 22 May 2023, Bundesliga club Werder Bremen announced the signing of Kownacki on a free transfer from Fortuna for the 2023–24 season.[10]

He re-joined former club Fortuna Düsseldorf of the 2. Bundesliga for the 2024–25 season.[11] Düsseldorf secured an option to sign him permanently.[11]

International career

Kownacki represented Poland at various youth levels ranging from U16 until U21, earning 46 appearances and scoring 31 goals. He received his first call-up to the senior squad for matches against Georgia and Greece in June 2015.[12] On 23 March 2018, Kownacki debuted in a friendly match against Nigeria, playing 72 minutes.[13]

Kownacki was named in Poland's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia,[14] and was considered back-up to Robert Lewandowski.[15]

Career statistics

Club

[16]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lech Poznań II2013–14III liga6363
2014–15III liga1111
2016–17III liga1111
Total8585
Lech Poznań2013–14Ekstraklasa132132
2014–15Ekstraklasa3045231387
2015–16Ekstraklasa246405110347
2016–17Ekstraklasa27952003211
Total9421144821011727
Sampdoria2017–18Serie A22523248
2018–19Serie A13131162
Total356544010
Fortuna Düsseldorf2018–19Bundesliga10410114
2019–20Bundesliga20010210
2020–212. Bundesliga277277
2021–222. Bundesliga701181
2022–232. Bundesliga3214323516
Total96256310228
Lech Poznań (loan)2021–22Ekstraklasa14431175
Werder Bremen2023–24Bundesliga22000220
Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)2024–252. Bundesliga000000
Career total269612812821030675

International

[17]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Poland201841
201920
202110
Total71

[17]

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

Honours

Lech Poznań

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA World Cup Russia 2018: List of players: Poland . FIFA . 22 . 15 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191206135930/https://tournament.fifadata.com/documents/FWC/2018/pdf/FWC_2018_SQUADLISTS.PDF . 6 December 2019.
  2. Web site: Dawid Kownacki . Ekstraklasa.org . 22 May 2022 . pl . 22 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220522113302/https://www.ekstraklasa.org/zawodnik/23/928 . dead .
  3. https://archive.today/20210428170220/https://www.laczynaspilka.pl/specjalne/wywiady/wywiad-dawid-kownacki-odzyskalem-radosc-z-gry-w-pilke1 Dawid Kownacki: W Fortunie odzyskałem radość z gry w piłkę
  4. Web site: Poland's Dawid Kownacki "the next Lewandowski". UEFA. 20 June 2017. 5 May 2021.
  5. News: Kownacki è un calciatore della Sampdoria, arriva dal Lech Poznań. U.C. Sampdoria. 11 July 2017. 11 July 2017. it.
  6. Web site: Coppa: Kownacki seals Samp rout. Football Italia. 28 November 2017. 29 November 2017.
  7. Web site: Ufficiale: Samp, Kownacki al Fortuna Dusseldorf. C'è il controriscatto. 31 January 2019. it.
  8. Kownacki joins Fortuna Dusseldorf on loan with obligation to buy. Sampdoria. 30 June 2019.
  9. Web site: Dawid Kownacki wraca do Lecha . Lech Poznań. 2 February 2022. 3 February 2022. pl.
  10. News: Nicht als Ersatz für Füllkrug oder Ducksch: Werder verpflichtet Kownacki. Kicker. 22 May 2023. 22 May 2023. de.
  11. News: Letzte Details geklärt: Kownacki kehrt auf Leihbasis zur Fortuna zurück . Final details finalised: Kownacki returns to Fortuna on loan . 20 August 2024 . Kicker . 20 August 2024 . German.
  12. News: Poland June Call-Ups for Georgia and Greece Released. 19 November 2015. PSN Futbol. 4 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150611183749/http://www.psnfutbol.com/2015/06/04/poland-june-call-ups-for-georgia-and-greece-released/. 11 June 2015. dead.
  13. News: Rosja 2018: Kownacki opuścił zgrupowanie kadry. Piłkarz pomoże młodzieżówce w eliminacjach. Radio Poland. 24 March 2018. pl.
  14. News: Sam. Wilson. 2018 World Cup team profiles: Poland boast potent frontline . Stuff. 10 June 2018. 22 May 2023.
  15. News: Adam. Bate. Dawid Kownacki has emerged as Poland back-up to Robert Lewandowski. Sky Sports. 19 June 2018. 22 May 2023.
  16. Web site: Dawid Kownacki. Soccerway. 24 July 2014.
  17. Web site: Kownacki, Dawid. national-football-teams.com. National Football Teams. 1 June 2021.
  18. Web site: Kownacki zawodnikiem miesiąca w Lotto Ekstraklasie . . 8 May 2024 . pl . 3 March 2017.