Jan Tomaszewski
The Polish goalkeeper whose heroic performance against England in 1973 denied them a World Cup spot and announced Poland as a football force.
Born 1948 (age 78)·Polish footballer·Birthday: January 9·Baby Boomers
Biography
Jan Tomaszewski entered football history not just as a world-class keeper, but as the man England manager Brian Clough infamously called 'a clown' before a decisive 1973 World Cup qualifier. Tomaszewski responded with a performance of breathtaking defiance, making a series of stunning saves to secure a 1-1 draw at Wembley that eliminated England and sent Poland to the 1974 finals. There, he was a cornerstone of Poland's brilliant third-place team, named the tournament's best goalkeeper. Agile, commanding, and fiercely competitive, he played with a theatrical flair that captivated fans. His career, which included an Olympic silver medal, made him a national hero and symbolized Poland's rise on the international stage during a challenging period in the country's history.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Jan was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Jan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named the Best Goalkeeper of the 1974 FIFA World Cup after leading Poland to a third-place finish.
- His legendary performance at Wembley in 1973 directly prevented England from qualifying for the 1974 World Cup.
- Won a silver medal with the Polish national team at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
- Earned 63 caps for the Polish national team during the 1970s.
Did You Know?
After his football career, he served as a member of the Polish Senate from 2011 to 2015.
He worked for many years as a sharp-tongued and popular football television commentator in Poland.
He began his career as a striker before switching to goalkeeper in his teens.
The famous 'clown' comment by Brian Clough was made during a live ITV broadcast before the 1973 match.
“When I heard Clough call me a clown, I knew we would win. It gave me enormous strength.”
