Maciej Żurawski
A Polish scoring maestro whose lethal left foot and iconic celebration made him a national hero during Euro 2008.
Born 1976 (age 50)·Polish footballer·Birthday: September 12·Generation X
Biography
Maciej Żurawski scored the winning goal against co-hosts Austria at Euro 2008, sprinting to the bench and donning a goalkeeper's jersey for his injured friend in an enduring image of Polish football passion. Known as 'Magic' to fans, he built his reputation with a striker's instinct and a wand of a left foot. He rose at Wisła Kraków, where his goal-scoring exploits made him a Polish league legend. A move to Celtic in 2005 saw him thrive in the Champions League atmosphere. After his playing days, he took on managerial roles in Poland's lower leagues.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Maciej was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Maciej Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Maciej's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Polish Ekstraklasa top scorer award twice while playing for Wisła Kraków.
- Scored the winning goal for Poland against Austria in the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament.
- Played UEFA Champions League football with both Celtic and Wisła Kraków.
- Earned 72 caps for the Poland national football team, scoring 17 goals.
Did You Know?
His celebratory gesture of putting on a goalkeeper's jersey after scoring at Euro 2008 was a tribute to injured teammate Tomasz Kuszczak.
He began his professional career as a midfielder before being converted to a forward.
He served as the manager of his boyhood club, Warta Poznań, in 2021.
“You don't need many chances if your left foot is true.”
