Tomasz Radzinski
A jet-heeled striker who traded Poland for Canada and became a cult hero at Everton, famed for his blistering pace and crucial goals.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Polish-born soccer player·Birthday: December 14·Generation X
Biography
Tomasz Radzinski finished as the top scorer in the Belgian First Division with Germinal Ekeren after emigrating from Poland to Canada as a teenager. His electric pace made him a nightmare for defenders at Anderlecht. At Everton, his work rate and knack for important goals — including a famous winner at Anfield — endeared him to the Goodison Park faithful. Born in 1973, he earned 46 caps for the Canadian national team over 14 years, proudly wearing the maple leaf. His career was a transatlantic sprint, using sheer speed to forge a successful life across three continents.
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.
Tomasz was born in 1973, 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 Tomasz Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Tomasz's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
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
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
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
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
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
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Finished as the top scorer in the Belgian First Division in the 1999–2000 season with 24 goals for Anderlecht.
- Scored 25 goals in 91 Premier League appearances for Everton, becoming a key player for the club.
- Earned 46 international caps for Canada, representing them over a 14-year period.
- Won two Belgian League titles and a Belgian Supercup during his time with R.S.C. Anderlecht.
Did You Know?
He holds a degree in International Commerce from the University of Leuven in Belgium.
Radzinski scored the winning goal for Everton in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield in 2004.
He began his senior club career with the North York Rockets in the Canadian National Soccer League.
After retiring, he worked as a players' agent and also served as a director at his former Belgian club, Waasland-Beveren.
“I was always the fastest player on the pitch, and that was my weapon.”
