Krzysztof Warzycha - Greece Index

Krystof “Krzysztof” Warzycha Biography

Krzysztof Warzycha was born in November 17, 1964 in Katowice, is a former Polish professional footballer who played for Greek club Panathinaikos FC.

Krzysztof Warzycha is Panathinaikos’ all-time leading goals scorer (the highest in the history of Greek football) and an idol for the club. He also played 50 times for the Polish national team, scoring 9 goals.

Krzysztof Warzycha Football Career 1989-2004

Words are too poor to descide Krzysztof Warzycha’s contribution to Panathinaikos. He came unknown one afternoon in December 1989 from Ruch Horzof and at the airport the only people that greated him was the Panathinaikos management. Panathinaikos at that time was looking for a clas striker to compliment Dimitris Saravakos and when he was singed most fans did not expect much from this unknown 26-year-old Pole. Giorgos Vardinogiannis, the Panathinaikos owner at that time trusted the words or Kazimir Gorski, a Polish coach who had won the double with PAO in 76/77 but also coached Olympiacos with great success too, saying to Vardinogiannis “Take Warzycha to PAO You won’t regret it”.

Over the years he was to form lethal partnerships with Dimitris Saravakos and Juan Jose Borelli bringing Panathinaikos fans to their feet countless times.

Krzysztof Warzycha’s debuted against AEK F.C. coming on as a sub in a 0-0 draw but was to break his duck in the next game vs Appolo Athens at Rizoupoli. 8 years later it would be the same ground where he would break Antonis Antoniadis’ all-time goal scoring record.

Krzysztof Warzycha has set goal scoring records at Panathinaikos which may never be broken. He scored 244 league goals, just 16 short of AEK’s Thomas Mavros‘ 261 which is the most ever making Warzycha 2nd top goal scorer of all time. This is already a massive feat, but what makes it bigger is the fact Warzycha only came to Panathinaiko at 26.

His highest moment was in the 95-96 seasons where with PAO he reached the semi-final of the Champions League scoring in PAO’s 1-0 victory vs the Great Ajax team of the mid-90’s. He scored 6 goals in that campaign for Panathinaiko.

Krzysztof Warzycha has been honoured many times. Not only by PAO and it’s fans, but from the opposition too. One of the biggest honours was being awarded a plaque by International Federation of History and statistics for being the 3rd highest scorer of all time still active in 2002-03 season.

But possibly his greatest ever ovations where at Olympiakos’ Karaiskaki in 1994-95 season when he was subbed and given a standing ovation by PAO’s bitter rivals as he was by the fans of AEK in the 1997-98 season when he was again subbed and given a standing ovation from the AEK faithful at the Nikos Goumas Stadium.