Wojciech Szczesny is one of the most recognised goalkeepers in European football in recent years.
The Polish shot-stopper played for clubs such as Arsenal, AS Roma and Juventus before deciding to announce his retirement in August 2024 to dedicate more time to his family.
However, two months later, he ended up performing a U-turn on his retirement as he signed for Barcelona to provide cover after the injury to Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Szczesny reflects on Barcelona signing
In an interview with GQ (h/t SPORT), the Polish goalkeeper explained why he accepted a return to competition after having decided to leave everything behind:
“Three days before announcing my retirement, I even told Lewandowski that I did not want to play for any club anymore, unless it was Barcelona.
“When they called, they probably knew they could convince me. It is not that I had lost my passion for football, I simply was not excited by the offers.”
He also made a surprising revelation about his contract: “I played my first season in Barcelona for free. What I received from Barcelona was exactly what I had to return to Juve for terminating my contract early.”
Szczesny joined Barcelona in 2024. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Szczesny spoke about his relationship with food and physical control at elite level, saying:
“Footballers are not allowed to gain weight. Contracts include severe financial penalties. I like to eat, and although I manage to stay within the weight limit, I broke Barcelona’s body fat record.”
The Polish veteran even described the teasing in the dressing room because of the same: “Once, Lewy [Lewandowski], making fun of me in the Polish national team dressing room, said: ‘How could Szczęsny have such a career with that body?’”
The 35-year-old shot-stopper spoke candidly about his childhood and his relationship with his father, the former goalkeeper Maciej Szczesny, saying:
“As a child, I was simply afraid of my father. I do not mean fear of physical pain or that he would kick my backside, but that he would deliberately embarrass me in public in front of strangers. He left me thinking: ‘Dad, why are you doing this to me?’”
Szczesny also dismissed the idea that his destiny as a goalkeeper had been written since childhood:
“I never saw my career as a duel with him. I went to training convinced that I would be a striker, not a goalkeeper. It was the coaches who decided that I would play between the posts.”