Grzegorz Lato

Club career

Stal Mielec

Lato was born in Malbork. He arrived at Stal Mielec as a teenager in 1966. Over the next 14 years, he led Stal from the Second Division to the top tier of Polish football and its most successful era in its history. During his time there, the club would go on to win the Ekstraklasa—the Polish First-Division—twice, in 1973 and 1976, as well as be regular participants in European competitions. This era of success culminated with their appearance at the quarter-finals of the 1975-76 UEFA Cup. He inspired the club's good form with his prolific goal scoring, amassing 111 goals in 272 appearances. He was the top scorer of the Ekstraklasa during the 1972–73 and 1974–75 seasons.

Later career

In 1980, having turned 30, Lato was finally free to leave Poland to pursue his career abroad. Despite his age, his international performances had garnered him interest. Lato ended up receiving a personal invitation from Pelé to play for the New York Cosmos. However, he ultimately decided on settling in Belgium playing for K.S.C. Lokeren, scoring 12 goals over 2 seasons. By 1982, Lato decided to move on, signing for Atlante F.C. in Mexico where he amassed 15 goals. In 1984, he played in Canada in one match in the National Soccer League. He spent the rest of the 1980s playing amateur football in Hamilton, Ontario for Polonia Hamilton—a club founded by Polish immigrants. In 1991 he decided to retire from football.

International career

Lato represented the Poland national team for 13 years during the 1970s and 80s earning a total of 100 caps. He won his first cap under legendary Poland coach Kazimierz Górski in a qualifying game for the 1972 European Championships against West-Germany. The game ended as 1–3 loss. He was able to translate his prolific domestic goal-scoring record onto the international stage, where he became renowned for his striking prowess, especially in big games.

World Cup

1974 World Cup

The highpoint of Lato's professional career came during the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. Poland had a tough first round, having been seeded in Group 4, along with Argentina and Italy as well as Haiti. Lato went on to have immediate impact. In Poland's first game against Argentina, he scored 2 goals leading Poland to a historic 3–2 win. Buoyed, Poland hammered Haiti in the next game 7–0, with Lato adding another 2 goals. Finally Poland beat Italy 2–1, to end the group-stage as undefeated winners of Group 4.

In the second round, Poland were seeded into Group B with West Germany, Sweden and Yugoslavia. Lato continued his great form as the tournament progressed. Poland defeated Sweden 1–0 and Yugoslavia 2–1, with Lato contributing the winning goals in both games. Poland's final game of the group of was against West Germany. The Germans had also defeated Sweden and Yugoslavia, tying both teams on points. Thus, the game would prove decisive in deciding who would finish Group B 1st or 2nd—the winner would go to the final, the loser would go to the third-place play-off. Poland played a strong game, often threatening the West-German goal. However, Lato was unable to score and Poland succumbed to a 1–0 defeat—their only loss of the tournament.

Poland's final game of the tournament was the third-place playoff against holders Brazil. In a tight game, Lato again proved to be the difference, scoring the only goal and leading the Poland national team to a Bronze finish. He ended the tournament as top goalscorer, having scored 7 goals.

1978 World Cup

Lato had arguably had been Poland's best player at the 1974 World Cup. However, by the time of the 1978 tournament in Argentina he was unable to replicate his great form. In the first round, Poland were seeded in Group 2 with West Germany, Mexico and Tunisia. Poland did well, winning the group by drawing 0–0 with West Germany, and winning against Tunisia and Mexico, 1–0 and 3–1 respectively. Lato, however, was only able to score one goal, albeit a decisive one against Tunisia.

In the second round, Poland found themselves in the "group of death" against Argentina and Brazil—both tournament favorites—and Peru. Lato couldn't resurrect his form from four years prior, only mustering a single goal against Brazil. Poland ultimately finished third place having been beaten by both the hosts Argentina and Brazil 0–2 and 1–3 respectively. Poland managed to beat Peru 1–0 but that wasn't enough to secure 2nd place in Group B and they were duly eliminated. Having played in all of Poland's 6 games, Lato ended the tournament with only 2 goals.

1982 World Cup

Lato was 32 by the time Poland qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. His age was getting the better of him and he lacked the electrifying pace that defined his earlier career. Lato was still a first team player, but during Poland's 7 games at the tournament he managed only a solitary goal in Poland's 5–1 thrashing of Peru in the first round. However, several players had risen in a new generation of great Polish players, chief among them Zbigniew Boniek—who scored a hat-trick against Belgium—were able to fill the void. Despite his lack of goals Lato still contributed to the team play and played and important role. In the end, Poland reached the third-place playoff against France. They went on to win 3–2 and Lato added another Bronze World Cup medal to his collection.

Olympic Games

Lato won medals at two Summer Olympics football competitions: a gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

His final game before retirement was on 17 April 1984, a friendly against Belgium. He was subbed off in the 85th and Poland lost the game 0–1. Lato amassed 45 goals and the third highest goal scoring total in Poland national team history, second only to that of Robert Lewandowski and Włodzimierz Lubański. He also had an impressive goal scoring record of 0.43 goals per game.http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060412/1/6ixx.html He was the first Polish player to reach a century of caps.

Managerial career

In 1996 he graduated from the School of Coaches of the Polish Football Association. After finishing his football career, he became a coach. Initially, he coached in Canada where he became manager of North York Rockets(1988–1990). He then returned to his old club Stal Mielec (1991–1993 and 1996–1997) before coaching several other Polish clubs: Olimpia Poznań (1993–1995) and Amica Wronki (1995–1996). He had a brief stint in Greece as manager of AO Kavala (1997) before he finally returned to Poland and eventually retired from managing with Widzew Łódź (1999).

After football

Lato, as a member of Democratic Left Alliance, was a Polish Senator for the Rzeszow region, between 2001 and 2005.

In October 2008, he was elected President of the Polish FA (PZPN). In a 2011 interview, Lato said that if Poland didn't progress to the Euro 2012 quarterfinals he would hand in his resignation from the position of President of the Polish FA. After Poland's 0–1 defeat by the Czech Republic on 16 June 2012—which officially knocked them out of Euro 2012 in the group stages—he refused to resign. He did not seek reelection and was replaced by Zbigniew Boniek, in October 2012.

On 29 November 2023, Lato was honored by being designated as the patron of the Mielec Municipal Stadium, in accordance with Resolution No. LXVIII/690/2023 of the Mielec City Council. A commemorative plaque recognizing this honor was unveiled during a ceremony on 23 July 2024.

Playing style

Blessed with remarkable acceleration, the talented right-winger consistently lived up to the high expectations placed upon him at the international level. Lato was not renowned as a crowd pleaser, but rather as a consistent team player. His great awareness on the pitch, coupled with his flexibility—he often played as a forward—allowed him to achieve success at the international and club levels.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

:Scores and results list Poland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lato goal.

Honours

Stal Mielec

• Ekstraklasa: 1972–73, 1975–76
• Polish Cup finalist: 1976

** Lokeren SC **

• Belgian Cup finalist: 1981

Atlante F.C.

• CONCACAF Champions Cup: 1983

Poland

• Olympic gold medal: 1972
• Olympic silver medal: 1976
• FIFA World Cup third place: 1974, 1982

Individual

• FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe: 1974
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1974
• Piłka Nożna Polish Footballer of the Year: 1977, 1981
• Sport Player of the Year: 1974, 1977
• Ekstraklasa top scorer: 1972–73, 1974–75
• World XI: 1974, 1975
• Sport Ideal European XI: 1974, 1975
• Polish Football Association National Team of the Century: 1919–2019

National

• Gold Cross of Merit: 1972
• Polish Football Association Golden Badge: 1972
• Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta: 1974
• Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta: 1982

References

References

1. "Player of the year – Poland".
2. Koep, Bob. (December 23, 1987). "Polish soccer star to coach Rockets". Toronto Star.
3. (3 February 2015). "HISTORY".
4. "Resolution No. LXVIII/690/2023".
5. (2023-10-26). "Grzegorz Lato dla Korso o nazwaniu jego imieniem Stadionu Miejskiego w Mielcu".
6. (2024-08-26). "Stadion w Mielcu oficjalnie nazwany imieniem Grzegorza Lato".
7. {{NFT. 17448
8. "Grzegorz Lato".
9. "Laureaci".
10. (7 November 2013). "Eric Batty's World XI – The Seventies".
11. "Sport 1974".
12. "Sport 1975".
13. (6 December 2019). "Poznaliśmy Reprezentację 100-lecia! Zobacz najlepszy zespół w historii Polski! - Federacja".
14. (1972). "Nowiny Rzeszowskie : organ KW Polskiej Zjednoczonej Partii Robotniczej. 1972, nr 242-268, 270-271".
15. (1972). "Nowiny Rzeszowskie : organ KW Polskiej Zjednoczonej Partii Robotniczej. 1972, nr 242-268, 270-271".