Krzysztof Piątek (Polish pronunciation: [ˈkʂɨʂtɔf ˈpjɔntɛk]; born 1 July 1995) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Milan and the Poland national team.
He began his professional career with Ekstraklasa club Zagłębie Lubin. Over the course of four seasons, he scored 15 goals in 72 appearances for the team, before joining Cracovia in 2016, for whom he scored 32 goals across two seasons. In 2018, Piątek signed for Genoa in Italy's Serie A in a transfer worth €4 million. After 19 goals in 21 competitive games in his first half-season, he transferred to Milan in January 2019 for €35 million in Genoa's largest sale to date
Club career
Early career
Piątek began his career with local side Dziewiątka Dzierżoniów in 2006.[2] He then moved to Lechia Dzierżoniów of III liga in 2011.[3]
Zagłębie Lubin
Piątek signed for Zagłębie Lubin in 2013 and initially played in junior and reserve teams of the club. After the arrival of Piotr Stokowiec as the new coach, however, he was quickly promoted to the first team on 14 May 2014[3] and then made his Ekstraklasa debut on 18 May 2014 in a match against Cracovia.[4] Over the course of the next season, he became a regular starter for Zagłębie, who played in I liga, the second tier of Polish football. He scored his first senior career goal on 12 September 2014 in a 1–0 win to Chrobry Głogów and his first brace on 31 October 2014 at Widzew Łódź. After earning promotion with the club, Piątek scored his first league goal on 14 August 2015 in a 2–1 win against Lech Poznań and helped the team finish third in the 2015–16 Ekstraklasa season, earning a medal and qualifying for European competitions for the first time in club's history since the championship winning team of 2006–07.
He played a total number of 85 matches for Zagłębie and scored 18 times, including appearances in the Polish Cup and UEFA Europa League qualifying stages.
Cracovia
In 2016, Piątek joined fellow Polish side Cracovia and over the course of the next two seasons, he scored 32 league goals in 65 appearances for the club.[5] That tally included a haul of 21 goals during his second season which saw him end the 2017–18 Ekstraklasa campaign as the third top goalscorer in Poland.[6][7]
Genoa
On 8 June 2018, Piątek signed a four-year contract with Italian club Genoa for a reported fee of €4 million.[8] He scored four goals, including a hat-trick in the opening 19 minutes, on debut in a 4–0 Coppa Italia win over Lecce.[9] He made his Serie A debut on 26 August, scoring in the opening six minutes of the match in a 2–1 win over Empoli.[10] The following week, he scored his first brace of the season in a 5–3 loss to Sassuolo, which was followed by another strike in a 4–1 loss to Lazio, thus becoming the first player since Andriy Shevchenko in 1999 to score five goals in his first four Serie A appearances.[11]
During his following match, a 2–0 victory over Chievo, he scored his 10th goal across all competitions and in the process became the first player across Europe's major leagues to reach the milestone for the season.[12] On 30 September, Piątek scored a brace inside three minutes in a 2–1 win over Frosinone to make it 8 goals in six matches, the best start to a season by a debutant since Karl Aage Hansen in the 1949–50 campaign.[13] In his very next match, he became the first player since Gabriel Batistuta in the 1994–95 season to score in each of his first seven Serie A appearances when he netted in a 3–1 defeat to Parma.[14]
Milan
On 23 January 2019, Milan announced the signing of Piątek on a contract lasting until 30 June 2023,[15] for a reported fee of €35 million.[16] He was signed as a replacement for Gonzalo Higuaín, who joined Chelsea,[17] and he was assigned the number 19 shirt, previously worn by Leonardo Bonucci.[18]
Piątek made his debut for Milan on 26 January, in a goalless home draw against Napoli, as a 71st-minute substitute for Patrick Cutrone.[19] Three days later against the same opponents also at San Siro, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, and was given a standing ovation when he made way for Cutrone.[20] He was voted as the team's Most Valuable Player in the match by the fans.[21] On 3 February 2019, Piątek scored his first league goal away to Roma, which ended 1–1.[22] He then scored three goals in the next two consecutive matches: one against Cagliari Calcio and two against Atalanta, making him the fastest player to score six goals for the club in all competitions, overtaking club legend Nils Liedholm.[23][24] He also became the first Milan player to score in his first three starts in the league since Mario Balotelli in 2013.[25]
Ahead of the 2019–20 Serie A season, Piątek switched to the number 9 jersey.[26]
International career
Uncapped, Piątek was included in Poland's preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup,[27] but was one of 12 players cut from the final team for the tournament in Russia.[28]
He made his international debut on 11 September 2018, starting in a 1–1 friendly draw with the Republic of Ireland in Wrocław and making way for Mateusz Klich after 61 minutes.[29] Exactly one month later, he made his competitive debut in a UEFA Nations League match against Portugal and scored the opening goal in a 3–2 defeat.[30] On 21 March 2019, he scored his second international goal in a 1–0 win over Austria.
Style of play
Piątek is a classical "number 9" striker most efficient inside the opponent's penalty area, courtesy of his excellent positioning, accurate finishing, height, physical strength, and tenacity in aerial and/or physical challenges with opponents.[31] His team play outside the penalty area and playmaking abilities have been cited as areas for improvement.[32][33]
During his time in Genoa, Piątek played in a 3–5–2 formation as a main striker, usually on the left, most often supported by Christian Kouamé, a pacey forward with excellent dribbling and passing skills. In Milan, he became a lone striker in a 4–3–3 formation, supported by wingers on each side of the pitch.
Although flattered by the comparisons with a star compatriot Robert Lewandowski, Piątek has named Harry Kane as his role model.[34] He has also cited Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry as his childhood inspirations.[35]
Personal life
He is married to Paulina Procyk. The wedding took place on 1 June 2019.[36]
He is called by fans as "Il Pistolero" (the Gunslinger) due to his habit of Wild West celebration of gun-firing, associated with the 19th century United States
He began his professional career with Ekstraklasa club Zagłębie Lubin. Over the course of four seasons, he scored 15 goals in 72 appearances for the team, before joining Cracovia in 2016, for whom he scored 32 goals across two seasons. In 2018, Piątek signed for Genoa in Italy's Serie A in a transfer worth €4 million. After 19 goals in 21 competitive games in his first half-season, he transferred to Milan in January 2019 for €35 million in Genoa's largest sale to date
Club career
Early career
Piątek began his career with local side Dziewiątka Dzierżoniów in 2006.[2] He then moved to Lechia Dzierżoniów of III liga in 2011.[3]
Zagłębie Lubin
Piątek signed for Zagłębie Lubin in 2013 and initially played in junior and reserve teams of the club. After the arrival of Piotr Stokowiec as the new coach, however, he was quickly promoted to the first team on 14 May 2014[3] and then made his Ekstraklasa debut on 18 May 2014 in a match against Cracovia.[4] Over the course of the next season, he became a regular starter for Zagłębie, who played in I liga, the second tier of Polish football. He scored his first senior career goal on 12 September 2014 in a 1–0 win to Chrobry Głogów and his first brace on 31 October 2014 at Widzew Łódź. After earning promotion with the club, Piątek scored his first league goal on 14 August 2015 in a 2–1 win against Lech Poznań and helped the team finish third in the 2015–16 Ekstraklasa season, earning a medal and qualifying for European competitions for the first time in club's history since the championship winning team of 2006–07.
He played a total number of 85 matches for Zagłębie and scored 18 times, including appearances in the Polish Cup and UEFA Europa League qualifying stages.
Cracovia
In 2016, Piątek joined fellow Polish side Cracovia and over the course of the next two seasons, he scored 32 league goals in 65 appearances for the club.[5] That tally included a haul of 21 goals during his second season which saw him end the 2017–18 Ekstraklasa campaign as the third top goalscorer in Poland.[6][7]
Genoa
On 8 June 2018, Piątek signed a four-year contract with Italian club Genoa for a reported fee of €4 million.[8] He scored four goals, including a hat-trick in the opening 19 minutes, on debut in a 4–0 Coppa Italia win over Lecce.[9] He made his Serie A debut on 26 August, scoring in the opening six minutes of the match in a 2–1 win over Empoli.[10] The following week, he scored his first brace of the season in a 5–3 loss to Sassuolo, which was followed by another strike in a 4–1 loss to Lazio, thus becoming the first player since Andriy Shevchenko in 1999 to score five goals in his first four Serie A appearances.[11]
During his following match, a 2–0 victory over Chievo, he scored his 10th goal across all competitions and in the process became the first player across Europe's major leagues to reach the milestone for the season.[12] On 30 September, Piątek scored a brace inside three minutes in a 2–1 win over Frosinone to make it 8 goals in six matches, the best start to a season by a debutant since Karl Aage Hansen in the 1949–50 campaign.[13] In his very next match, he became the first player since Gabriel Batistuta in the 1994–95 season to score in each of his first seven Serie A appearances when he netted in a 3–1 defeat to Parma.[14]
Milan
On 23 January 2019, Milan announced the signing of Piątek on a contract lasting until 30 June 2023,[15] for a reported fee of €35 million.[16] He was signed as a replacement for Gonzalo Higuaín, who joined Chelsea,[17] and he was assigned the number 19 shirt, previously worn by Leonardo Bonucci.[18]
Piątek made his debut for Milan on 26 January, in a goalless home draw against Napoli, as a 71st-minute substitute for Patrick Cutrone.[19] Three days later against the same opponents also at San Siro, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, and was given a standing ovation when he made way for Cutrone.[20] He was voted as the team's Most Valuable Player in the match by the fans.[21] On 3 February 2019, Piątek scored his first league goal away to Roma, which ended 1–1.[22] He then scored three goals in the next two consecutive matches: one against Cagliari Calcio and two against Atalanta, making him the fastest player to score six goals for the club in all competitions, overtaking club legend Nils Liedholm.[23][24] He also became the first Milan player to score in his first three starts in the league since Mario Balotelli in 2013.[25]
Ahead of the 2019–20 Serie A season, Piątek switched to the number 9 jersey.[26]
International career
Uncapped, Piątek was included in Poland's preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup,[27] but was one of 12 players cut from the final team for the tournament in Russia.[28]
He made his international debut on 11 September 2018, starting in a 1–1 friendly draw with the Republic of Ireland in Wrocław and making way for Mateusz Klich after 61 minutes.[29] Exactly one month later, he made his competitive debut in a UEFA Nations League match against Portugal and scored the opening goal in a 3–2 defeat.[30] On 21 March 2019, he scored his second international goal in a 1–0 win over Austria.
Style of play
Piątek is a classical "number 9" striker most efficient inside the opponent's penalty area, courtesy of his excellent positioning, accurate finishing, height, physical strength, and tenacity in aerial and/or physical challenges with opponents.[31] His team play outside the penalty area and playmaking abilities have been cited as areas for improvement.[32][33]
During his time in Genoa, Piątek played in a 3–5–2 formation as a main striker, usually on the left, most often supported by Christian Kouamé, a pacey forward with excellent dribbling and passing skills. In Milan, he became a lone striker in a 4–3–3 formation, supported by wingers on each side of the pitch.
Although flattered by the comparisons with a star compatriot Robert Lewandowski, Piątek has named Harry Kane as his role model.[34] He has also cited Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry as his childhood inspirations.[35]
Personal life
He is married to Paulina Procyk. The wedding took place on 1 June 2019.[36]
He is called by fans as "Il Pistolero" (the Gunslinger) due to his habit of Wild West celebration of gun-firing, associated with the 19th century United States
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