View source for Jan Furtok

{{Short description|Polish footballer (1962–2024)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jan Furtok
| image = FURTOK (3x4 cropped).jpg
| caption = Furtok in 2010
| full_name = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1962|3|9}}
| birth_place = [[Katowice]], [[Polish People's Republic|Poland]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2024|11|26|1962|3|9}}
| death_place = Katowice, Poland
| height = 1.74 m
| position = [[Striker (association football)|Striker]]
| youthyears1 = 1976–1977
| youthclubs1 = MK Górnik Katowice
| youthyears2 = 1977–1978
| youthclubs2 = [[GKS Katowice]]
| years1 = 1979–1988
| clubs1 = [[GKS Katowice]]
| caps1 = 169
| goals1 = 77
| years2 = 1988–1993
| clubs2 = [[Hamburger SV]]
| caps2 = 135
| goals2 = 51
| years3 = 1993–1995
| clubs3 = [[Eintracht Frankfurt]]
| caps3 = 53
| goals3 = 9
| years4 = 1995–1998
| clubs4 = [[GKS Katowice]]
| caps4 = 40
| goals4 = 8
| totalcaps = 397
| totalgoals = 145
| nationalyears1 = 1984–1993
| nationalteam1 = [[Poland national football team|Poland]]
| nationalcaps1 = 36
| nationalgoals1 = 10
| manageryears1 = 2005
| managerclubs1 = [[GKS Katowice]]
}}

'''Jan Furtok''' (9 March 1962 – 26 November 2024) was a Polish professional [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[striker (association football)|striker]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/1994-95/10828/vereinsspieler_jan-furtok.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121017172931/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/1994-95/10828/vereinsspieler_jan-furtok.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 17 October 2012 | title = Furtok, Jan | language = de | publisher = [[Kicker (magazine)|Kicker]] | access-date = 23 April 2011}}</ref> Regarded as the greatest player in [[GKS Katowice]]'s history,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sroka |first1=Jacek |title=Takiego Jana Furtoka pamiętamy. Wspomnienie legendy GKS Katowice |url=https://gol24.pl/takiego-jana-furtoka-pamietamy-wspomnienie-legendy-gks-katowice/ar/c2p2-27029561 |website=gol24.pl |access-date=30 November 2024 |language=pl |date=29 November 2024}}</ref> he is the club's all-time best goalscorer.

==Career==
Born in [[Katowice]], Furtok spent the early and latter parts of his career playing for his hometown club [[GKS Katowice]], with a seven-year stint in (West) German clubs [[Hamburger SV]] and [[Eintracht Frankfurt]] in-between.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/players/furtokdata.html | title = Jan Furtok – Matches and Goals in Bundesliga | first = Matthias | last = Arnhold | date = 25 August 2016 | access-date = 8 September 2016 | publisher = [[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|RSSSF]]}}</ref>

With GKS, he won the 1985–86 [[Polish Cup]], the club's first major domestic achievement. He then led the Silesian side to third-place and second-place finishes in the [[1986–87 Ekstraklasa|1986–87]] and [[1987–88 Ekstraklasa|1987–88]] league campaigns, accordingly. With 122 goals in 299 appearances across all competitions, he is the best goalscorer in GKS Katowice's history.<ref>{{cite web |title=W Katowicach pożegnano Jana Furtoka |url=https://sport.tvp.pl/83741483/w-katowicach-pozegnano-jana-furtoka |website=sport.tvp.pl |access-date=30 November 2024 |language=pl |date=29 November 2024}}</ref> GKS retired the number 9 in honour of Furtok's service to the club.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Malinowski |first1=Marcin |title=Furtok: Nie czułem się dumny |url=https://igol.pl/furtok-nie-czulem-sie-dumny/ |website=igol.pl |access-date=30 November 2024 |language=pl |date=19 February 2013}}</ref>

Furtok played for the [[Poland national football team|Poland national team]], scoring 10 goals across 36 appearances.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/furtok-intl.html | title = Jan Furtok – International Appearances | first = Matthias | last = Arnhold | date = 25 August 2016 | access-date = 8 September 2016 | publisher = [[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|RSSSF]]}}</ref> He was a participant at the [[1986 FIFA World Cup]].<ref name="x361">{{cite web | title=Jan Furtok | website=Munzinger Biographie | url=https://www.munzinger.de/register/portrait/biographien/furtok%20jan/01/2739 | language=de | access-date=26 November 2024}}</ref> His goal scored by hand rescued [[Poland national football team|Poland]] from humiliating goalless home draw against [[San Marino national football team|San Marino]] in [[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)|1994 FIFA World Cup qualification]].<ref name="v251">{{cite web | last=Furtok | first=Jan | last2=Furtok | first2=Anna | title=Biblioteka Piłkarstwa Polskiego | website=Biblioteka Piłkarstwa Polskiego | date=28 April 1993 | url=https://www.laczynaspilka.pl/biblioteka/kroniki/chlopak-z-katowic | language=pl | access-date=26 November 2024}}</ref>

==Death==
Furtok had been suffering from [[Alzheimer]]'s for years. He was diagnosed in 2015.<ref name="v454" /> Furtok died on 26 November 2024, at the age of 62.<ref>{{cite news |title=Zmarł Jan Furtok. Były reprezentant Polski miał 62 lata |url=https://sport.interia.pl/pilka-nozna/news-zmarl-jan-furtok-byly-reprezentant-polski-mial-62-lata,nId,7863768 |access-date=26 November 2024 |publisher=Interia Sport |date=26 November 2024}}</ref><ref name="v454">{{cite web | title=Ehemaliger HSV- und Eintracht-Stürmer: Jan Furtok ist tot | website=[[Der Spiegel]] | date=26 November 2024 | url=https://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussball/fussball-jan-furtok-ex-stuermer-fuer-hamburger-sv-und-eintracht-frankfurt-ist-tot-a-722f2443-c742-4b58-a381-f9eb7f243c85 | language=de | access-date=26 November 2024}}</ref> Posthumously, the [[President of Poland]], [[Andrzej Duda]], awarded him the Officer's Cross of the [[Order of Polonia Restituta]]. His funeral took place on 29 November 2024 at the cemetery of the Holy Trinity Parish in [[Katowice]]. The ceremony was attended by prominent figures, including [[Jan Urban]], [[Jerzy Brzęczek]], [[Lukas Podolski]], and representatives from [[GKS Katowice]] and [[Górnik Zabrze]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pogrzeb Jana Furtoka. Piłkarz pośmiertnie odznaczony. Poruszające sceny na oczach gwiazd |url=https://sport.interia.pl/pilka-nozna/news-jan-furtok-z-posmiertnym-odznaczeniem-wzruszajace-sceny-wszy,nId,7866071 |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=sport.interia.pl |language=pl}}</ref>

== Commemoration ==
On 29 November 2024, the [[Polish Football Association]] announced that all matches of the I, II, and III leagues played between 29 November and 2 December would be preceded by a minute of silence in memory of Furtok.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Minuta ciszy przed meczami Betclic 1., 2. oraz 3. Ligi |url=https://pzpn.pl/federacja/aktualnosci/2024-11-29/minuta-ciszy-przed-meczami-betclic-1-2-oraz-3-ligi |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=[[Polish Football Association]] |language=pl}}</ref> A similar announcement was made by the [[Ekstraklasa]]. However, the minute of silence for Furtok was not observed by [[Ruch Chorzów]] before their match against [[Odra Opole]], which sparked controversy and various reactions from fans and the public.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-01 |title=Ruch Chorzów nie uczcił pamięci Jana Furtoka, choć minutę ciszy na meczach ogłosił PZPN. Klub z Cichej nie komentuje tej decyzji |url=https://gol24.pl/ruch-chorzow-nie-uczcil-pamieci-jana-furtoka-choc-minute-ciszy-na-meczach-oglosil-pzpn-klub-z-cichej-nie-komentuje-tej-decyzji/ar/c2p2-27044363 |website=gol24.pl}}</ref>

In May 2025, he was inducted into the [[Ekstraklasa]] Hall of Fame.<ref name=HOF>{{cite web |title=Trzy statuetki dla Lecha Poznań. Wybrano najlepszych w sezonie 2024/25 |url=https://www.ekstraklasa.org/aktualnosci/20024/trzy-statuetki-dla-lecha-poznan-wybrano-najlepszych-w-sezonie-2024-25 |publisher=[[Ekstraklasa]] |access-date=26 May 2025 |language=pl |date=26 May 2025}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="10"|[[Poland national football team|Poland]]
|1984||1||0
|-
|1985||3||1
|-
|1986||3||0
|-
|1987||4||2
|-
|1988||6||3
|-
|1989||5||2
|-
|1990||3||0
|-
|1991||6||1
|-
|1992||0||0
|-
|1993||5||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!36<ref name="x361" />!!10
|}

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

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Jan Furtok
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align="center"|1 || 11 December 1985 || [[Alsancak Mustafa Denizli Stadium|Altay Alsancak Stadium]], [[İzmir]], Turkey || {{fb|TUR}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|1–1 || [[Exhibition game#International football|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center"|2 || 18 March 1987 || [[Rybnik Stadium|Municipal Stadium]], [[Rybnik]], Poland || {{fb|FIN}} || align="center"|3–1 || align="center"|3–1 || Friendly
|-
| align="center"|3 || 24 March 1987 || [[Olympic Stadium (Wrocław)|Olympic Stadium]], [[Wrocław]], Poland || {{fb|NOR}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|4–1 || Friendly
|-
| align="center"|4 || 24 August 1988 || [[Białystok Stadium|Municipal Stadium]], [[Białystok]], Poland || {{fb|BUL|1971}} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|3–2 || Friendly
|-
| align="center"|5 || rowspan="2"|21 September 1988 || rowspan="2"|[[Stadion der Freundschaft (Cottbus)|Stadion der Freundschaft]], [[Cottbus]], [[East Germany]] || rowspan="2"|{{fb|GDR}} || align="center"|1–1 || rowspan="2" align="center"|2–1 || rowspan="2"|Friendly
|-
| align="center"|6 || align="center"|2–1
|-
| align="center"|7 || rowspan="2"|2 May 1989 || rowspan="2"|[[Ullevaal Stadion]], [[Oslo]], Norway || rowspan="2"|{{fb|NOR}} || align="center"|1–0 || rowspan="2" align="center"|3–0 || rowspan="2"|Friendly
|-
| align="center"|8 || align="center"|2–0
|-
| align="center"|9 || 16 October 1991 || [[Poznań Stadium|Municipal Stadium]], [[Poznań]], Poland || {{fb|IRL}} || align="center"|2–3 || align="center"|3–3 || [[UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying]]
|-
| align="center"|10 || 28 April 1993 || [[Widzew Łódź Stadium|Widzew Stadium]], [[Łódź]], Poland || {{fb|SMR|1862}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|1–0 || [[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|}

==Honours==
'''GKS Katowice'''
* [[Polish Cup]]: 1985–86<ref name="x361" />

'''Individual'''
* [[Piłka Nożna magazine plebiscite|Polish Newcomer of the Year]]: 1984<ref>{{cite web |title=Laureaci |url=https://pilkanozna.pl/laureaci/ |website=pilkanozna.pl |access-date=16 July 2024 |language=pl}}</ref>
'''Individual'''
* [[Ekstraklasa]] Hall of Fame: 2025<ref name=HOF/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Fussballdaten|furtokjan}}
* {{WorldFootball.net|jan-furtok}}
* {{NFT|15906}}
* {{cite web | title=Spielerprofil | website=DFB Datencenter | url=https://datencenter.dfb.de/datencenter/personen/jan-furtok/spieler | language=de | ref={{sfnref|DFB Datencenter}} | access-date=26 November 2024}}

{{Poland squad 1986 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Polish Newcomer of the Year Award}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Furtok, Jan}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Katowice]]
[[Category:Polish men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Poland men's international footballers]]
[[Category:1986 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:GKS Katowice players]]
[[Category:Hamburger SV players]]
[[Category:Eintracht Frankfurt players]]
[[Category:Ekstraklasa players]]
[[Category:Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:Polish football managers]]
[[Category:GKS Katowice managers]]
[[Category:Polish expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Polish expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in West Germany]]
[[Category:Polish expatriate sportspeople in West Germany]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of Polonia Restituta]]
[[Category:Polish sports executives and administrators]]
[[Category:Polish football executives]]
[[Category:Association football players with retired numbers]]
[[Category:20th-century Polish sportsmen]]