Jan Furtok
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography
Jan Furtok (9 March 1962 – 26 November 2024) was a Polish professional footballer who played as a striker.[1] Regarded as the greatest player in GKS Katowice's history,[2] 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.[3]
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 and 1987–88 league campaigns, accordingly. With 122 goals in 299 appearances across all competitions, he is the best goalscorer in GKS Katowice's history.[4] GKS retired the number 9 in honour of Furtok's service to the club.[5]
Furtok played for the Poland national team, scoring 10 goals across 36 appearances.[6] He was a participant at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.[7] His goal scored by hand rescued Poland from humiliating goalless home draw against San Marino in 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification.[8]
Death
Furtok had been suffering from Alzheimer's for years. He was diagnosed in 2015.[9] Furtok died on 26 November 2024, at the age of 62.[10][9] 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.[11]
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.[12] 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.[13]
In May 2025, he was inducted into the Ekstraklasa Hall of Fame.[14]
Career statistics
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Total | 36[7] | 10 | |
- Scores and results list Poland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Furtok goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 December 1985 | Altay Alsancak Stadium, İzmir, Turkey | {{ Template:Yesno | alias = Turkey | flag alias = Flag of Turkey.svg | link alias-naval = Turkish Naval Forces | link alias-navy = Turkish Navy | link alias-air force = Turkish Air Force | link alias-army = Turkish Land Forces | link alias-military = Turkish Armed Forces | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | altvar = football | variant =
}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|1–1 || Friendly | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 18 March 1987 | Municipal Stadium, Rybnik, Poland | {{ Template:Yesno | alias = Finland | flag alias = Flag of Finland.svg | flag alias-grand duchy = Flag of Russia.svg | flag alias-1809 = Flag of Russia.svg | flag alias-1917 = Flag of Finland 1918 (state).svg | flag alias-1918 = Flag of Finland (1918-1920).svg | flag alias-1920 = Flag of Finland.svg | flag alias-state = Flag of Finland (state).svg | flag alias-state-1918 = Flag of Finland 1918-1920 (State).svg | flag alias-state-1920 = Flag of Finland 1920-1978 (State).svg | flag alias-naval = Military Flag of Finland.svg | border-naval = | flag alias-naval-1918 = Flag of Finland 1918-1920 (Military).svg | border-naval-1918 = | flag alias-naval-1920 = Flag of Finland 1920-1978 (Military).svg | border-naval-1920 = | link alias-naval = Finnish Navy | flag alias-navy = Naval Jack of Finland.svg | link alias-navy = Finnish Navy | link alias-air force = Finnish Air Force | flag alias-military = Military flag of Finland.svg | link alias-military = Finnish Defence Forces | flag alias-army = Military flag of Finland.svg | link alias-army = Finnish Army | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | variant =
}} || align="center"|3–1 || align="center"|3–1 || Friendly | ||
| 3 | 24 March 1987 | Olympic Stadium, Wrocław, Poland | {{safesubst: Template:Yesno | alias = Norway | flag alias = Flag of Norway.svg | flag alias-old kingdom = Royal Standard of Norway.svg | flag alias-1814 = Flag of Norway (1814–1821).svg | flag alias-1818 = Swedish and Norwegian merchant flag 1818-1844.svg | flag alias-1844 = Norge-Unionsflagg-1844.svg | flag alias-state = Flag of Norway, state.svg | border-state = | flag alias-army = Flag of the Norwegian Army.svg | border-army = | link alias-army = Norwegian Army | flag alias-war = Flag of Norway, state.svg | link alias-war = Norwegian Armed Forces | border-war = | flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Norway.svg | border-naval = | link alias-naval = Royal Norwegian Navy | flag alias-air force = Royal Norwegian Air Force Flag.svg | border-air force = | link alias-air force = Royal Norwegian Air Force | flag alias-navy = Flag of Norway, state.svg | border-navy = | link alias-navy = Royal Norwegian Navy | flag alias-coast guard = Norwegian Coast Guard Racing Stripe.svg | link alias-coast guard = Norwegian Coast Guard | border-coast guard = | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | variant =
}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|4–1 || Friendly |
| 4 | 24 August 1988 | Municipal Stadium, Białystok, Poland | {{ Template:Yesno | alias = Bulgaria | flag alias = Flag of Bulgaria.svg | flag alias-digital = Flag of Bulgaria (digital).svg | flag alias-1878 = Flag of Bulgaria.svg | flag alias-1947 = Flag of Bulgaria (1946–1948).svg | flag alias-1948 = Flag of Bulgaria (1948–1967).svg | flag alias-1968 = Flag of Bulgaria (1967-1971).svg | flag alias-1971 = Flag of Bulgaria (1971–1990).svg | flag alias-naval-1879 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria (1878-1944).svg | flag alias-naval-1949 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria (1949-1955).svg | flag alias-naval-1955 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria (1955-1990).svg | flag alias-naval-1991 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria 1991-2005.svg | flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria.svg | link alias-naval = Bulgarian Navy | flag alias-army = War flag of Bulgaria.svg | link alias-army = Bulgarian Land Forces | link alias-air force = Bulgarian Air Force | flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria.svg | link alias-navy = Bulgarian Navy | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | variant = 1971
}} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|3–2 || Friendly | |||||||
| 5 | 21 September 1988 | Stadion der Freundschaft, Cottbus, East Germany | {{ Template:Yesno | alias = East Germany | flag alias = Flag of East Germany.svg | flag alias-1949 = Flag of Germany.svg | flag alias-navy = Flag of warships of VM (East Germany).svg | link alias-navy = Volksmarine | flag alias-naval = Flag of warships of VM (East Germany).svg | link alias-naval = Volksmarine | flag alias-army = Flag of NVA (East Germany).svg | link alias-army = Land Forces of the National People's Army | flag alias-military = Flag of NVA (East Germany).svg | link alias-military = National People's Army | link alias-air force = Air Forces of the National People's Army | flag alias-EUA = German Olympic flag (1959-1968).svg | link alias-tennis = Germany {{{mw}}} Cup team | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | altvar = football | variant =
}} || align="center"|1–1 || rowspan="2" align="center"|2–1 || rowspan="2"|Friendly | |||||||||||
| 6 | 2–1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 2 May 1989 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | {{safesubst: Template:Yesno | alias = Norway | flag alias = Flag of Norway.svg | flag alias-old kingdom = Royal Standard of Norway.svg | flag alias-1814 = Flag of Norway (1814–1821).svg | flag alias-1818 = Swedish and Norwegian merchant flag 1818-1844.svg | flag alias-1844 = Norge-Unionsflagg-1844.svg | flag alias-state = Flag of Norway, state.svg | border-state = | flag alias-army = Flag of the Norwegian Army.svg | border-army = | link alias-army = Norwegian Army | flag alias-war = Flag of Norway, state.svg | link alias-war = Norwegian Armed Forces | border-war = | flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Norway.svg | border-naval = | link alias-naval = Royal Norwegian Navy | flag alias-air force = Royal Norwegian Air Force Flag.svg | border-air force = | link alias-air force = Royal Norwegian Air Force | flag alias-navy = Flag of Norway, state.svg | border-navy = | link alias-navy = Royal Norwegian Navy | flag alias-coast guard = Norwegian Coast Guard Racing Stripe.svg | link alias-coast guard = Norwegian Coast Guard | border-coast guard = | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | variant =
}} || align="center"|1–0 || rowspan="2" align="center"|3–0 || rowspan="2"|Friendly |
| 8 | 2–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 16 October 1991 | Municipal Stadium, Poznań, Poland | {{safesubst: Template:Yesno | alias = Republic of Ireland | shortname alias = Ireland | flag alias = Flag of Ireland.svg | link alias-naval = Irish Naval Service | flag alias-air force = Flag of the Irish Air Corps.svg | link alias-air force = Irish Air Corps | flag alias-army = Flag of the Irish Defence Forces.svg | link alias-army = Irish Army | link alias-navy = Irish Naval Service | link alias-football = Republic of Ireland national football team | name alias-football = Republic of Ireland | link alias-futsal = Republic of Ireland national football team | name alias-futsal = Republic of Ireland | link alias-beachsoccer = Republic of Ireland national football team | name alias-beachsoccer = Republic of Ireland | flag alias-rugby union = Flag placeholder.svg | border-rugby union = | flag alias-cricket = Flag placeholder.svg | border-cricket = | link alias-netball = Republic of Ireland national netball team | name alias-netball = Republic of Ireland | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | altvar = football | variant =
}} || align="center"|2–3 || align="center"|3–3 || UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying | ||||
| 10 | 28 April 1993 | Widzew Stadium, Łódź, Poland | {{ Template:Yesno | alias = San Marino | flag alias = Flag of San Marino.svg | flag alias-1465 = Old Flag of San Marino.svg | flag alias-1862 = Flag of San Marino (1862–2011).svg | flag alias-civil = Flag of San Marino (civil).svg | link alias-army = Sammarinese Armed Forces | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | variant = 1862
}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|1–0 || 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
GKS Katowice
- Polish Cup: 1985–86[7]
Individual
Individual
- Ekstraklasa Hall of Fame: 2025[14]
References
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External links
- Template:Fussballdaten
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- 1962 births
- 2024 deaths
- Footballers from Katowice
- Polish men's footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- Poland men's international footballers
- 1986 FIFA World Cup players
- GKS Katowice players
- Hamburger SV players
- Eintracht Frankfurt players
- Ekstraklasa players
- Bundesliga players
- Polish football managers
- GKS Katowice managers
- Polish expatriate men's footballers
- Polish expatriate sportspeople in Germany
- Expatriate men's footballers in Germany
- Expatriate men's footballers in West Germany
- Polish expatriate sportspeople in West Germany
- Officers of the Order of Polonia Restituta
- Polish sports executives and administrators
- Polish football executives
- Association football players with retired numbers
- 20th-century Polish sportsmen