Tomasz Radzinski

Tomasz Radzinski (born 14 December 1973) is a former professional soccer player who played as a striker and winger. He featured for clubs including North York Rockets in Canada, Germinal Ekeren, Anderlecht (where he won the national championship twice), Lierse and Waasland-Beveren in Belgium, Everton and Fulham in England and Skoda Xanthi in Greece. Born in Poland, he represented Canada at international level having moved there as a teenager, receiving 46 full caps between 1995 and 2009.

Club career

Prior to his moving to Canada, Radziński began his playing career as a youth with Cuiavia Inowrocław in his native Poland, and Germany's VfL Osnabrück. He joined the North York Rockets of the Canadian Soccer League in 1990 and remained with the club through the league's demise in 1992 to the club's last year, played in the National Soccer League (NSL), in 1993. He played in the summer of 1994 with the St. Catharines Wolves (of the same league which however was by then renamed to the Canadian National Soccer League).

Radziński returned to Europe, joining Germinal Ekeren in Belgium in 1994. From there he eventually signed for Belgian giants Anderlecht for whom he scored 57 goals in 90 appearances – including five UEFA Champions League strikes in his last season with the Belgian champions – before moving to Everton for around £4.5 million, the highest transfer fee paid for a Canadian up to that time.

At Everton, Radziński scored 25 times in 91 Premiership outings before requesting a transfer, eventually securing a three-year deal with Fulham F.C. worth £1.75 million. Radzinski wasn't as prolific at Fulham as he was in his previous side, but won over the fans with several crucial goals. Radzinski was released at the end of the 2006–07 season by new manager Lawrie Sanchez, totalling 17 goals in 117 appearances.

On 28 August 2007, he signed for Greek team Skoda Xanthi, on a free transfer.

One year later, on 30 August 2008, he signed a one-year contract for Belgian Second Division club Lierse, although his previous contract was valid until 2010. Lierse first had their eye on Peter Utaka, but when he transferred to Odense, they elected to sign Radzinski. Radzinski had disclosed to the press his belief that members of Skoda Xanthi had been involved in match fixing and was seeking a transfer.

On 29 January 2012, Belgian Second Division side Waasland-Beveren announced they had signed Radzinski on a short-term deal until the end of the 2011–12 season with an option for an additional year.

International career

Radzinski made his debut for the Canada national team in a June 1995 friendly match against Turkey. He earned a total of 46 caps, scoring 10 goals making him tied 9th with Paul Peschisolido in all-time scoring for Canada.

File:Tomasz Radzinski.png

Radzinski after a Canada - Mexico second round World Cup qualifying match at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta on 16 October 2008.

In October 1999, Radzinski had been called up to the Canada national team by coach Holger Osieck, he promised to attend, failed to turn up and later refused to be interviewed about it. The Canadian Soccer Association approached FIFA to have Radzinski prevented from playing for Anderlecht as a result. Kevan Pipe, the head of the CSA called Radzinski's actions "an insult to his teammates, his coach and the country". In October 2001, he announced that he'd like to play for Canada again as they had a friendly against European opponents, Malta. He has represented Canada in 19 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. in three FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns (1998, 2006 and 2010)

He also holds a Belgian passport through his marriage.

Post-playing career

Radzinski was the technical director of Belgian soccer club Lierse S.K. from 2013 to 2015.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Canada	1995	4	0
	1996	7	1
	1997	2	0
	1998	0	0
	1999	0	0
	2000	0	0
	2001	1	0
	2002	2	2
	2003	3	2
	2004	7	2
	2005	2	0
	2006	4	1
	2007	4	1
	2008	9	1
	2009	1	0
Total		46	10

Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Radzinski goal.

List of international goals scored by Tomasz Radzinski

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	12 January 1996	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, United States	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Brazil	flag alias-1692 = Flag of the Princes of Brazil.svg	flag alias-1816 = Flag of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves.svg	flag alias-1822 = Flag of Brazil (1822-1853).svg	flag alias-1870 = Flag of Brazil (1853-1889).svg	flag alias = Flag of Brazil.svg	flag alias-1889 = Flag of Brazil (1889–1960).svg	flag alias-1960 = Flag of Brazil (1960–1968).svg	flag alias-1968 = Flag of Brazil (1968–1992).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Brazilian Army.svg	link alias-army = Brazilian Army	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Brazilian Air Force Command.svg	link alias-air force = Brazilian Air Force	link alias-naval = Brazilian Navy	flag alias-marines=Flag of the Brazilian Marine Corps.svg	link alias-marines=Brazilian Marine Corps	link alias-military = Brazilian Armed Forces	link alias-navy = Brazilian Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Brazilian Navy.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || style="text-align:center"|1–3 || style="text-align:center"|1–4 || 1996 Gold Cup
2	15 May 2002	Espenmoos, St. Gallen, Switzerland	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Switzerland	flag alias = Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg	link alias-army = Swiss Army	link alias-air force = Swiss Air Force	size =	size flag alias = 23x16px	sizebig flag alias = 25px	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || style="text-align:center"|1–0 || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"|3–1 || rowspan="2"|Friendly
3				3–0
4	11 October 2003	Ratina Stadium, Tampere, Finland	{{ 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 = }} || style="text-align:center"|1–3 || style="text-align:center"|2–3 || Friendly
5	15 November 2003	Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Czech Republic	flag alias = Flag of the Czech Republic.svg	flag alias-1990 = Flag of Bohemia.svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Czech Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Czech Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Czech Land Force.svg	link alias-army = Czech Land Forces	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football }} || style="text-align:center"|1–5 || style="text-align:center"|1–5 || Friendly
6	13 June 2004	Richardson Memorial Stadium, Kingston, Canada	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Belize	flag alias = Flag of Belize.svg	flag alias-1981 = Flag of Belize (1981–2019).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of Belize.svg	link alias-army = Belize Defence Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || style="text-align:center"|2–0 || style="text-align:center"|4–0 || 2006 World Cup qualification
7	16 June 2004	Richardson Memorial Stadium, Kingston, Canada	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Belize	flag alias = Flag of Belize.svg	flag alias-1981 = Flag of Belize (1981–2019).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of Belize.svg	link alias-army = Belize Defence Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || style="text-align:center"|1–0 || style="text-align:center"|4–0 || 2006 World Cup qualification
8	8 October 2006	National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Jamaica	flag alias = Flag of Jamaica.svg	flag alias-1875 = Flag of Jamaica (1875–1906).svg	flag alias-1906 = Flag of Jamaica (1906–1957).svg	flag alias-1957 = Flag of Jamaica (1957–1962).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Jamaica Defence Force.svg	link alias-army = Jamaica Defence Force	link alias-air force = Jamaica Defence Force Air Wing	flag alias-air force = Ensign of the Jamaica Defence Force Air Wing.svg	flag alias-coast guard = Naval ensign of Jamaica.svg	link alias-coast guard = Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard	flag alias-naval = Naval ensign of Jamaica.svg	link alias-naval = Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard	flag alias-navy = Naval ensign of Jamaica.svg	link alias-navy = Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || style="text-align:center"|1–0 || style="text-align:center"|1–2 || Friendly
9	25 March 2007	Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Bermuda	flag alias = Flag of Bermuda.svg	flag alias-1875 = Flag of Bermuda (1875–1910).svg	flag alias-1910 = Flag of Bermuda 1910.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || style="text-align:center"|2–0 || style="text-align:center"|3–0 || Friendly
10	15 October 2008	Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Mexico	flag alias = Flag of Mexico.svg	flag alias-1821a = Flag of the Three Guarantees.svg	flag alias-1821 = Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg	flag alias-1823 = Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1893).svg	flag alias-1864 = Imperial Standard of Mexico (1864-1867).svg	flag alias-1867 = Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1893).svg	flag alias-1893 = Flag of Mexico (1893-1916).svg	flag alias-1916 = Flag of Mexico (1916–1934).svg	flag alias-1934 = Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Mexican Air Force.svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Mexican Army.svg	link alias-army = Mexican Army	link alias-air force = Mexican Air Force	link alias-naval = Mexican Navy	flag alias-coast guard = Flag of the Mexican Maritime Search and Rescue.png	link alias-coast guard = Mexican Maritime Search and Rescue	flag alias-navy = Naval jack of Mexico.svg	link alias-navy = Mexican Navy	flag alias-marines = Estandarte Infantería de Marina de México.svg	link alias-marines = Mexican Naval Infantry Corps	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || style="text-align:center"|2–1 || style="text-align:center"|2–2 || 2010 World Cup qualifier

Honours

Germinal Ekeren

• Belgian Cup: 1996–97

Anderlecht

• Belgian First Division: 1999–2000, 2000–01
• Belgian Super Cup: 2000

Lierse

• Belgian Second Division: 2009–10

Individual

• Canada Soccer Player of the Year: 1998
• Belgian First Division Top Scorer: 2000–01
• Canada Soccer Hall of Fame: 2018

External links

• Template:First word Template:PAGENAMEBASE at SoccerbaseTemplate:EditAtWikidataTemplate:WikidataCheck
• Template:Canada Soccer player / Canada Soccer Hall of Fame
• ESPN Soccernet profile
• Template:NFT