 Załuska withKorona Kielce in 2006 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Łukasz Załuska | ||
| Date of birth | (1982-06-16)16 June 1982 (age 43) | ||
| Place of birth | Wysokie Mazowieckie, Poland | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Wisła Kraków (goalkeeping coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1997–1998 | Ruch Wysokie Mazowieckie | ||
| 1998–2000 | MSP Szamotuły | ||
| 2000 | Sparta Oborniki | ||
| 2000–2001 | Zryw Zielona Góra | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2002 | Stomil Olsztyn | 3 | (0) |
| 2002–2004 | Legia Warsaw | 0 | (0) |
| 2004 | →Jagiellonia Białystok (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2004–2007 | Korona Kielce | 15 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Dundee United | 53 | (0) |
| 2009–2015 | Celtic | 28 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Darmstadt 98 | 1 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Wisła Kraków | 28 | (0) |
| 2017–2019 | Pogoń Szczecin | 60 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Miedź Legnica | 33 | (0) |
| Total | 237 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 2009 | Poland | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2022–2023 | Poland U20 (goalkeeping coach) | ||
| 2023–2024 | Poland U19 (goalkeeping coach) | ||
| 2024– | Wisła Kraków (goalkeeping coach) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Łukasz Załuska (Polish pronunciation:[ˈwukaʐzaˈwuska]; born 16 June 1982) is a Polish former professionalfootballer who played as agoalkeeper.
After playing forStomil Olsztyn,Legia Warsaw,Jagiellonia Białystok (on loan) andKorona Kielce in Poland, Załuska continued his career in Scotland, joiningDundee United in 2007. He then signed forCeltic in 2009, spending six years mainly as a reserve goalkeeper, before joiningDarmstadt 98 in 2015. He made one international appearance forPoland, in 2009.
Following retirement, he became a goalkeeping coach, first working with Poland youth national teams,[1] before joiningWisła Kraków's staff in 2024.[2]
Born inWysokie Mazowieckie, Załuska began his career in 1997 withRuch Wysokie Mazowieckie but left within a few months to join MSP Szamotuły. After a year, he moved on to Sparta Oborniki, before spending time with Zryw Zielona Góra. In 2001, Załuska moved toStomil Olsztyn and made his first appearance in theEkstraklasa that August. In 2002, he joinedLegia Warsaw but made no appearances for the club. From here, he had twoloan spells withJagiellonia Białystok before joiningKorona Kielce in 2004. Załuska spent two years with Kielce, culminating in aPolish Cup runners-up medal in just before moving toScotland in May 2007.
Załuska joinedScottish Premier League teamDundee United on a two-year contract on 30 May 2007.[3] He played in pre-season for United but suffered a broken foot before the start of the domestic season,[4] prompting the club to sign countrymanGrzegorz Szamotulski as a short-term replacement.[5] After returning to training in late October, it was feared Załuska had broken his foot a second time in early November.[6] Załuska finally made his competitive debut for United on 26 January 2008,[7] just days before Szamotulski's departure. United won 2–1 in what was captainBarry Robson's final match for the club.
In February 2008, after helping United beatAberdeen in the semi-final of theScottish League Cup, Załuska was reported to theScottish Football Association (SFA) for making gestures to the Aberdeen fans. In the match, both keepers faced missiles thrown by sets of opposing fans, including plastic cups, chocolate and £1 coins. RefereeIain Brines was also hit by a coin thrown from the Aberdeen supporters' end.[8] A month later, Załuska received a £500 fine and a warning from the SFA for his actions.[9]
On 17 December 2008, it was reported that he had declined a new contract and would be leaving the club at the end of the season after the current one expired.[10]
On 23 December 2008, Załuska signed a pre-contract agreement withCeltic and would be joining at the start of the2009–10 season.[11] He officially became a Celtic player on 1 June 2009. He made his debut on 21 September 2009, in a 4–0League Cup victory overFalkirk.[12] On 25 October 2009, he made his league debut for the Hoops againstHamilton Academical as a replacement for his injured compatriotArtur Boruc and pulled off several saves in a 2–1 win.[13] On 10 April 2010, Zaluska played in aScottish Cup semi final for Celtic atHampden Park which they lost 2–0 toRoss County.[14]
At the start of the2010–11 season Załuska became Celtic's first choice goalkeeper after Boruc left for Italian sideFiorentina. However Celtic signedFraser Forster on loan fromNewcastle United and Załuska once again became second choice goalkeeper.[15][16]
At the start of the2011–12 season he became Celtic's first choice goalkeeper after Forster returned to Newcastle United. He started the openingSPL game againstHibernian, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory.[17][18] However, Celtic's re-signing of Forster on loan again pushed Załuska down the pecking order. On 29 September, Załuska started in the Europa League againstUdinese. Although he played well and made several good saves, the match finished 1–1 with Udinese scoring from a penalty.[19]
After Forster was sold toSouthampton,[20] the recently acquiredCraig Gordon established himself as first choice for season2014–15.[21] In October 2014, he was injured in an apparent assault inAshton Lane, in Glasgow's West End.[22] Having only made two league starts by October,[21] Zaluska kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 league defeat ofInverness CT on 1 November 2014.[23] Załuska, an used substitute in the2015 Scottish League Cup Final victory,[24] did come off the bench in aScottish Cup semi final defeat to Inverness on 19 April 2015. With Craig Gordon sent off in the second half for a last man challenge, Zaluska could not stop the resulting penalty to make it 1–1, Celtic would go on to lose 3–2 in extra time.[25] He next played atMcDiarmid Park keeping a clean sheet with a string of fine saves in a 0–0 league draw.[26] He left Celtic in June 2015.[27]
On 31 August 2015, Załuska joinedSV Darmstadt 98, newly promoted to theBundesliga, on a contract until 30 June 2016 as their third keeper behindChristian Mathenia andPatrick Platins.
On 9 June 2017, he signed a contract withPogoń Szczecin.[28]
Załuska was called up to thePoland squad for the first time in August 2008, followingArtur Boruc's suspension,[29] although he remained unused. He was called up again in November, with Boruc missing due to injury. He won his first international cap on 6 June 2009, againstSouth Africa.
Celtic
