Kolejorz (The Railwayman) Pyry (Greater Polandpotatoes) KKS Duma Wielkopolski (The Pride of Greater Poland) Poznańska Lokomotywa (The Poznań Locomotive)
Founded
19 March 1922; 103 years ago (1922-03-19) (asKS Lutnia Dębiec)
The club was established on 19 March 1922 asKS Lutnia Dębiec, later changing its name several times. Until 1994, the club was closely linked toPolish State Railways (PKP). As a result, its popular nickname isKolejorz[kɔˈlɛjɔʂ], which meansThe Railwayman in localslang. The club's debut in the Polish top division took place in the year 1948. The brightest era of Lech was in the early 1980s and early 1990s when they won 5 Polish league titles, 3 Polish Cups and a Polish Super Cup. Lech has won the Polish league a total of nine times, most recently in 2025, and is the most popular football club in theGreater Poland region.[5]
In August 1920, a group of young teenagers from the Catholic Youth Association decided to split off and form their own football team. The founders of the club were: Jan Nowak, Antoni Dyzman, Jan Dyzman, Leon Nowicki, Józef Magdziak, Kazimierz Zmuda, Stanisław Nowicki, Stefan Fiedler, Józef Gośliński, Leon Stachowski, Józef Blumreder and Jan Wojtek. The origin of Lech can be traced back to 19 March 1922, when it was officially registered as a football club.[6] The club's first official name was Towarzystwo Sportowe Liga Dębiec. In September 1922 the club gained a football pitch on Grzybowa street. The first match for the club was played in May 1922 against Urania Starołęka, which ended in a 1–1 draw. The club started its foundation in a low tier league, which at the time was the Class C.
Historic Ty51 steam locomotive with the Lech Poznań crest, representing the club's traditions, by the stadium in Poznań
The club achieved promotion in 1928 to the Class B after six years of being in Class C. In 1932 the club was promoted to Class A where the biggest teams of the region played. From there they could get promoted to the First National Division, but the club would not achieve that goal before the outbreak of World War II. In autumn of 1933 the Klub Sportowy Kolejowego Przysposobienia Wojskowego Poznań ("Poznań Military Training Railway Sports Club") was founded or KPW. In 1945, shortly after the war ended, sporting officials made Lech the first club from the city.
Downfall and the Miracle of Błażejewko (1947–1979)
In 1947, the Polish Football Association (PZPN) decided to create the first national division (Ekstraklasa). At first, the club was not admitted to the top flight, but the Kolejorz ("the railwayman", the popular nickname of the club) filed an appeal and the PZPN decided, in a special meeting, to extend the First Division to 14 teams, including the KKS (at that time called Kolejowy Klub Sportowy Poznań) andWidzew Łódź. The first match was against Widzew Łódź, lost 3–4.
The club changed its name again in January 1957, this time to Klub Sportowy Lech Poznań and in December to Kolejowy Klub Sportowy Lech Poznań, which lasted throughout the history of the team. That same year turned out to be one of the worst for the club, since it finished last and was relegated to the second division. Lech only gained twelve points in 22 games, despite having striker Teodor Anioła, the club's top scorer, with 141 goals and top scorer of the Polish championship in three consecutive editions (1949–1951).[7] Along with Edmund Białas and Henryk Czapczyk, Anioła formed the famous trio known as ABC. During that period, the club managed to finish third in the top division twice, as the best result, before its relegation to second division.
Lech managed to return to the top division in 1961, but after two seasons with poor results, the blue team was relegated again in 1963. The club was even demoted to the third division, then known as the Interprovincial Division (Liga międzywojewódzka), in one of the biggest sports crisis of the organization. In 1972 the club returned to the first division, in which they had to fight again to avoid relegation every season. Coach Jerzy Kopa, who arrived fromSzombierki Bytom, was responsible for reviving Lech spectacularly. He took over the team in 1976, when they were bottom of the table. Kopa gathered players at a training camp inBłażejewko, saved the team from relegation and twelve months later qualified for the first time to play in Europe after finishing third in the league, just two points behind the champion, Wisła Kraków. Therefore, this transformation became known as The Miracle of Błażejewko.[8] The club's first participation in theUEFA Cup in1978–79 was brief, as they were eliminated in the first round by MSV Duisburg.
The arrival of coachWojciech Łazarek in 1980 at the club was key to overcome third place and European participation. That year the team reached the final of the Polish Cup for the first time, losing 0–5 toLegia Warsaw inCzęstochowa. Two years later, the club managed to win the first title in its history, the Polish Cup, by defeatingPogoń Szczecin 1–0 inWrocław.
The league championships of 1983 and 1984 went down in history as they were the first two league titles of the Kolejorz and for winning on such tight margins against Widzew Łódź. The first league championship for Lech was a point of advantage (39) over Widzew (38). The 15 goals scored by the top scorer of the tournament,Mirosław Okoński and the participation of other players likeKrzysztof Pawlak andJózef Adamiec were very important to win their first league championship. Meanwhile, the championship of the following season both teams staged an exciting tournament and tied at 42 points. Lech defended championship by having a better difference of goals than Widzew to break the tie. That season was historic for the blue team, as they got their first double by becoming champions of the Polish Cup, after winning in the final at Wisła Kraków (3–0).
As Polish champions, Lech participated for the first time in the European Cup, although they could not pass the first round in the two seasons. In its first season it was eliminated byAthletic Club. In the first leg in Poland, Mariusz Niewiadomski and Mirosław Okoński scored the first two Lech goals in the tournament and the team won 2–0. However, the return match in San Mamés was a nightmare for the Poles and the Spanish team qualified by winning 4–0. The following season the team faced the current champion,Liverpool F.C., who won by a 5–0 aggregate.
In 1988, Lech won another Cup by beating Legia in Łódź in the penalty shootout. In the second round of the European Cup, Lech facedBarcelona, coached byJohan Cruyff. After finishing the two games in a 1–1 draw, Barcelona, in the end the tournament, could only eliminate Lech in the penalty shootout.
Jerzy Kopa returned to Lech in 1990 along withAndrzej Strugarek and Kolejorz returned to be proclaimed league champions for the third time.Andrzej Juskowiak was the top scorer of the tournament with 18 goals and his team finished with 42 points, two more than the runner-up,Zagłębie Lubin.Henryk Apostel, however, was the coach who led Lech to two new championships in 1992 and 1993. The first one was achieved with a win over GKS Katowice, while the second one tied in points with the second team, Legia, and only won because Legia was penalized for disputed match fixing. In the autumn of 1990, Lech played one of the most spectacular qualifiers of the last decade in the European Cup. At Bułgarska street stadium the Polish club defeatedOlympique Marseille 3–2 in the first leg of the second round. The return match at the Stade Vélodrome, the French team, thrashed Lech 6–1, in a match in which most of the Polish players complained of food poisoning. Since 1993 the club entered into a major financial crisis and had to sell its most important players to continue in professional football.
Lech managed to stay in the middle of the table and their best result was fourth place in 1999, which allowed them to play in the1999–00 UEFA Cup, where they eliminatedLiepājas Metalurgs in the qualifying round and were defeated byIFK Göteborg in the first round. However, just a few months later, in 2000, Lech was relegated to the second division after 28 years of presence in the top flight. Lech's first season in the second division was a disaster, as they were very close to falling to the third division. It was only with a great effort that the club was saved from relegation and even won the promotion the next season to the first division.
Robert Lewandowski scored 32 goals in 58 matches with Lech Poznań (2008–2010).
In their first year of the return to the I league (2002–03) Lech focused on ensuring permanence. The following season began with a very negative dynamic for the Kolejorz. After five days, the club hired a new coach,Czesław Michniewicz.[9] The unexpected appointment of the young coach turned out to be a shock, since Lech finished the season in sixth position. Most important, however, was the conquest of a Polish Cup by defeating their great rival, Legia Warsaw, in the final two games in 2004. Several days later, the fans in Poznań celebrated the victory of Lech in the Super Cup against Wisła Kraków. Although the next two seasons did not bring any success of that proportion, Lech managed to finish at the top of the table of each season with coachFranciszek Smuda.
Smuda formed a strong team with the arrival at the club of players likeRobert Lewandowski,Hernan Rengifo,Semir Štilić,Marcin Zając andRafał Murawski. In the Ekstraklasa 2008–09 season, Lech had a great season and finished in third place and qualified for the UEFA Europa League thanks, in part, to the 14 goals scored by Robert Lewandowski. On 19 May 2009, Lech won the Cup for the fifth time by beating Ruch Chorzów with a solo goal bySławomir Peszko atStadion Śląski.
The following season,Jacek Zieliński replaced Franciszek Smuda, who was hired as the manager of thePoland national team. With many of the players who achieved third place and the cup last season, Zieliński managed to lead Lech to the sixth championship in their history in the2009–10 season. The striker Robert Lewandowski returned to be a reference in attack and was top scorer of the championship with 18 goals. In their participation in the 2010–11 Champions League, they were eliminated bySparta Prague in the third round and without Lewandowski, who was transferred toBorussia Dortmund. One of their most successful European appearance was in the2010–11 UEFA Europa League, in which they eliminatedDnipro Dnipropetrovsk to enter the group stage of the tournament for the first time. Lech finished second in their group withManchester City, leavingJuventus andFC Salzburg out of the tournament. However, they were eliminated byS.C. Braga, runner-up of the tournament months later, in the round of 32 after winning in Poland (1–0) and losing in Portugal (2–0).
After crashing out of UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds in August 2014,Maciej Skorża replacedMariusz Rumak as manager.[10] At the end of the2014–15 season, Lech claimed their seventh league title.[11]
In the2021–22 season, during which Lech celebrated its 100th anniversary, the team again led by Maciej Skorża finished runners-up in thePolish Cup, losing 3–1 againstRaków Częstochowa,[12] and won the club's eighthchampionship, their first in seven years.[13]
Skorża left the team shortly after, citing personal reasons, and was replaced by DutchmanJohn van den Brom for the2022–23 season. Lech crashed out of the UEFA Champions Leaguefirst qualifying round after losing to Azerbaijani sideQarabağ 1–5 on aggregate.[14] The team went on to have a successfulUEFA Europa Conference League campaign, reaching second place in the group stage which includedVillarreal,Austria Wien andHapoel Be'er Sheva,[15] then eliminatingNordic teamsBodø/Glimt andDjurgårdens IF to reach the quarter-finals,[16] where their successful run ended after a 4–6 defeat on aggregate toFiorentina.[17] They were the first Polish team to win a knockout phase round of a European competition that took place after the winter break since Legia Warsaw in 1991, and the first to move through two post-winter rounds sinceGórnik Zabrze in 1970.[18]
The following2023–24 campaign was marked by disappointment. Lech failed to progress past the third qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, losing to Slovak sideSpartak Trnava 3–4 on aggregate, despite winning the first game at home 2–1.[19] In December 2023, trailing in the league by eight points by the winter break, van den Brom was dismissed and replaced withMariusz Rumak,[20] returning to the role after nine-and-a-half years. Lech's form did not improve under Rumak; they were unable to take the lead in the table, lost to lower-placed teamsPuszcza Niepołomice andRuch Chorzów,[21][22] and were eliminated from the2023–24 Polish Cup after conceding in the 119th minute of a quarter-final match againstPogoń Szczecin.[23] Still in title contention with three games to go,[24] Lech finished theseason in 5th after losing at home toKorona Kielce on 25 May, hours after theirreserve team was demoted to thefourth division,[25] allowing Korona to stay in the top-flight in lieu of Lech's neighborsWarta.[26][27]
For the2024–25 season, Lech appointedNiels Frederiksen as manager, with the goal of reclaming the Polish title. After finishing 2024 on top of the table, Lech fell behind Raków Częstochowa early into 2025. Following a late surge in form, and a 1–0 home win againstPiast Gliwice in the last matchday of the season, Lech won their ninth league title, their second in the last three years.[28]
Lech Poznań has played over 160 matches in European competition since 1978. Among the most memorable games in the club's history were the clashes againstBarcelona in the 1988–89 season of theUEFA Cup Winners' Cup second round. After both matches ended with 1–1 draw, Lech Poznań lost the penalty shoot-out 4–5. Barcelona eventually went on to win the tournament.
During the1983–84 European Cup season, Lech earned a 2–0 win at home against Spanish championsAthletic Bilbao. During the 1990–91 season, Lech eliminated the Greek championsPanathinaikos in the first round, with a 5–1 score on aggregate. In the next tie, Lech was knocked out byMarseille but won the first leg 3–2 at home.
During the2008–09 UEFA Cup season, Lech made it to the group stage of the competition after knocking out higher seeded teams ofGrasshopper (notching its greatest margin of victory with a 6–0 win at home) andAustria Wien (scoring the decisive goal in the last minute of extra-time). In the group stage, Lech finished third-placed ahead ofNancy andFeyenoord to secure a place in the third round, where it was knocked out by the Italian sideUdinese.
The 2010–11 European campaign saw Lech not only qualify for the group stage of theUEFA Europa League, but also progress from their group ahead of Italian giantsJuventus, before losing at the round of 32 to eventual finalistsBraga. In later years, they reached the UEFA Europa League group stages twice more, in the2015–16 and2020–21 seasons.
In the 2022–23 season, while competing in theUEFA Europa Conference League, Lech reached their first ever European quarter-final where they were eliminated by Italian clubFiorentina. In 2025, after failing to qualify to UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, they entered the2025–26 UEFA Conference League league phase.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Piotr Mowlik – goalkeeper, Poland national team member (1974–1981),Mariusz's father.
Mirosław Okoński – striker, one of the club's icons, especially loved by the fans, after winning two consecutive championships with Lech in 1983 and 1984, transferred toHamburger SV, played also for Greek sideAEK.
Bogusław Pachelski – prolific striker who scored 41 goals in 149 appearances over 5 years.
Piotr Reiss – striker, scored 109 Ekstraklasa goals for Lech, the oldest goalscorer in the league's history (40 years and 305 days). He also played forHertha BSC andMSV Duisburg.
Initially the club's first stadium was located in theDębiec district between two train tracks.[33] It belonged toPKP (the Polish state railways) and was demolished in 2013 after a long period of inactivity.[34]
The Stadion Poznań is the home ground of Lech Poznań, and was one of the venues for the group phase ofEuro 2012. It has a league capacity of 42,837 (all seated). The stadium was originally built between 1968 and 1980. From its inauguration in August 1980 Lech Poznań has used the ground as its main venue; since 2010 it has also been used byWarta Poznań, which currently plays inFortuna 1. Liga.[37] The ground is situated on the streetul. Bułgarska 17 in the southwestern part of the city (Grunwald district).
Lech Poznań is considered to have one of the strongest fan support in Poland due to the club's high average attendance in the Ekstraklasa and the atmosphere during the games.
Lech's fanbase is mainly located in theGreater Poland region, with fan clubs in many other towns.
Relations with local rivalWarta Poznań are neutral as the clubs have almost always played in different leagues and many fans attend matches of both teams.
The fans' goal celebration involving the turning of their backs to the pitch, joining arms and jumping up and down in unison—originated in 1961[citation needed]. It is known in the English speaking world as "The Poznan" afterManchester City began using the celebration following their clash with Lech Poznań in the group stages of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League. Also popular with fans of Scottish club Celtic who call their version "The Huddle", in homage to the team's pre-match ritual of a huddle before every game kicks off.
Many Polish rappers who hail fromPoznań have been strongly linked to the Lech supporter scene and the club prominently features in their music.Peja was an ardent supporter since he was 15 years old, and was active in thehooligan scene in the 90s.[40][41] Evtis,[42] Ascetoholix,[43][44] Bzyk[45] and DJ Decks are all prominent supporters. The fans have produced, recorded and released two rap CD's calledDefinicja Kibol andDefinicja Kibol 2 as compilation of various artists.[46][47]
They gained promotion in the 2003–04 season to thethird tier after winning the league and beatingJarota Jarocin 2–0 twice, 4–0 on aggregate. In that same season, they reached the 1st round of thePolish Cup but were knocked out byGórnik Konin following a 3–1 loss. After the 2006–07 season, the reserve teams were scrapped in favour of acentral youth league, meaning that between 2007 and 2013 the team ceased to exist. They were reinstated to their previous league position for the 2013–14 season.
Lech's women section was opened on 26 August 2021.[48] It was formed through a partnership withAdam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. It currently competes inthe top division after three promotions in four years, and is coached by Alicja Zając.
TheLech Poznań Academy (Polish:Akademia Lecha Poznań) is the club's youth system, with several teams across all children's ages up until its most senior U-19 youth team.[49] The teams play in theCentral Junior League, which was at first formed to replace the clubs' reserve teams which participated in the league pyramid. The club's youth system is the most extensive and advanced in the country and has produced many players which went on to play in the senior team.
KKS Wiara Lecha is a football club founded by Lech Poznań supporters in 2011. Only active supporters can play in the team and they have to have made a contribution to the supporter scene in order to be admitted to the squad.
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