Artur Boruc

Artur Boruc

Personal information
Date of birth	20 February 1980 (1980-02-20) (age 30)
Place of birth	Siedlce, Poland
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	Fiorentina
Number	84
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–1999	Pogoń Siedlce	12	(0)
1999–2005	Legia Warsaw	69	(1)
2000	→ Dolcan Ząbki (loan)	12	(0)
2005–2010	Celtic	163	(0)
2010–	Fiorentina	0	(0)
National team‡
2004–	Poland	44	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 08:33, 12 July 2010 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 November 2009

Artur Boruc (Polish pronunciation: [ˈartur ˈbɔruts]; born 20 February 1980 in Siedlce) is a Polish football player. He is a professional goalkeeper for Serie A club Fiorentina and the Polish national team. On 20 October 2008, Boruc was one of 55 players (including 5 goalkeepers) shortlisted for the FIFPro World XI Player Awards.^[1]

Club career

Pogoń Siedlce

Boruc began his career in 1998 at Pogoń Siedlce, in his hometown.

Legia Warsaw

The next season Boruc joined Legia Warszawa, initially playing for the reserve team, as well as being loaned out for half a season to Dolcan Ząbki.

In March 2002, Boruc played his first league match for Legia. In the second half of the 2002/03 season he established himself as the club's first choice goalkeeper.

In June 2004, Boruc scored his only goal for the club, converting a penalty kick in a home game against Widzew Łódź (final score: 6–0) and then celebrated by waving the corner flag. He was a key player for his club until leaving and they found a replacement quickly to be first team goalkeeper.^[2]

Celtic

On 20 July 2005, Boruc signed with Celtic from the Polish club Legia Warszawa. The deal was initially a year's loan, with an option to make it permanent.^[3] The move was later made permanent, with Boruc penning a 3½-year deal with Celtic until 2009. On 5 January 2008, it was reported that Boruc had signed a new contract with Celtic keeping him at the club until 2011.^[4]

On 21 November 2006, in a Champions League match against Manchester United at Celtic Park, Boruc helped Celtic through to the knockout stage of the competition by saving Louis Saha's 89th-minute penalty. He was named player of the month for December 2006 in the Scottish Premier League, a very uncommon event for a goalkeeper. His form was also recognised with a nomination for the Scottish PFA's player of the year award for 2007.^[5] Celtic were drawn against Russian vice-champions Spartak Moscow in the third qualifying round for the UEFA Champions League 2007–08. The tie ended in a penalty shootout, with Boruc saving twice to ensure Celtic's passage to the next round.

On 28 January 2009, Boruc converted a penalty for Celtic during the penalty shootout in the semi-final match of the League Cup against Dundee United.

On 12 December 2009, Boruc made his 200th appearance for Celtic against Motherwell, which Celtic won 3–2. In April 2010, he won the Scottish Premier League save of the season award.

On 4 May 2010 Boruc had his last match for Celtic career against Old Firm's rivals Rangers with 2-1 victory.

^[6]

Fiorentina

On 12 July 2010, Celtic agreed to sell Boruc to Fiorentina subject to a medical, for an undisclosed fee.^[7] The transfer was confirmed three days later.^[8][9][10]

International career

Boruc' debut for Poland came on 28 April 2004 in a friendly against Ireland, the match ending in a goalless draw. To date Boruc has made a total of 44 appearances for his country.

World Cup 2006

He was selected to the 23-men national squad for the 2006 World Cup finals held in Germany. He had been battling with Tomasz Kuszczak and also Łukasz Fabiański for the starting slot, but was first-choice goalkeeper during the World Cup.

Euro 2008

Boruc was named in Poland's Euro 2008 squad, starting their first game against Germany, holding his place through to the important second game against co-hosts Austria in which the Poles conceded a penalty in the 92nd minute to draw the game. In the same match he saved all three shots by the Austrians leading to a one to one final score. He was nicknamed "Spaceman" by the Austrian and German press during the tournament.^[11]

Curfew breaking

On 27 August 2008, Boruc and international team-mates Dariusz Dudka and Radosław Majewski were suspended from the team for breaching a curfew after Poland's loss in a friendly against Ukraine, a game in which Boruc had not played.^[12] PZPN President Michał Listkiewicz stated that Boruc was not involved in the damage to a hotel room.^[13] Having served a two-match suspension, Boruc returned to Poland's starting line-up for the World Cup qualifying match against the Czech Republic on 11 October.^[14]

Controversy

On 25 August 2006, Boruc was cautioned by the Strathclyde Police for a breach of the peace for making gestures in front of Rangers fans before a game earlier that year.^[15] According to the Sunday Herald, "police reports highlighted three hand gestures made by 26-year-old Boruc … a V sign at the crowd, another obscene gesture at the crowd and a blessing". The gestures were not caught on video and the caution was issued on the basis of police reports and witness statements.^[15] This incident has led to him attaining the nickname "The Holy Goalie".^[16]

The Procurator Fiscal said Boruc "was seen by members of the public and police officers to bless himself. Witnesses describe him smiling or laughing at a Rangers section of the crowd and making 'come on' gestures. This action appeared to incense a section of the crowd to react in such a way that police officers and security personnel had to become involved to calm the situation. The police reported that it took 10 minutes to restore normality in the crowd."^[17] According to a cross-party working group of the Scottish Parliament, "the sign of the cross in itself is an expression of the Roman Catholic faith; however, using it to alarm, upset or provoke others might be a breach of the peace at common law."^[18]

The Roman Catholic Church condemned the legal action, however, expressing regret that "Scotland seems to have made itself one of the few countries in the world where this simple religious gesture is considered an offence."^[19] Following extensive press comment, the Crown Office issued a statement on 28 August 2006 stressing that the "very limited" action had been taken against Boruc for gestures made toward Rangers supporters rather than for crossing himself, and that it would not take action against individuals for "acts of religious observance".^[20] According to BBC News Online, the caution "brought the issue of sectarianism in Scotland back into sharp focus."^[21] The Roman Catholic Church welcomed the Crown Office's clarification of the limited action taken against Boruc, particularly the statement that it "did not in any way refer to the act of blessing himself".^[22]

On 17 December 2006, Boruc again crossed himself during his first Old Firm game since the caution, drawing "a roar" from the Rangers fans behind his goal.^[23][24] A spokesman for Celtic defended his gesture, stating "the police have said they have no problem with Artur Boruc in this regard and neither does Celtic Football Club."^[23]

Boruc courted further controversy in April 2008 when he displayed a T-shirt saying "God bless the Pope" and bearing a picture of the late Pope John-Paul II after a game against Rangers ^[16] and also in May 2007 when he waved a flag proclaiming Celtic the "Champions" following a match against Rangers ^[16].

Career honours

Celtic

• Scottish Premier League: 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08
• Scottish League Cup: 2005-06, 2008-09
• Scottish Cup: 2006-07

Career stats

Clean sheets

Personal life

Boruc is a Legia Warszawa fan. He attends matches whenever he is in Poland.^[25] He makes the L sign using his thumb and index finger to show that he is fan of his old club Legia Warszawa (in Warsaw L sign means Legia). He is also a member of Legia Warsaw Supporters Association (Polish: Stowarzyszenie Kibiców Legii Warszawa) and helps supporters in their conflict with the club's authorities.

On 21 April 2007 he helped a 27-year-old pregnant Polish woman, her sister and brother-in-law when they were attacked in Glasgow.^[26]

Boruc's father passed away in April 2010 while his mother Jadwiga passed away when he was only 20. He has a brother and three sisters. On 11 June 2008 Boruc' then-wife Katarzyna (diminutive: Kasia) gave birth to their son, Aleks, in Warsaw.^[27] Boruc and his wife separated in 2008 amid reports of his relationship with former Polish Idol contestant Sara Mannei.^[28]

New partner Sara Mannei gave birth to a healthy baby girl Amelia on 9 August 2010 in her hometown of Poznan, Poland. Boruc lives in Florence with Sara, Amelia, and Oliwia, his partner's daughter from a previous relationship.

References

External links

• Artur Boruc' Official website
• Artur Boruc career stats at Soccerbase
• Artur Boruc' national team stats on the website of the Polish Football Association (Polish)
• Polish league stats (Polish)
• Anger grows over police caution for Boruc’s blessing, Sunday Herald, 27 August 2006
• Police report Boruc flag-waving, BBC Sport, 7 May 2007

Poland squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Boruc • 2 Jop • 3 Gancarczyk • 4 Baszczyński • 5 Kosowski • 6 Bąk (c) • 7 Sobolewski • 8 Krzynówek • 9 Żurawski • 10 Szymkowiak • 11 Rasiak • 12 Kuszczak • 13 Mila • 14 Żewłakow • 15 Smolarek • 16 Radomski • 17 Dudka • 18 Lewandowski • 19 Bosacki • 20 Giza • 21 Jeleń • 22 Fabiański • 23 Brożek • Coach: Janas

Poland squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Boruc • 2 Jop • 3 Wawrzyniak • 4 Golański • 5 Dudka • 6 Bąk • 7 Smolarek • 8 Krzynówek • 9 Żurawski • 10 Garguła • 11 Saganowski • 12 Kowalewski • 13 Wasilewski • 14 Żewłakow • 15 Pazdan • 16 Piszczek • 17 Łobodziński • 18 Lewandowski • 19 Murawski • 20 Guerreiro • 21 Zahorski • 22 Fabiański • 23 Kokoszka • Coach: Beenhakker