Rafał Gikiewicz

Rafał Gikiewicz
Rafał Gikiewicz in 2012
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-10-26) 26 October 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Olsztyn, Poland
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Widzew Łódź
Number 1
Youth career
Warmia Olsztyn
Stomil Olsztyn
Tempo 25 Olsztyn
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 DKS Dobre Miasto
2006 Sokół Ostróda
2006–2007 Drwęca Nowe Miasto L.
2007–2008 Wigry Suwałki 28 (0)
2008–2010 Jagiellonia Białystok 16 (0)
2010 → OKS 1945 Olsztyn (loan) 11 (0)
2011–2014 Śląsk Wrocław 27 (0)
2014–2016 Eintracht Braunschweig 66 (0)
2016–2018 SC Freiburg 2 (0)
2018–2020 Union Berlin 67 (1)
2020–2023 FC Augsburg 91 (0)
2023–2024 Ankaragücü 5 (0)
2024– Widzew Łódź 14 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 June 2024

Rafał Gikiewicz (born 26 October 1987) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ekstraklasa club Widzew Łódź.[2]

Club career

Gikiewicz was born in Olsztyn. In July 2008, he moved to Jagiellonia Białystok.[3] In August 2010, he was loaned to OKS 1945 Olsztyn on a one-year deal.[4] He returned to Jagiellonia Białystok half a year later.[5]

In January 2011, he joined Śląsk Wrocław on 4.5-year contract.[6]

In April 2014, German club Eintracht Braunschweig announced the signing of Gikiewicz for the 2014–15 season.[7] In August 2016, Gikiewicz transferred to Freiburg.[8]

In June 2018, Gikiewicz moved to Union Berlin signing a two-year contract. The transfer fee paid to Freiburg was reported as €200,000.[9] On 7 October 2018, Gikiewicz scored a 94th-minute equalizer against 1. FC Heidenheim in the 2. Bundesliga.[10] On 1 July 2020, he signed with Bundesliga club FC Augsburg.

Over three weeks after his contract with Augsburg had expired, on 22 July 2023, Gikiewicz joined Turkish side Ankaragücü on a one-year deal with an option for another season.[11] On 1 February 2024, he left the club by mutual consent.[12]

On 13 February 2024, Gikiewicz returned to Poland to join Widzew Łódź until the end of the season, with an option to extend his deal for another year.[13] Brought in as a replacement for the injured Ivan Krajčírik who joined Widzew just a month prior, Gikiewicz enjoyed a good start to his stint. He recorded four clean sheets in 11 league games before having his deal extended for a further year on 10 May.[14]

International career

During a successful period with Union Berlin, in May 2019 he received his first call-up to the Poland national team for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying Group G matches against North Macedonia and Israel,[15] but remained unused on the bench.

Personal life

His twin brother Łukasz Gikiewicz is also a footballer.[16]

Gikiewicz follows a vegan diet.[17][18]

Career statistics

As of match played 25 May 2024[19][20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wigry Suwałki 2007–08 II liga 28 0 0 0 — — 28 0
Jagiellonia Białystok 2008–09 Ekstraklasa 8 0 1 0 — 4[b] 0 13 0
2009–10 Ekstraklasa 8 0 6 0 — — 14 0
Total 16 0 7 0 — 4 0 27 0
OKS 1945 Olsztyn (loan) 2010–11 II liga 11 0 2 0 — — 13 0
Śląsk Wrocław 2011–12 Ekstraklasa 6 0 2 0 — — 8 0
2012–13 Ekstraklasa 10 0 6 0 1[c] 0 1[d] 0 18 0
2013–14 Ekstraklasa 11 0 1 0 6[c] 0 — 18 0
Total 27 0 9 0 7 0 1 0 44 0
Eintracht Braunschweig 2014–15 2. Bundesliga 33 0 3 0 — — 36 0
2015–16 2. Bundesliga 33 0 3 0 — — 36 0
Total 66 0 6 0 — — 72 0
SC Freiburg 2016–17 Bundesliga 0 0 1 0 — — 1 0
2017–18 Bundesliga 2 0 1 0 0 0 — 3 0
Total 2 0 2 0 — — 4 0
Union Berlin 2018–19 2. Bundesliga 34 1 2 0 — 2[e] 0 38 1
2019–20 Bundesliga 33 0 2 0 — — 35 0
Total 67 1 4 0 — 2 0 73 1
FC Augsburg 2020–21 Bundesliga 34 0 2 0 — — 36 0
2021–22 Bundesliga 34 0 2 0 — — 36 0
2022–23 Bundesliga 23 0 1 0 — — 24 0
Total 91 0 5 0 — — 96 0
Ankaragücü 2023–24 Süper Lig 5 0 2 0 — — 7 0
Widzew Łódź 2023–24 Ekstraklasa 14 0 1 0 — — 15 0
Career total 327 1 38 0 7 0 7 0 379 1
  1. ^ Includes Polish Cup, DFB-Pokal, Turkish Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in Ekstraklasa Cup
  3. ^ a b Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Appearance in Polish Super Cup
  5. ^ Appearances in Bundesliga promotion play-offs

Honours

Gikiewicz in 2010
Gikiewicz in 2010 with Jagiellonia Białystok after winning the Polish Cup.

Jagiellonia Białystok

Śląsk Wrocław[19]

References

  1. ^ "Rafał Gikiewicz". FC Augsburg. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  2. ^ Rafał Gikiewicz at Soccerway
  3. ^ "Rafał Gikiewicz blisko Jagiellonii" (in Polish). 90minut.pl. 4 July 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Rafał Gikiewicz wypożyczony z Jagiellonii" (in Polish). wp.pl. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Ekstraklasa. Rafał Gikiewicz wraca do Jagiellonii" (in Polish). sport.pl. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  6. ^ "Rafał Gikiewicz w Śląsku" (in Polish). igol.pl. 10 January 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Eintracht Braunschweig verpflichtet Rafal Gikiewicz" (in German). eintracht.com. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  8. ^ "SC verpflichtet Braunschweigs Gikiewicz" [SC signs Braunschweig's Gikiewicz] (in German). kicker. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Union Berlin: Gikiewicz kommt aus Freiburg". kicker Online (in German). 16 June 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Unions Torwart köpft in der Nachspielzeit den Ausgleich" (in German). Went. 7 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  11. ^ "Rafal Gikiewicz Ankaragücü'müzde!" (in Turkish). Ankaragücü. 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Rafał Gikiewicz odchodzi z Ankaragücü". 90minut.pl (in Polish). 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Rafał Gikiewicz nowym bramkarzem Widzewa Łódź" (in Polish). Widzew Łódź. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Gikiewicz 2025!" (in Polish). Widzew Łódź. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Four players receive international call". fc-union-berlin.de. FC Union Berlin. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  16. ^ Na ręce mam cały mój życiorys – żona, syn, rodzina, medal weszlo.com
  17. ^ "Union Berlin - Hertha Berlin 1-0 Atac pirotehnic! Haos în derby-ul capitalei Germaniei" [UNION BERLIN - HERTHA BERLIN 1-0 Pyrotechnic attack! Chaos in the derby of the capital of Germany] (in Romanian). Gsp.ro. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Clipul momentului! Fratele lui Gikiewicz i-a fugarit de unul singur pe ultrasii care au sarit in teren sa se bata! VIDEO" [The clip of the moment! Gikiewicz's brother ran after the ultras who came on the field to fight! VIDEO] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  19. ^ a b c "Rafał Gikiewicz". 90minut.pl. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  20. ^ "Rafał Gikiewicz". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 January 2018.