Euzebiusz Smolarek

Football player infobox
playername = Ebi Smolarek


fullname = Euzebiusz Smolarek
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1981|1|9
cityofbirth = Łódź
countryofbirth = Poland
height = height|m=1.78
currentclub = Bolton Wanderers
(on loan from Racing Santander)
clubnumber = 10
position = Striker/winger
youthyears =
1993-2000
youthclubs = Spirit uit Ouderkerk aan den Ijssel
Feyenoord
years = 2000–2005
2005–2007
2007–
2008–
clubs = Feyenoord
Borussia Dortmund
Racing Santander
→ Bolton Wanderers (loan)
caps(goals) = 68 (12)
81 (25)
34 0(4)
02 0(0)
nationalyears = 2002–
nationalteam = Poland
nationalcaps(goals) = 36 (14)
pcupdate = 16:53, 27 September, 2008
ntupdate = September 10, 2008

Euzebiusz "Ebi" Smolarek ( IPA2|ɛʊ̯ˈzɛbjuʂ smɔˈlarɛk; born January 9, 1981 in Łódź, Poland) is a Polish footballer who currently plays for the Polish national football team and Bolton Wanderers, on loan from Real Racing Club de Santander, as a striker or winger. [cite web | url = http://www.borussia-dortmund.com/?%9F%2Ah%97%84%ECSm%E1%81%9D | title = Smolarek close to leaving for spain | publisher = borussia-dortmund.com | accessdate = 2007-11-15 | date = 2007-08-23]

Smolarek is the son of another Polish international, Włodzimierz Smolarek. He was named after the great Portuguese footballer Eusébio da Silva Ferreira. [cite web | url = http://www.abc.net.au/sport/columns/200605/s1641691.htm | title = Ebi Smolarek: Poland star follows in father's footsteps| publisher = abc.net.au | accessdate = 2007-11-15 | date = 2006-04-24]

Club career

Smolarek grew up in the Netherlands, where his father played in the Eredivisie and later worked as a coach. [cite web | url = http://www.beijen.net/frank/nlalrtchto.htm | title = Goalscorers list Eredivisie | publisher = beijen.net | accessdate = 2007-11-15 | date = 2003 | language = Dutch] "Ebi" went through the Feyenoord youth system and made it all the way to the first team. In 2002, Smolarek was suspended by the UEFA for two European matches after he tested positive for cannabis.cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/low/team_pages/poland/newsid_1971000/1971000.stm | title = Smolarek fails drugs test | publisher = bbc.co.uk | accessdate = 2007-11-15 | date = 2002-05-06 | author = Piotr Kowalczuk] However, the amount found in his urine was very low, ruling out the possibility that he had smoked it. It was said he might had been eating a space cake or something similar, maybe without even knowing. However, after the incident, Smolarek inherited the nickname, "The Hash Bomber" [cite web | url = http://www.borussia-dortmund.com/?%9F*h%97%84%EC_m%E6%8D%9F| title = Collective sigh of relief - "This team is fun to watch again" | publisher = borussia-dortmund.com | accessdate = 2007-11-15 | date = 2005-01-23 ] and, as a result, missed Feyenoord's UEFA Cup final match versus Borussia Dortmund, won by the Dutch 3-2.

On August 24, 2007, Smolarek signed with Racing de Santander for a reported €4.8 million. [cite web | title = Smolarek signs for Santander | url = http://www.soccerway.com/news/2007/August/24/smolarek-signs-for-santander/ | accessdate = 2007-11-15 | publisher = soccerway.com]

On August 29, 2008, Racing loaned Smolarek to Bolton Wanderers for the season, with a view to signing him permanently. [cite news |title=Bolton bring in Smolarek on loan |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/bolton_wanderers/7589307.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-08-29 |accessdate=2008-10-08] Smolarek's debut for his new club came as the team lost 3–1 to Arsenal on 20 September 2008. [cite news |title=Bolton 1-3 Arsenal |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7613918.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-09-20 |accessdate=2008-10-08]

International career

A Polish international since 2002, Smolarek was selected for the 2006 FIFA World Cup but failed to score any goals.

He was Poland's (and group A's) top scorer in UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying scoring 9 goals, beating Cristiano Ronaldo. Smolarek scored a hat-trick against Kazakhstan in Warsaw. He played all of the nation's matches in Switzerland and Austria, as Poland exited in the group stages.

In a memorable feat, he was the first Pole to score a goal against Portugal in 20 years, the previous one being by his father. [cite web | url = http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=197282&cc=5739 | title = Poland 2-1 Portugal: Smolarek stuns Portugal | publisher = espn.go.com | accessdate = 2007-11-15 | date = 2006-10-07]

Poland goals

ee also

*List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

References

External links

* [http://www.ebismolarek.com/ Official website] pl icon en icon de icon
* [http://www.burndenaces.co.uk/players/profile.php?id=72 Bolton Wanderers Profile] en icon
* [http://pzpn.pl/a_kadra.php?oid=2223 National team stats] pl icon