Krzysztof Nowak
Encyclopedia
Krzysztof Nowak was a Polish
football (soccer)
player, best known for his stint with the VfL Wolfsburg
team.
Nowak began playing football in 1985. He slowly rose in prominence and in 1996 moved to Brazil
, to play for Atlético Paranaense
. He always wanted to play in Europe
, so he moved to Germany
in 1998 to play for Wolfsburg. Nowak, dubbed "ten of hearts" by his fans, was popular as well as skilled, but was forced to retire from the sport in early 2002 after he learned he had motor neurone disease
(MND). Nowak continued to watch the games until shortly before his death.
Nowak was also an important player for the Polish national team
, for whom he played 10 games and scored one goal.
In 2004, Nowak began a foundation to help find a cure for MND (he died from this illness). Nowak left behind a wife, Beata, and two young children - a son, Maksymillian, and a daughter, Maria.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, best known for his stint with the VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg is a professional German association football club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, who play in the Bundesliga football competition. Wolfsburg have won the Bundesliga once in their history, in the 2008–09 season, and were DFB-Pokal runners-up in 1995. The current head coach is Felix...
team.
Nowak began playing football in 1985. He slowly rose in prominence and in 1996 moved to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, to play for Atlético Paranaense
Clube Atlético Paranaense
Clube Atlético Paranaense is a Brazilian football team from Curitiba in Paraná, founded on March 26, 1924. The club won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 2001.-History:...
. He always wanted to play in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, so he moved to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1998 to play for Wolfsburg. Nowak, dubbed "ten of hearts" by his fans, was popular as well as skilled, but was forced to retire from the sport in early 2002 after he learned he had motor neurone disease
Motor neurone disease
The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
(MND). Nowak continued to watch the games until shortly before his death.
Nowak was also an important player for the Polish national team
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
, for whom he played 10 games and scored one goal.
In 2004, Nowak began a foundation to help find a cure for MND (he died from this illness). Nowak left behind a wife, Beata, and two young children - a son, Maksymillian, and a daughter, Maria.