After 90 years, Wisła defeated London's Chelsea again!
On May 24, at 12:00 PM, a unique retro-match commemorating Wisła Kraków's historic victory over Chelsea F.C. in 1936 took place at the TS Wisła Kraków training pitch. The event also served as a pre...
On May 24, at 12:00 PM, a unique retro-match commemorating Wisła Kraków's historic victory over Chelsea F.C. in 1936 took place at the TS Wisła Kraków training pitch. The event also served as a prelude to the main celebrations of Biała Gwiazda's (White Star's) promotion to the Ekstraklasa. Numerous fans gathered in the stands could feel the atmosphere of pre-war football, and history came full circle – Wisła once again defeated Chelsea, this time 3:2. The match featured teams from Wisła Retro and True Blues Poland – Chelsea's official fan club in Poland. Many former players of the Krakow club played for the Biała Gwiazda team. A special highlight was a several-minute appearance by Wisła Kraków's all-time top scorer – Kazimierz Kmiecik, who, despite his duties with the first team, found time to also participate in the retro-match. Besides him, players wearing the white star jersey included Mirosław Szymkowiak, Damian Gorawski, Jerzy Kowalik, and former team manager of Wisła Kraków – Marek Konieczny.
"A wonderful spectacle and, most importantly, another interesting initiative realized by the Wisła History Association. The Chelsea team surprised us. Young lads, you could tell they play together from time to time. It was a great match for the fans, who saw five goals. I am lucky enough to have had the opportunity to play with these big names in the Wisła old boys' team. For many lads, it was certainly a great experience to be able to play alongside Wisła legends. A really nice experience. I always gladly participate and help in these types of ventures," said Marek Konieczny.
A surprise for the organizers was the presence of a former Biała Gwiazda player from the turn of the 80s and 90s – Zenon Małek, who declared his readiness to play just a few hours before the first whistle. As he himself emphasized, thanks to this appearance, he reached 150 matches played in Wisła Kraków's colors. Patryk Małecki also appeared among the spectators. The unique atmosphere of the event was enhanced by period jazz music and master of ceremonies service. Costumes faithfully replicating the jerseys of both clubs from 1936 were prepared especially for this occasion. The players also wore ankle-high leather boots, characteristic of the 1930s, and a replica of a pre-war football was used for the game.
"This was my third match in this footwear, so I was prepared for it. Although I admit that after yesterday's match, my legs hurt the most. It teaches respect for the players who played in such boots and with such balls in pre-war times. Playing in them is not easy, the ball doesn't always go where we want it to," emphasizes Marek Konieczny.
The retro-match was not only a sporting reconstruction of the historic encounter but also an opportunity to recall its historical context. During the meeting, Zdzisław Skupień's book "The Most Valuable Result in Polish Football. 1936, Wisła Kraków – Chelsea FC," dedicated to the memorable victory of Biała Gwiazda over the London club, was promoted. The publication is available for sale at Księgarnia Akademicka (Academic Bookstore) and Wisła fan shops. The organizers also prepared special memorabilia for fans reminiscent of the era. Before the start of the match, "one-dayers" – match program editions modeled on those that accompanied football matches in the interwar period – were distributed as part of fundraising. Fans could also receive commemorative tickets styled like those from 1936.
The match itself was of a very good sporting level, and fans could admire spectacular saves by both goalkeepers. After the first half, the score remained 1:1. The "Blues" player Mariusz Malicki opened the scoring, while Krzysztof Grudnik scored the equalizer from a free kick. After the break, there was no shortage of excitement. Bartosz Kocik put Wisła ahead, beating the opposing goalkeeper with a header. The True Blues team's response was not long in coming – Przemysław Reichel equalized. Wojciech Cianciara decided the fate of the match, scoring the winning goal in the final minutes. History came full circle. After 90 years, Wisła Kraków once again triumphed over Chelsea F.C. However, the activities of the Wisła History Association do not end here.
"I believe this is not our last joint initiative – after all, there are still several important matches from the history of Wisła Kraków to reconstruct," says Marek Konieczny. The event was organized by the Wisła History Association, which for years has been popularizing the history of Wisła Kraków through, among other things, publications, exhibitions, meetings with former players, and reconstructions of historical events related to Biała Gwiazda.
Photo by Piotr Brydak/Historia Wisły.
