Ireneusz Jeleń

Ireneusz Jeleń (Polish pronunciation: [irɛˈnɛuʂ ˈjɛlɛɲ] (listen); born 9 April 1981) is a retired Polish footballer who played as a right-winger or striker for the Polish national football team.

Ireneusz Jeleń
Personal information
Date of birth (1981-04-09) 9 April 1981
Place of birth Cieszyn, Poland
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position(s) Right winger, striker
Youth career
Piast Cieszyn
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000 Piast Cieszyn 16 (8)
2001–2002 Beskid Skoczów 40 (22)
2002–2006 Wisła Płock 100 (45)
2006–2011 Auxerre 140 (48)
2011–2012 Lille 13 (1)
2012 Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała 7 (0)
2013 Górnik Zabrze 12 (2)
2014 Piast Cieszyn 4 (6)
Total 332 (132)
National team
2003–2012 Poland 29 (5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Jeleń was born in Cieszyn. From 2002 to 2006 he played for Wisła Płock in the Ekstraklasa. In four seasons he scored 45 goals in 100 appearances in the Polish top league.

On 28 June 2006, Jeleń signed for Auxerre in Ligue 1. On 9 September 2006, Jeleń scored his first league goal for Auxerre against Monaco. On 20 October 2007, he grabbed his first hat-trick, after coming off the bench in the 71st minute against FC Lorient. In his first couple of seasons at Auxerre, Jeleń was plagued with recurring back problems. In October 2008 he suffered a broken collarbone. He returned to action in late January 2009.[1] Auxerre's manager Jean Fernandez has described Jeleń as the player in his squad having the most ability in front of goal.[2] Prior to his return, Auxerre was in 17th place, barely above the relegation zone.[3] Upon his return, Jeleń scored 11 goals in 16 league matches, with Auxerre advancing to 8th in the table. Despite missing part of the season, Jelen tied for 4th in the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts. In May 2009, he was voted Auxerre's Player of the Season, garnering 79% of the votes.[4] In July 2009, France Football ranked him 4th among strikers and 15th overall among footballers playing in Ligue 1.[5][6]

In December 2009 he was voted Polish Player of the Year.[7]

During the 2009–10 season, he helped Auxerre to finish third in the league and win a place in the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League Play-off round. He finished fifth in the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts with 14 goals, despite missing some matches due to injury. Auxerre lost only once (at Grenoble 0–5) with Jeleń in the line up on 6 February 2010.

Jeleń signed a contract as a free agent with Lille at the end of August, after his contract with Auxerre expired.[8]

After refusing to go to Stade Brestois 29, he was soon left without a club. He returned to Poland and signed for Ekstraklasa side Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała but after a poor half of the season he was released. After a short stint at Górnik Zabrze, where he left due to his father's illness he finished his career at the local club he started his career with, Piast Cieszyn, before eventually retiring in 2014.

International career
Ireneusz Jeleń during the 2006 FIFA World Cup game against Costa Rica

As of October 2011, Jeleń has 28 caps with the Polish national team. He was selected for the 23-man squad that took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany and played in all three of the Group A games, almost scoring with an impressive left foot shot that hit the crossbar against Ecuador in their 2–0 defeat. His trademarks are speed and acceleration.[9] Jelen failed to make Poland's squad for their upcoming Euro 2012 campaign, however he was placed on standby.

Personal life

Jeleń was born the middle of three children, having an older sister and a younger brother. He and his wife, Anna, have a son, Jakub, born in 2003, and a daughter, Julia, born in January 2010.[10]

Career statistics

Club
As of 2 June 2013
Club Season League Domestic League Domestic Cups European Cups Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Piast Cieszyn 2000–01 III Liga 168––168
Beskid Skoczów 2000–01 116––116
2001–02 2916––2916
Wisła Płock 2002–03 Ekstraklasa 26894–3512
2003–04 261810222920
2004–05 231232–2614
2005–06 25795203612
AJ Auxerre 2006–07 Ligue 1 321020543914
2007–08 32541–366
2008–09 261410–2714
2009–10 291434–3218
2010–11 2150041256
Lille OSC 2011–12 1314320194
Podbeskidzie 2012–13 Ekstraklasa 7000–70
Górnik Zabrze 12200–122
Total Beskid Skoczów4022––––4022
Total Wisła Płock1004522114212658
Total AJ Auxerre140481059515958

International goals
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.14 December 2003Ta' Qali, Malta Lithuania3–1WinFriendly
2.30 May 2006Chorzów, Poland Colombia1–2LossFriendly
3.28 March 2009Belfast, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland3–2Loss2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
4.1 April 2009Kielce, Poland San Marino10–0Win2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
5.4 September 2010Łódź, Poland Ukraine1–1DrawFriendly

Honours

Club

Wisła Płock

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References
  1. Piotr Koźmiński (27 January 2009). "Jeleń out to stop the rot at Auxerre". UEFA.com. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  2. Alexis Billebault (13 March 2009). "Jelen, le vrai plus de l'AJA". L'Équipe (in French). Archived from the original on 15 March 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  3. Alexis Toledano (23 May 2009). "Zoom sur Ireneusz Jelen, la bonne étoile de l'AJA". FootMercato (in French). Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  4. "Ireneusz Jelen, élu joueur auxerrois de la saison". Official Website of AJA Auxerre (in French). 21 May 2009. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
  5. "Les 50 qui font la Ligue 1". France Football (in French). 28 July 2009.
  6. "Ireneusz Jeleń wśród gwiazd Ligue 1". Przegląd Sportowy (in Polish). 30 July 2009. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  7. "Piłkarskie Oscary rozdane, Ireneusz Jeleń piłkarzem roku". Wiadomosci24. 15 December 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  8. "Ireneusz Jeleń podpisał kontrakt z OSC Lille". onet.pl. 30 August 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  9. "ESPNsoccernet – Ireneusz Jelen Profile". ESPNsoccernet. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
  10. "Official website of Ireneusz Jeleń". Archived from the original on 2 April 2009.
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