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.
![]() | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 9 April 1981 | ||
Place of birth | Cieszyn, Poland | ||
Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
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
![](../I/Ireneusz_Jelen.jpeg.webp)
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 | 16 | 8 | – | – | 16 | 8 | ||
Beskid Skoczów | 2000–01 | 11 | 6 | – | – | 11 | 6 | |||
2001–02 | 29 | 16 | – | – | 29 | 16 | ||||
Wisła Płock | 2002–03 | Ekstraklasa | 26 | 8 | 9 | 4 | – | 35 | 12 | |
2003–04 | 26 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 20 | ||
2004–05 | 23 | 12 | 3 | 2 | – | 26 | 14 | |||
2005–06 | 25 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 12 | ||
AJ Auxerre | 2006–07 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 39 | 14 |
2007–08 | 32 | 5 | 4 | 1 | – | 36 | 6 | |||
2008–09 | 26 | 14 | 1 | 0 | – | 27 | 14 | |||
2009–10 | 29 | 14 | 3 | 4 | – | 32 | 18 | |||
2010–11 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 6 | ||
Lille OSC | 2011–12 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 4 | |
Podbeskidzie | 2012–13 | Ekstraklasa | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 | 0 | |
Górnik Zabrze | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 12 | 2 | |||
Total | Beskid Skoczów | 40 | 22 | – | – | – | – | 40 | 22 | |
Total | Wisła Płock | 100 | 45 | 22 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 126 | 58 | |
Total | AJ Auxerre | 140 | 48 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 159 | 58 |
International goals
# | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 14 December 2003 | Ta' Qali, Malta | ![]() | 3–1 | Win | Friendly |
2. | 30 May 2006 | Chorzów, Poland | ![]() | 1–2 | Loss | Friendly |
3. | 28 March 2009 | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ![]() | 3–2 | Loss | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) |
4. | 1 April 2009 | Kielce, Poland | ![]() | 10–0 | Win | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) |
5. | 4 September 2010 | Łódź, Poland | ![]() | 1–1 | Draw | Friendly |
Honours
References
- Piotr Koźmiński (27 January 2009). "Jeleń out to stop the rot at Auxerre". UEFA.com. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- 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.
- Alexis Toledano (23 May 2009). "Zoom sur Ireneusz Jelen, la bonne étoile de l'AJA". FootMercato (in French). Retrieved 23 May 2009.
- "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.
- "Les 50 qui font la Ligue 1". France Football (in French). 28 July 2009.
- "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.
- "Piłkarskie Oscary rozdane, Ireneusz Jeleń piłkarzem roku". Wiadomosci24. 15 December 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
- "Ireneusz Jeleń podpisał kontrakt z OSC Lille". onet.pl. 30 August 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
- "ESPNsoccernet – Ireneusz Jelen Profile". ESPNsoccernet. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- "Official website of Ireneusz Jeleń". Archived from the original on 2 April 2009.
External links
- Official website (in Polish)
- Ireneusz Jeleń – French league stats at LFP (also available in French)
- Ireneusz Jeleń at 90minut.pl (in Polish)