Leonard Piątek
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Leonard Franciszek Piątek (born Leonard Piontek, October 13, 1913 in Królewska Huta - July 1, 1967) was a Polish football player of Upper Silesian origin who played in the interwar period.
An hard-working and ambitious forward, Piatek was the top scorer for Polish first division vice-champions AKS Chorzów in 1937 and went on to lead the league the following season with 21 goals.
He represented Poland on the country's national side in 16 games from 1937 to 1939, scoring 11 goals. He scored twice in Poland's 4:0 win over Yugoslavia in a World Cup qualifier and took part in the legendary 1938 FIFA World Cup match against Brazil in (Strasburg, France on June 5 1938 (5:6 Brazil). Piatek also scored a goal in the last international match played in Poland before the outbreak of World War II, a 4:2 victory over Hungary on August 27 1939.
Piatek signed the Volksliste (German Nationality List) after the Nazi invasion of Poland which allowed him to continue his footballing career. His club AKS Chorzów was now playing as Germania Königshütte and with Piatek as their key player the team dominated the first division Gauliga Schliesen – part of the German football league system – throughout the early 40's far outperforming state-supported rivals 1. FC Katowice.
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Poland squad - 1938 FIFA World Cup | |
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FW Baran | GK Brom | FW Cebula | MF Dytko | DF Gałecki | DF Giemsa | MF Góra | FW Habowski | FW Korbas | MF Lis | FW Łyko | GK Madejski | MF Nyc | FW R. Piec | MF W. Piec | FW Piątek | FW Scherfke | DF Szczepaniak | DF Twórz | MF Wasiewicz | FW Wilimowski | FW Wodarz | Coach Kałuża |
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