Football in ... Wroclaw

Any focus on football in Wroclaw seldom extends beyond WKS Śląsk Wrocław, the leading light that puts all local rivals in its shade.

Śląsk was founded in 1947 by the merger of two military schools Pionier and Podchorążak – hence their nickname, the Army Men. They were one of several clubs to spring up in the newly-established Polish city after the Second World War, including KS Ślęza Wrocław, WKP Odra Wrocław, KS Polonia Wrocław and Polar Wrocław. Yet football in Wroclaw is all about Śląsk.

Football was by no means new to the city in 1945. SV Blitz Breslau, founded by a group of former cyclists looking for a new source of entertainment, were established in 1897 and were one of the founding members of the German Football Association (DFB). A split soon led to the formation of SC Schlesien Breslau, which translates into Polish as Śląsk Wrocław though there is no link between the clubs.

The Soldiers' high point came in 1977, when spearheaded by ten-goal Janusz Sybis, they took the championship trophy for the first and so far only time. A year earlier Śląsk had captured their first major title, the Polish Cup, and it took a solid SSC Napoli side to spoil their UEFA Cup Winners' Cup ambitions at the quarter-final stage.

They inscribed their name on the Polish Cup again in 1987 and finished runners-up to Wisła Kraków in the 2010/11 Ekstraklasa. Elsewhere, Odra and Polar in particular have been restricted to eye-catching Polish Cup runs, but there is another team in the city that are no strangers to success. Women's side KŚ AZS Wrocław won eight successive titles between 2001 and 2008, also capturing four Polish Cups.

Notable names
Midfielder Lesław Ćmikiewicz and goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski were members of Poland's 1970 dream team, picking up 57 and 63 caps respectively. The Wroclaw-born pair helped the side finish third at the 1974 FIFA World Cup and then earned silver medals at the 1976 Olympics. Ćmikiewicz, who had a brief tenure as coach in 1993, had won gold four years earlier. Another Śląsk favourite, midfielder Ryszard Tarasiewicz, scored nine goals in 59 internationals in a career that brought spells at Neuchâtel Xamax FC and RC Lens.

Other sports
Śląsk Wrocław's basketball side were a leading force for many years, their haul of 17 league titles unsurpassed. They were champions for seven years during the 1970s, a decade when one of Wrocław's most famous sons, Włodzimierz Stefański, helped Poland to volleyball gold at the 1976 Olympics. Śląsk Wrocław's handball side have captured 15 league titles. WTS Sparta Wrocław have claimed four polish speedway championships and in 2009 the UNESCO-listed Centennial Hall was one of the venues for EuroBasket 2009, won by Spain, and the European Women's Volleyball Championship, won by Italy.

Did you know?
Orest Lenczyk was coach in 1980 when Śląsk lost 7-2 aggregate against Dundee United FC in the UEFA Cup first round. Three decades later he returned and guided Śląsk back into UEFA competition at the first time of asking. His reward? Another meeting with the Scottish club, this time in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round: Śląsk won on away goals.