Football player
Krystian was born on 19.01.1998 in Tarnów and has been playing football since he was four years old. His role model from the very beginning was his dad - Jarek Popiela, who developed his football career in Poland, Cyprus and Greece. Krystian honed his football skills in Polish and foreign football clubs. He started by playing for Olympiakos Pireus and later for Polonia Warszawa and Cagliari Calcio. He trained at the Barcelona nursery - Escola Varsovia.
When he took part in the Italian Primavera (the then equivalent of the Polish Young League, now the Central Junior League), he benefited from the knowledge and experience of Bartosz Salomon - a former Milan player and former Polish national team player, and a Lech Poznań player at the time. In turn, in the youth national teams (U-15) he played in the company of, among others, Krystian Bielik (current Polish representative and Derby County player) and Przemysław Płacheta, who was promoted to the Premier League with the Norwich City team. In later years he played for Wisła Płock, Olimpia Grudziądz, Unia Tarnów and Stala Rzeszów. He died in a car accident on the A4 motorway between Tarnów and Dębica on 9.09.2018.
He was a creative player. Even then, it was clear that he would feel best “on the ten”. There he would be able to showcase his full potential. He was an intelligent footballer. He searched for unconventional solutions. He saw a lot on the pitch. He caused a lot of problems for defenders. Popi had papers to play.
– said Panagiotis Retsos, defender of Bayer Leverkusen and the Greek national team, with whom Krystian had played for Olympiakos Piraeus at the beginning of his adventure with football.
Optimist
Krystian Popiela was not only a young and talented footballer, but also a person with an extremely optimistic approach to life. His loved ones remember him as a man who was always smiling and filled with positive energy. He was able to win the hearts of others and infect them with cheerfulness. Krystian was also filled with empathy, care and compassion for those with all kinds of problems - he was eager to help others.
Inspirational figure
Krystian's talent, joie de vivre and empathy was, and continues to be, an inspiration to those lucky enough to get to know him better. He spoke four languages (Polish, English, Greek and Italian) fluently, supported others and could make them laugh to tears. Despite his young age, Krystian Popiela managed to experience many experiences, emotions and emotions.
His story - inspiring and at the same time aborted suddenly and unexpectedly - became the foundation for the ‘Let's Share a Smile’ Foundation. Thanks to the activities of the Foundation, the memory of Krystian Popiel will live on and the next generation of young and talented athletes who have suffered accidents, injuries or illnesses will be supported in their return to fitness and in the pursuit of their sporting dreams.
