NewsAssociation
Goalkeeper of the Polish national team began her studies at the UEFA Academy
For Kinga Szemik, football development is very important, but she also wants to improve her skills off the pitch. The goalkeeper of the Polish national team and West Ham United has begun her studies at the UEFA Academy. Szemik is the first person from Poland to take part in the "UEFA CFM – Players' edition" programme, which in the past has already graduated... a world champion and Champions League winner.
The Polish Football Association will provide Szemik with full funding for this unique project. "Our aim is to strengthen the role of women in the football community through the implementation of the 'Strategy for the Development of Women's Football'. We are very pleased with the achievements of our female players both on and off the pitch. We are proud and happy to support Kinga Szemik, goalkeeper of our national team, in her educational journey. The Polish Football Association will provide her with the necessary support so that she can soon obtain her Certificate in Football Management diploma," said Łukasz Wachowski, Secretary General of the Polish Football Association.
"The UEFA CFM programme is about football management. As a football player, I know the challenges we face on a daily basis. I felt that I needed more knowledge of how certain areas work from the administrative side to understand them better. I've always believed that career planning requires a two-pronged approach, so I'm trying to grow in other directions, including off the pitch. The UEFA CFM programme will help me gain additional knowledge, but it will also be a great tool to meet people and network, which could be useful for me in the future. I admit that I would like to be able to have a positive impact on the development of women's football in Poland. I believe that participating in this programme will bring me closer to that goal," said Kinga Szemik.
The Żywiec-born player won the European Championship gold medal with the Poland national under-17 team in 2013. Today, she is the primary goalkeeper of the first national team, with which she advanced for the first time ever to the Euro, this year to be held in Switzerland. On a daily basis, Szemik is a goalkeeper for London's West Ham United. Before coming to the British Isles, she played for Mitech Żywiec, Stade de Reims and FC Nantes, among others.
Interestingly, several well-known male and female football players have graduated from the "UEFA CFM – Players' edition" programme in the past. Among those who can boast this achievement are Raphaël Varane – 2018 World Champion with the French national team and four-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Ivan Rakitić – 106 appearances with the Croatian national team and player of FC Schalke 04, Sevilla FC and FC Barcelona, and Michael Essien – 59 appearances with the Ghanaian national team and former Chelsea FC player. The diploma is also held by former Swiss national team goalkeeper Gaëlle Thalmann and French national team player Eugénie Le Sommer. Kinga Szemik could be the next football player to be included in this prestigious group.
