Legia Warsaw

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Legia Warsaw
Legia Warszawa.svg
Full name Legia Warszawa SA
Nickname(s) Wojskowi ("Militarians"),
Legioniści ("Legionnaires", "Legionarries")
Founded March 1916; 101 years ago (1916-03)
as Drużyna Sportowa Legia (Sport Team Legia)
Ground Polish Army Stadium
Ground Capacity 31,800[1]
Chairman Dariusz Mioduski
Manager Romeo Jozak
League Ekstraklasa
2016–17 1st
Website Club website
Current season

Legia Warszawa /ˈlɛɡjə/ (Polish pronunciation: [ˈlɛɡʲja varˈʂava]), known in English as Legia Warsaw, is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. Legia is one of the most successful Polish football clubs in history winning twelve Ekstraklasa Champions titles,[2] a record 18 Polish Cup trophies and four Polish SuperCup matches. The club's home venue is the Polish Army Stadium.

Legia was formed between 5 and 15 March 1916 during military operations in World War I on the Eastern Front in the neighborhood of Maniewicze in Volhynia, as the main football club of the Polish Legions. After the war, the club was reactivated 14 March 1920 in an officer casino in Warsaw as Wojskowy Klub Sportowy Warszawa, renamed Legia in 1923 after merger with another local club, Korona.[3] It became the main official football club of the Polish Army – Wojskowy Klub Sportowy Legia Warszawa (Military Sports Club Legia Warsaw). From 1949 to 1957, Legia was known as CWKS Warszawa (Central Military Sports Club Warsaw).

Before 8 April 2004 it was owned by Pol-Mot and from 8 April 2004 (sold for 3 million złoty) until 9 January 2014, it was owned by media conglomerate ITI Group[4] Currently the club is owned by Dariusz Mioduski (60%), Bogusław Leśnodorski (20%) and Maciej Wandzel (20%) – who serves as the club's chairman. The first two acquired the club for an undisclosed sum, which also included paying off debts made by previous ownership, and Wandzel joined them in September 2014.

History[edit]

Formation and beginnings[edit]

Legia and the Division of Sanitary team after a 7–0 win by legia. Spring 1916
Legia Warsaw in 1916

Legia was formed between 5 and 15 March 1916 during military operations in World War I on the Eastern Front in the neighborhood of Maniewicze in Wołyń,[5] as the main football club of the Polish Legions.[6] The formation of the club in 1916 was greatly influenced by the outbreak of the First World War, because many Polish soldiers were involved in the formation of the Polish Legions before the war. Soldiers, often young men from the south of Poland (mainly from Kraków and Lwów) played football before the war, and therefore, after the formation of the team, they soon became successful.[7] Football was a good way of spending free time, in the calm moments at the front, football matches were organized, which required the ball, making provisional goals, and finding a dozen or so players.[8]

The first team training began in the spring of 1915 in Piotrków, between March 5 and 15, 1916 - at the request of then Master Sergeant Zygmunt Wasserab (pre-war player of Pogoń Stryj [9]) - who was apart of the Polish Legion's Commanding Staff in Kostiukhnivka (near Manevychi in Wołyń) to create a football club. The president of the organization was Władysław Groele, and corporal Stanislaw Mielech proposed the name "Sporting Team Legia", which was adopted (more commonly used term of the team later became Legionowa)[10]. Other names were: "Legion Command Squad" and "Styr" [11]. White-black colors and arms were also shown, showing the white letter "L" (symbol of the Legions) on the black dial. The players were dressed in white clothes with sloping black belts, which was a reference to Czarni Lwów.[12]

In the spring of 1916, the team played a number of matches with other teams, most of which ended with Legia victorious. The oldest recorded matches are: 7–0 with the Divisional Sanitary Division, 3–3 with the 6th Infantry Regiment and two victories (6–4 and 3–1) with the 4th Infantry Regiment.[12] In July 1916 - because of the Brusilov Offensive - the Legions began to retreat west and the club moved to Warsaw. The first match in which Polonia Warsaw was the rival was held on April 29, 1917 at Agrykola park and ended with a 1–1 draw.[13] Of the nine games played in Warsaw, Legia won six and drew three. At the first away game the team won a 2–1 victory over the then Polish champion KS Cracovia in Kraków, so Legia became an unofficial champion of the country. In 1918 the war ended, but the team continued to play only amateur-friendly matched.[12]

1920s and 1930s[edit]

The club was reactivated on March 14, 1920. In the officers' casinos in the Royal Castle, a group of former officers formed the Military Sports Club (WKS) -Wojskowy Klub Sportowy- Warsaw, establishing the white and red colors of the statute. Among them was Zygmunt Wasserab, one of the founders of the club.[14]

Due to the Polish-Bolshevik war and the participation of many Warsaw players, WKS was not nominated for the premiership of the Polish championship league in 1920. In the 1921-1926 seasons, the team was not promoted beyond the A-class of the Warsaw district, but it was a very important period for the club. In 1922, a statute was passed allowing the team to play in civilian teams(as opposed to playing against only other soldiers). Zygmunt Wassarab and Jerzy Misiński worked together and the clubs name was changed to the Military Sports Club "Legia" Warsaw.[15] It was modeled on the document of LKS Pogoń Lwów. At that time, a merger with the oldest Warsaw sports club, Korona, was created, which resulted in the acquisition of new, white-green club colors.[3]

In the first international match played on May 18, 1922, Legia lost 2–9 at their own stadium with Czechoslovakian club Viktor Zichkov Prague.[6] A year later, in the championship of Warsaw, the Army took 3rd place.[16]

After the first-ever promotion beyond Class A in 1927, Legia qualified for the newly formed Polish Football League. Roman Górecki, the then president of the Warsaw team, became the first president of the Polish League. Their debut was on May 8 in Łódź - Klub Turystów Łódź was the opponent and the match ended in a 6–1 result. At the same time, Legia player Marian Łańko scored his first league goal free kick and recorded his first hat-trick in club history.[17] In the same year, in a match against Pogonia Lwów, the club suffered the highest league loss, losing 2–11.[18] At the end of the season, Legia finished fifth, despite five defeats at the start of the season. Legia striker Marian Łańko finished second scoring 31 goals. The Warsaw club also made their debut in the Polish Cup, winning the match with Pogoń Warsaw 7–0. For the next two seasons Legia occupied higher positions in the league than the other clubs: Polonia and Warszawianka.[12]

In 1930, after three years of construction, the Polish Army Stadium was opened at Łazienkowska Street. In the first match of the new stadium, Legia drew 1–1 with Barcelona. In the same year the legionaries defeated Hajduki Wielkie 7–1 in their 100th match in the league. Legia also had the biggest pre-war successes in the Polish championships in 1930 and 1931, where they were short three points and one point respectively.[12] Moreover, in the first edition of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs awards for the best results in international competition, the Army received a "traveling" trophy.[19]

In the 1935 season, Legia remained in the league, gaining one point advantage over the relegated Cracovia, and then in 1936 - in the club's 20-year anniversary - lost seven consecutive games in a row and recorded the only decline of the league in its history. In 1937 the club's board decided to return to the military statute. As a result, almost all civilians departed from the first team, mainly to other Warsaw teams. In 1937 - in the A class of the Warsaw district - Legia took fourth place, and one year later, took first place, and played in the first division play-offs. Legia was third place in the play-offs and they were not able to advance. The board reacted by withdrawing the club from all competitions and decided to play only friendly matches. In 1938, most of the team's sections were dissolved, leaving only three: tennis, swimming and motocross.[12]

1940s[edit]

After the end of World War II - in April 1945 - the club was reactivated under the name of I Wojskowy Klub Sportowy Warszawa (1st Military Sports Club Warsaw), and in June added a historical member of Legia. Among the people who contributed to the reconstruction of the club were: Julian Neuding - prewar player of Makabi Warszawa, Karol Rudolf - prewar player of Legia, Henryk Czarnik and Józef Ziemian - Legia players from the interwar period. The team initially played friendly matches with teams in the region, but later also with clubs from other countries, the likes of the Swedish IFK Norrköping and the Yugoslav FK Partizan.

In the first postwar Polish championships held in 1946, Legia took second place in the elimination group, falling out of competition. In 1948, after qualifying for the nine-year break of the highest tier, Legia qualified after a victory in the inter-regional eliminations of the northeastern region and after took second place in the nationwide qualification. Legia eventually took fourth place, drawing 3–3 with Ruch Chorzów. It was the 250th league game of the club. The first post-war match in the first tier took place on March 14, 1948, beating Polonia Bytom 3–1.

For the next two seasons, Legia only held on in the first division due to a better goal differential against the relegated teams, taking the 9th and 10th respectively. In November 1949, after the reforms introduced by the then Polish football association, the club once again changed its name to Centralny Wojskowy Klub Sportowy (Central Army Sports Club). Also, a new coat of arms (large letter C, and smaller letters in it: W, K, S). The official patron of the team was the Polish People's Army.[20] Legia became a military club, so it was possible to get players of other clubs, players like Lucjan Brychczy, Ernest Pohl and Edmund Kowal all were brought to Legia.[21][22]

1950s[edit]

In 1951 Legia took third place in the league, and in the cup competitions lost in the eighth-finals with Polonia Warszawa. A year later, Legia achieved its first success in the Polish Cup competition, reaching the finals (in which Polonia Warszawa won 1–0). It should be emphasized that the reserve team reached this stage of the competition, while the first team dropped out in the eighth-finals, losing to Lechia Gdańsk. In the league, the club ranked sixth, and in the Puchar Zlotu Młodych Przodowników (the premiere edition of the League Cup) was eliminated in the group stage. In 1953, Legia took 5th place in the first league, and in the next season - in addition to the 7th place - the team managed to reach the semi-final of the Polish Cup, in which Warsaw Gwardia won 2–1.[6]

Legia won their first trophy on September 29, 1955, defeating Lechia Gdańsk 5–0 in the Polish Cup final. A month later - on November 20 after a 1–1 draw with Zagłębie in Sosnowiec - the club won their first Polish championship. The team trained by the Hungarian coach János Steiner won their first doublet in the history of Polish football. In the following season, Ryszard Koncewicz became the Legia coach. The club celebrated its 40th anniversary and repeated the achievements from the previous year. First he sealed the Polish championship after a 2–2 draw with ŁKS Lodz, and then he defeated in the cup final Górnik Zabrze in a 3–0 win.[23][6] These successes were accomplished by strengthening the team by means of conscription to the army[24] of players from such clubs as: Polonia Bytom, Ruch Chorzów, or Wawel Kraków. The latter, like most of the then Okręgowych Wojskowych Klubów Sportowych (District Military Sports Clubs - (OWKS), was dissolved. Officially due to the "reorganization of the military division", in practice this meant strengthening CWKS Warszawa(Legia's name at the time).[25] The team then won its highest victory in history, defeating Wisła Kraków 12–0 - the match took place on August 19, 1956 in Warsaw. In addition, the first three places in the goal classification at the end of the season were taken by legionnaires, and the title of the king of scorers was won by the Henryk Kempny who scored 21 goals.[6]

In 1956, in addition to winning the national doublet, Legia made there debut in the European competition, competing in the round of 16 of the European Champions Cup with Czechoslovak champion - Slovan Bratislava. In the first away meeting, the team lost 0–4, and in the second leg at home they won 2–0 after goals from Kowal and Brychcz, but they were eliminated from further games. The meeting in Warsaw was watched by 40,000 fans.[23]

At the meeting on July 2, 1957 - chaired by Colonel Edward Potorejko - the club's statute was approved and the first 31-member board of WKS Legia was elected, from which an 11-person presidium was then selected. The legal nature of the club has also changed. From the previous military unit, which was CWKS, a sports association was established with legal personality. The name of the club was also changed, as the historical name Legia was returned (Military Sports Club "Legia" Warsaw). In addition, new colors that are still used today were approved: white-red-green-black (later the order of the first two colors were changed) and the current coat of arms was adopted until today (with intervals).[26]

Legia players (appearing as a Warsaw team) were invited to Spain to play the first match on the new FC Barcelona stadium, Camp Nou on 24 September. The match ended with a 4–2 result for the hosts. League struggled that season ending it in fourth place, and with being knocked out of the Polish Cup at the eighth-finals, losing to Ruch Chorzow 1–2 - it should be remembered that in that period (until 1961) in the first league was played according to the spring - autumn cycle. In 1958, Legia took 6th place in the Polish championship, and in 1959 took 4th.[27][23]

1960s[edit]

In the 1960s, Legia regularly held top positions in the league table. In 1960, artificial lighting was installed at the Polish Army Stadium, thanks to which the facility became the second in Poland, where matches could be played after dark. The first meeting without natural light was played on October 5 with Danish club Aarhus Gymnastikforening as part of the qualification for the European Club Champions Cup.[28] Legia won the match 1–0 after Helmut Nowak's goal. However, with a 0–3 defeat in the first match in Denmark, they dropped out of further games. In the same season, Tadeusz Błażejewski, in the 11th minute of a 2–2 draw against ŁKS Łódź, scored the thousandth league goal for Legia. The club celebrated another anniversary on October 26, 1960, playing the five-hundredth match in the premier league; Legia beat Zagłębie Sosnowiec 1–0. In the league table Legia took second place, winning the title of runner-up of Poland and losing to Ruch Chorzów by 1 point. The following season, the team won the bronze medal of the Polish championship for taking third place in the league.

In the following year, the league shifted from the spring-fall system to fall-spring, which meant that the league matches started in the spring of 1962. The league was divided into two groups, in which the teams from the same regions played with each other. Legia - which took third place in its group - won the competition for 5th place with Wisła Kraków, drew a 1–1 away match and won 4–1 at home. In the Polish Cup, the team dropped out in the eighth-finals, losing 0–3 with Odra Opole. In the 1962/1963 season with the new league system, the team took the 7th place, and the fight for the Polish Cup again ended at stage eighth-finals (losing to later winner, Zagłębie Sosnowiec, 0–2).[6]

Legia ended the 1963/1964 season in fourth place in the league, scoring the same number of goals as second place Zagłębie Sosnowiec and third place Odra Opole. The goal differential decided who took which place. The club achieved a much better result in the Polish Cup, where the team led by the Romanian coach Virgil Popescu reached the finals. In the match played at 10th-Anniversary Stadium, Legia won after extra time with Polonia Bytom 2–1. Henryk Apostel received both goals for Legia.[6] In the next season Legia again took 4th place in the league, and in the Polish Cup reached the semi-final, in which they lost after extra time 1–2 with Górnik Zabrze (who became the winner of the cup).[27] The team also competed in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. In the first round, Legia eliminated the Austrian FC Admira Wacker Mödling. In the second they defeated the Turkish Galatasaray SK. After two matches there was a draw and third (the decisive step in the advancement) meeting in Bucharest. Legia won 1–0 and as the first Polish team to advance to the quarterfinals of any European club competition. At this stage of the tournament the team lost to German TSV 1860 Munich and was eliminated from the competition.[29][6]

The celebration of the 50th anniversary of the club's existence took place in 1966. In the league games the team took 6th place, while the better result was achieved in the twelfth edition of the Polish Cup. In the game played on August 15 at the Warta Poznań stadium, Legia won after extra time against Górnik Zabrze 2–1 in the final. The goal scored in the last minute of extra time was by Bernard Blaut. Winning the Polish Cup allowed the club to compete in the Cup Winners' Cup in the 1966/1967 season. In the round of 16 Legia was knocked out by FC Sachsen Leipzig, losing 0–3 away and tied 2–2 at home. The team came fourth in the league table, and in the Polish Cup was eliminated after a 1–3 defeat in the eighth-finals with Wisła Kraków. That season, Kazimierz Deyna made his debut in the Legia team.[6]

The second time in history the club was the vice-champion of Poland in the 1967/1968 season and was promoted as the first Polish team to the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. In the Polish Cup Legia was knocked out by GKS Katowice in the eighth-finals. In the same year, the team made their debut in the Intertoto Cup. Legia won their group, but then they did not advance to the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, because the matches of the Intertoto Cup were not official UEFA competitions.[30][6] Legia, led by Czechoslovakian trainer Jaroslav Vejvoda, finished the 1968/1969 season in first place in the table, thus winning the third Polish championship. The team reached the final of the Polish Cup, in which they lost to Górnik Zabrze 0–2. The club also made its debut at the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. In the first round Legia won twice 6–0 and 3–2 against TSV 1860 Munich, in the next round they defeated 0–1 and 2–0 against Belgian team Zulte Waregem, and the third opponent was Újpest FC. In the next round, the Hungarian team's players were better (Legia's defeat 0–1 away, 2–2 draw in Warsaw) and the rivals were promoted to the next stage. In 1969 there was still one more success - the legia juniors won the first championship in the history of the club.[6]

Lucjan Brychczy and Edmund Zientara at training against Feyenoord in 1970.

The next season brought in a new first team coach - he was a former player of the Legia, Edmund Zientara. His team won the title of Polish champion for the second time in a row. In the struggle for the Polish Cup, Legia was eliminated in the semi-final with Ruch Chorzów. The performances of the club in the European Champion Clubs' Cup was a great success - Legia reached the semi-finals of the competition. In the round of 16, they defeated Romanian club FC UTA Arad 2–1 and 8–0, French club Saint-Étienne in the eighth-finals 2–1 and 1–0, and Turkish club Galatasaray in the quarter-finals 2–1 and 1–0. In the semi-final, they played against was Feyenoord. The first match in Warsaw ended in a draw 0–0, while away the home team triumphed 2–0.[30]

1970s[edit]

The 1970s were known as Poland's golden age of football. In 1971, Legia won for the third time in the history runner's up of Poland, and ended the Polish Cup in the quarter-finals. For the second year in a row the club competed in the European Club Champions Cup, where it reached the quarter-finals, dropping out against Atlético Madrid (2–1 and 0–1). They previously eliminated IFK Gothenburg (4–0, 2–1) and Standard Liège (0–1, 2–0).[6] From December 1971 to February 1972, Legia went on a tour of Spain and the countries of South America: including Ecuador, Costa Rica and Colombia - this was the first time the team visited this part of the world. In the 1971/1972 season, the team finished third in the league table and lost in the Polish Cup final with Górnik Zabrze 2–5. In September 1972, the Warsaw club defeated Víkingur Reykjavík in the round of 16 European Cup Winners' Cup 9–0,[31] which is the highest Polish team win in European competitions. In the next round Legia was matched up against A.C. Milan. The first game was played at the 10th Anniversary Stadium ended in a draw 1–1.[32] At San Siro, after the regular time of the game, the draw was also maintained - the winning goal at 2–1 Milan scored two minutes before the end of extra time.[33][34] In that season, Legia took 8th place in the league and won its fifth Polish Cup - after eliminating in the semi-finals Szombinrek (3–1 and 1–1)[35][36] and the final match against Polonia. On June 17, 1973 in Poznań, the goaleless result was maintained for 90 minutes of regular time of the game, as well as for the entire extra time. The legionaries finally won in penalties, 4–2.[37]

The season of 1973/1974 began with a defeat in the round of 16 of the European Club Champions Cup in aggregate with PAOK FC (1–1 in Warsaw, 0–1 in Thessaloniki). In early 1974, the club went to Spain and France to face Barcelona (1–1 at Camp Nou) and RC Lens (0–2). The team finished the league competition in 4th place, in the Polish Cup they were knocked out in the quarterfinals, losing 1–2 to Stal Rzeszów. Right after the end of the league, the legionnaires went to an international tournament that took place in the Canary Islands - they drew with Cádiz CF, won with CD Tenerife and Hércules CF. Another foreign trip took place at the end of January 1975. Legia flew to Australia and became the first Polish team to visit all continents (except Antarctica).[6] Legia took 6th place in the league, and lost in the round of 16 in the Polish Cup. After the season, the first transfer of Polish player to the West took place, which was allowed by PZPN and the Ministry of Sport. Robert Gadocha was bought by FC Nantes, later French champion.

Legia in the 1975-1976 season finished the league in the middle of the table (8th place), and in the Polish Cup reached the eighth-finals, where they lost to GKS Jastrzębie after penalties. In the autumn of 1976, the club's 60th anniversary was celebrated. On the anniversary, October 12, two matches were played at the Polish Army stadium: a meeting with Legia and Warsaw Polonia (home win 2–0) and a match between Legia and Dukla, which ended with 4–2 for the legionaries. In February 1977 the team made the next trip, this time to Indonesia. Six games were played at that time (four wins, two draws) and a total of 15 goals were scored - without Deyna, who was at a training camp in Yugoslavia and Greece.[38] Legia also performed for the second time in the Intertoto Cup. Legia's opponents were: Landskrona BoIS (1–0 and 2–1), SK Slavia Prague (1–1 and 2–2) and BSC Young Boys (4–1 and 1–1).[39] Legia took second place in the group and once again was not rewarded with a promotion to the UEFA Cup. The team - finishing in the 8th position - repeated the result from the previous league season, while in the Polish Cup they were knocked out in the semi-final, losing to Polonia Bytom 1–2.

During the second half of the 1970s, the legionaries did not make it to the top 3 positions to get into European competitions, and 5th place in the 1977/1978 season was the highest position. In addition, the team repeated the result obtained a year earlier in the Polish Cup - Legia reached the semi-final, in which they were knocked out by Zagłębie Sosnowiec after penalties. The next season (1978/1979) was the last one in which Kazimierz Deyna represented the club. In addition, the club played the 1000th meeting in the highest football tier - the match took place on April 25 against Lech in Poznań (1–2 defeat). The season ended finishing 6th place in the league and the eighth-final of the Polish Cup (lost against Zagłębie II Lubin 1–2). On 18 September 1979 a farewell to Kazimierz Deyna took place - that day Legia played a friendly with Manchester City (2–1). Deyna played the whole match and scored two goals - one for Legia (in the first half) and the second for his new club (in the second part of the meeting), which he was transfered for 100,000 pounds sterling. The match was very popular and many fans had to watch it from behind the stadium gates.[6]

1980s[edit]

Legia started the decade by winning the Polish Cup - on 9 May 1980, it won the final 5–0 with Lech Poznań. In the league, the legionaries took fourth place. A year later, the Warsaw club defended the Polish Cup (winning June 24 with Pogoń Szczecin 1–0), and struggled in the league, finishing fifth place. The following season, the team played a match in the quarter-finals of the European Club Champions Cup with Dinamo Tbilisi. During the first meeting in Warsaw, fans, due to the very large number of policemen at the stadium, began to chant the slogans: "Down with communism" and "MO - Gestapo". After the defeat of 0–1, the fans organized an anti-communist parade (this situation was repeated several times in the 1980s). The result of 0–1 also ended the away match, which in Tbilisi was watched by 90 thousand fans.[40][41] In the 1981/1982 season Legia finished fourth, and in the Polish Cup they were knocked out in the righth-finals, losing to Arka Gdynia 1–2.[42]

The 1982/83 season began with a change of part of the team. Legia also gained a new coach - Kazimierz Górski in the middle of the season, was replaced by Jerzy Kopa. Legia finished eighth place in the league table, while in the Polish Cup fell out in the quarterfinals, after losing 0–1 with Lech Poznań in Warsaw. A year later, Legia finished fifth in the fight for the title, and in the Polish Cup reached the 5th round, losing in it with Górnik Zabrze after extra time 2–3.

At the turn of 1984 and 1985, after the autumn round Legia took first place in the table, despite the legia finished runners-up of Poland - that meant the club was to participate in the UEFA Cup. In addition, the team reached the quarter-finals of the Polish Cup (a defeat in aggregate with Górnik Zabrze). The following season - 1985/1986 - the league success was repeated and the quarterfinals of the home cup were again obtained. Both titles went to Górnik Zabrze. In the same years, the legionaries made it to the round of 16 and eighth-finals of the UEFA Cup, losing twice with Inter Milan. In the first match, Milan drew 0–0 at home, which was considered a great success for Warsaw club.[6] The return match at Łazienkowska ended with the score 0–1 and the Italian team advanced to the next round.[43][44] The next year in 1986 was the victory for Legia 3–2 at Łazienkowska and a 1–1 defeat in Italy, which eliminated the Polish club.[45][46]

At the beginning of the 1986/87 season, the Warsaw team traveled to China and won the Great Wall Cup, defeating the hosts 2–0. The team played in Beijing and other cities for a week, at the turn of July and August.[47] In the then games, apart from other successful performance in Europe, Legia took 5th place in the league and reached the 5th round of knockout (losing against Wisła Kraków after penalties). At the end of 1987, at the Legia stadium, the speedway track was liquidated and the football field was widened.

Legia finished the next year in the league in third place, also reached the Polish Cup final. In Łódź, the legionaries drew 1–1 with Lech and the victory was decided by penalty kicks, which the Poznań team won 3–2. A year later, the Warsaw team took fourth place in the league and won the Polish Cup at the stadium in Olsztyn, beating Jagiellonia Białystok 5–2.[48] Two weeks after the success, they also won the Polish Super Cup for the first time, defeating Ruch Chorzów 3–0 in Zamość.

The trophy gained in Zamość was the first piece of silverware after the reorganization of the club - on April 25, 1989, the club's board decided to seperate the football section from the multi-sport section CWKS and establish the Autonomous Football Section (ASPN CWKS "Legia" Warsaw).

On September 1, long-time footballer and Legia captain, Kazimierz Deyna, died in a car accident in San Diego.[6]

At the end of the decade, on September 13, Legia competed against FC Barcelona in the first round of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. The match in Barcelona ended with a 1–1 draw, after an unrecognized goal for the legionnaires and a penalty kick for opponents in the 85th minute of the match. In the rematch at Łazienkowska Legia lost 0–1, with 25 thousand fans in the stands. Michael Laudrup scored the only goal.[6]

1990s[edit]

The beginning of the nineties was not successful for the club, especially in the Polish league. In the 1989/1990 season, the team finished in seventh place, and the next season in ninth.[49][50] The 1991/1992 season games ended in 10th place[51] - then for the first time since World War II, Legia was fighting relegation to the second league, and the team avoided relegation on the matchday before the end of the season, winning 3–0 in an away match against Motor Lublin.[49] The club achieved better results in the Polish Cup. In 1990, Legia defeated GKS Katowice in the final and won their ninth trophy. A year later, the Warsaw club again faced GKS Katowice in the final of the Polish Cup, but this time the rivals who won the match 1–0 turned out to be better. The next season legia won their ninth Polish Cup in the 1989/1990 season, they were able to play in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. The Warsaw team, managed by Władysław Stachurski reached the semi-finals of the tournament, eliminating the likes of Sampdoria and Aberdeen FC. They lost in the semi-finals with Manchester United (1–3 in Warsaw and 1–1 in Manchester).[49]

In autumn 1992, the first private sponsor, businessman Janusz Romanowski, invested in the club. A two-year sponsorship deal was signed with FSO (worth PLN 2.4 billion at that time) as well as with Adidas. After the fourth round of the 1992/93 season, Janusz Wójcik became the Legia coach. The high budget from the sponsorship deals allowed players such as Maciej Śliwowski and Radosław Michalski to be brought in. This, in turn, translated into better results and joining the competition for the national championship.[52] On June 20, 1993, after an away victory of 6–0 against Wisła Kraków, the team won the Polish championship. However, on the next day the president of the PZPN board, with a 5–4 vote, decided to take the title from Legia and award it to the third team in the table - Lech Poznań (after disallowing the last matches of Legia and ŁKS, the team from Poznań took first place in the table). The reason for this decision were the allegations of bribery in the last league match. In addition, Legia was forced to pay a fine of 500 million zlotys, and the UEFA authorities excluded the team from any European competitions.[53][54] Twice (December 2004, January 2007),the club unsuccessfully requested that the unfavorable decision should be repealed and that the title should be restored.[55] In the same season, the anti-doping committee decided that Roman Zub (Legia football player) played after doping before the match against Widzew Łódź. The player's urine sample was also tested in a laboratory in Moscow, where it was considered that increased testosterone levels were not the result of doping. The match was initially verified as a walkover for the Łódź team, but the decision of the PZPN games department was revoked by the president of the board.[53]

2000–2010[edit]

In 2002, Legia lifted the seventh Ekstraklasa champion title. As a result, Legia qualified for the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League. Following a win with Vardar in the second qualifying round, Legia lost the third qualifying round to Barcelona. In 2002, after a 3–0 win and 1–2 loss against Wisła Kraków, Legia won the Ekstraklasa Cup. The 2005–06 Ekstraklasa season resulted in Legia's eighth Polish championship.

2011–present[edit]

Legia won its 10th title with another league championship at the end of the 2013–14 Ekstraklasa season. Legia qualified for the 2016-17 Champions League group stages for the first time in 21 years after defeating Dundalk on August 23, 2016. The Legionnaires found themselves in group F with the likes of Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, and Sporting Lisbon. They finished third place after winning 1–0 against Sporting Lisbon[56] on the last match day in the group stages, sending them to the round of 32 in the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League. Legia was drawn against Ajax where the first match fell goalless in Warsaw.

Legia won its 12th League title in the 2016–17 Ekstraklasa season. They finished with a 0-0 draw against Lechia Gdańsk. Legia needed a draw in the match between Jagiellonia Białystok and Lech Poznań which finished 2-2 and gave Legia the title.[57]

Stadium[edit]

Legia plays its games at Legia Warsaw Municipal Stadium of Marshal Józef Piłsudski (Polish: Stadion Miejski Legii Warszawa im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego), traditionally also referred to as the Polish Army Stadium (Polish: Stadion Wojska Polskiego), which is an all-seater football-specific stadium in Warsaw, Poland. Legia has been playing there since 9 August 1930. With space for 31,800 spectators it is the 5th biggest football stadium in the Ekstraklasa. The stadium underwent significant reconstruction between 2008 and 2011, during which all of the stands were demolished and replaced with bigger and more modern ones which increased the stadium's capacity from 13,500 to 31,800 seats. The former Polish Army Stadium is currently owned by the City of Warsaw.

Stadium exterior 
VIP Stand 
The eastern stand named after Kazimierz Deyna 

Sponsors[edit]

Years Football kit Main sponsor
1978–90 Adidas  –
1990–91 Umbro Müller
1991 Lotto
1992–95 Adidas FSO
1995–96 Canal +
1996–00 Nike Daewoo
2001 Adidas[58]
2001–02 Pol-Mot
2002–03 Kredyt Bank
2003–08 Królewskie
2008–10 n (Poland)
2011–14 Active Jet[59]
2014– Fortuna[60]

Club partners[edit]

Supporters and rivalries[edit]

As one of the most successful clubs in Poland, Legia Warsaw is also one of its most popular clubs. Legia has gained devotion from generations of fans from Warsaw as well as around the country. Legia supporters are generally considered very spontaneous, dedicated and sometimes fanatical. Accordingly, in terms of quality of football support, they are also often described as the best supporters in Poland.[61] Groups of fans follow Legia on practically all away matches, both domestic and international. Supporters of Legia occasionally attract also some negative attention, in particular after events such as riots in Lithuania during a match against Vėtra Vilnius on 10 July 2007.

The old Żyleta stand

Traditionally, the most devoted and spontaneous fans occupy the Żyleta stand in their stadium. Before the stadium renovation (2008–11), the "old" Żyleta referred only to the center section within the eastern stand of the stadium (occasionally, it would also refer to eastern stand as a whole). There is a special exhibition dedicated to the "old" Żyleta in the Legia club museum.[62] Today, after the stadium's renovation, the "new" Żyleta means the whole northern stand of stadium (located behind the goal).

As regards their political sentiments, the supporters of Legia tend to be more right wing. During communist times, in particular during the 1980s, Legia fans showed their patriotic and strongly anti-communistic views. Today, the fans actively participate in annual commemorations of the Warsaw Uprising and Polish Independence Day. Legia fans are also vocal with their views on domestic issues, e.g. their conflict with former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as well as on international politics, e.g. by way of displaying banners reading "Kosovo is Serbian" at the stadium. On 22 October 2014, when Legia played with the Ukrainian Metalists they displayed a banner with the names Lwów (Lviv) and Wilno (Vilnius) along with the coat of arms of Rzeczpospolita and flag of Poland on background, what led to negative reactions. On 19 August 2015, in Lviv and Kiev, where Legia played with Zorya, clashes between Ukrainian and Polish fans occurred. Legia Warsaw supporters maintain friendly relations with fans of Zagłębie Sosnowiec and Olimpia Elbląg. Internationally, Legia supporters maintain friendly relations with fans of ADO Den Haag and Juventus. Their main rivals include Polonia Warsaw, Lech Poznań, Wisła Kraków and Widzew Łódź.

Warsaw derby[edit]

The Warsaw derby is a match between Legia and Polonia Warsaw.

Matches Legia wins Draws Polonia wins
78 29 20 29

Achievements[edit]

Legia Warsaw museum opened in 2006

Domestic[edit]

  • Polish Championship (Ekstraklasa):
    • Winners (12): 1955, 1956, 1969, 1970, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
    • 2nd place (12): 1960, 1968, 1971, 1985, 1986, 1993[2], 1996, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015
    • 3rd place (12): 1928, 1930, 1931, 1961, 1972, 1988, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012
  • Polish Cup:
    • Winners (18-record): 1955, 1956, 1964, 1966, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
    • Finalist (6): 1952, 1969, 1972, 1988, 1991, 2004
  • Polish SuperCup:
    • Winners (4): 1989, 1994, 1997, 2008
    • Finalist (8): 1990, 1995, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
  • Polish League Cup:
    • Winner (1): 2002
    • Finalist (2): 2000, 2008
  • Youth Teams:
    • Polish U-19 Champion: 1969, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017
    • Polish U-19 Runner-up: 1962
    • Polish U-19 Bronze Medal: 1964
    • Polish U-17 Runner-up: 2009, 2011

Europe[edit]

Legia in Europe[edit]

As of 2 August 2017

Competition Pld W D L GF GA GD
Champions League / European Cup 64 29 14 21 91 82 +9
Cup Winners' Cup 37 14 12 11 53 39 +14
Europa League / UEFA Cup 109 48 23 38 165 124 +41
UEFA 210 91 49 70 309 245 +64
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 6 3 1 2 13 6 +7
Pre-UEFA 6 3 1 2 13 6 +7
Total 216 94 50 72 322 251 +71

Note: Bold means home results, italics means neutral place results or penalised result

Season Competition Round Club Score
1956–57 European Cup QR Czechoslovakia Slovan Bratislava 0–4, 2–0
1960–61 European Cup QR Denmark AGF Aarhus 0–3, 1–0
1964–65 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Austria ESV Admira-NÖ Energie Wien 3–1, 1–0
2R Turkey Galatasaray 2–1, 0–1, 1–0
QF Germany 1860 München 0–4, 0–0
1966–67 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R East Germany BSG Chemie Leipzig 0–3, 2–2
1968–69 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1R Germany 1860 München 6–0, 3–2
2R Belgium KSV Waregem 0–1, 2–0
3R Hungary Újpest 0–1, 2–2
1969–70 European Cup 1R Romania UT Arad 2–1, 8–0
2R France Saint-Étienne 2–1, 1–0
QF Turkey Galatasaray 1–1, 2–0
SF Netherlands Feyenoord 0–0, 0–2
1970–71 European Cup 1R Sweden IFK Göteborg 4–0, 2–1
2R Belgium Standard Liège 0–1, 2–0
QF Spain Atlético Madrid 0–1, 2–1 (a)
1971–72 UEFA Cup 1R Switzerland Lugano 3–1, 0–0
2R Romania Rapid București 0–4, 2–0
1972–73 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Iceland Víkingur 2–0, 9–0
2R Italy AC Milan 1–1, 1–2 (a.e.t.)
1973–74 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Greece PAOK 1–1, 0–1
1974–75 UEFA Cup 1R France Nantes 2–2, 0–1
1980–81 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Bulgaria Slavia Sofia 1–3, 1–0
1981–82 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Norway Vålerenga 2–2, 4–1
2R Switzerland Lausanne-Sport 2–1, 1–1
QF Soviet Union Dinamo Tbilisi 0–1, 0–1
1985–86 UEFA Cup 1R Norway Viking 3–0, 1–1
2R Hungary Videoton FC Fehérvár 1–0, 1–1
3R Italy Internazionale 0–0, 0–1 (a.e.t.)
1986–87 UEFA Cup 1R Soviet Union Dnipro 0–0, 1–0
2R Italy Internazionale 3–2, 0–1 (a)
1988–89 UEFA Cup 1R Germany Bayern Munich 1–3, 3–7
1989–90 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Spain Barcelona 1–1, 0–1
1990–91 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Luxembourg Swift Hesperange 3–0, 3–0
2R Scotland Aberdeen 0–0, 1–0
QF Italy Sampdoria 1–0, 2–2
SF England Manchester United 1–3, 1–1
1994–95 UEFA Champions League QR Croatia Hajduk Split 0–1, 0–4
1995–96 UEFA Champions League QR Sweden IFK Göteborg 1–0, 2–1
GR Norway Rosenborg 3–1, 0–4
GR Russia Spartak Moscow 1–2, 0–1
GR England Blackburn Rovers 1–0, 0–0
QF Greece Panathinaikos 0–0, 0–3
1996–97 UEFA Cup 1QR Luxembourg Jeunesse Esch 4–2, 3–0
2QR Finland FC Haka 3–0, 1–1
1R Greece Panathinaikos 2–4, 2–0 (a)
2R Turkey Beşiktaş 1–1, 1–2
1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup QR Northern Ireland Glenavon 1–1, 4–0
1R Italy Vicenza 0–2, 1–1
1999–00 UEFA Cup QR Republic of Macedonia Vardar 5–0, 4–0
1R Cyprus Anorthosis Famagusta 0–1, 2–0
2R Italy Udinese 0–1, 1–1
2001–02 UEFA Cup QR Luxembourg FC Etzella 4–0, 2–1
1R Sweden IF Elfsborg 4–1, 6–1
2R Spain Valencia 1–1, 1–6
2002–03 UEFA Champions League 2QR Republic of Macedonia Vardar 3–1, 1–1
3QR Spain Barcelona 0–3, 0–1
2002–03 UEFA Cup 1R Netherlands Utrecht 4–1, 3–1
2R Germany Schalke 04 2–3, 0–0
2004–05 UEFA Cup 2QR Georgia (country) FC Tbilisi 1–0, 6–0
1R Austria Austria Wien 0–1, 1–3
2005–06 UEFA Cup 2QR Switzerland Zürich 0–1, 1–4
2006–07 UEFA Champions League 2QR Iceland FH Hafnarfjörður 1–0, 2–0
3QR Ukraine Shakhtar Donetsk 0–1, 2–3
2006–07 UEFA Cup 1R Austria Austria Wien 1–1, 0–1
2007 UEFA Intertoto Cup 2R Lithuania FK Vėtra (0–3 w/o)
2008–09 UEFA Cup 1QR Belarus FC Gomel 0–0, 4–1
2QR Russia Moscow 1–2, 0–2
2009–10 UEFA Europa League 2QR Georgia (country) Olimpi Rustavi 3–0, 1–0
3QR Denmark Brøndby 1–1, 2–2 (a)
2011–12 UEFA Europa League 3QR Turkey Gaziantepspor 1–0, 0–0
PO Russia Spartak Moscow 2–2, 3–2
GR Netherlands PSV Eindhoven 0–1, 0–3
Israel Hapoel Tel Aviv 3–2, 0–2
Romania Rapid București 1–0, 3–1
R32 Portugal Sporting CP 2–2, 0–1
2012–13 UEFA Europa League 2QR Latvia Liepājas Metalurgs 2–2, 5–1
3QR Austria SV Ried 1–2, 3–1
PO Norway Rosenborg 1–1, 1–2
2013–14 UEFA Champions League 2QR Wales The New Saints 3–1, 1–0
3QR Norway Molde 1–1, 0–0 (a)
PO Romania Steaua București 1–1, 2–2 (a)
UEFA Europa League GR Italy Lazio 0–1, 0–2
Turkey Trabzonspor 0–2, 0–2
Cyprus Apollon Limassol 0–1, 2–0
2014–15 UEFA Champions League 2QR Republic of Ireland St Patrick's Athletic 1–1, 5–0
3QR Scotland Celtic 4–1, 2–0 (0–3 w/o, a)
UEFA Europa League PO Kazakhstan Aktobe 1–0, 2–0
GR Ukraine Metalist Kharkiv 1–0, 2–1
Turkey Trabzonspor 1–0, 2–0
Belgium Lokeren 1–0, 0–1
R32 Netherlands Ajax 0–1, 0–3
2015–16 UEFA Europa League 2QR Romania Botoșani 1–0, 3–0
3QR Albania Kukësi (3–0 w/o), 1–0
PO Ukraine Zorya Luhansk 1–0, 3–2
GR Italy Napoli 0–2, 2–5
Belgium Club Brugge 1–1, 0–1
Denmark Midtjylland 0–1, 1–0
2016–17 UEFA Champions League 2QR Bosnia and Herzegovina Zrinjski Mostar 1–1, 2–0
3QR Slovakia AS Trenčín 1–0, 0–0
PO Republic of Ireland Dundalk 2–0, 1–1
GR Spain Real Madrid 1–5, 3–3
Germany Borussia Dortmund 0–6, 4–8
Portugal Sporting CP 0–2, 1–0
UEFA Europa League R32 Netherlands Ajax 0–0, 0–1
2017–18 UEFA Champions League 2QR Finland IFK Mariehamn 3–0, 6–0
3QR Kazakhstan Astana 1–3, 1–0
UEFA Europa League PO Moldova Sheriff Tiraspol 1–1, 0–0

UEFA Team ranking[edit]

As of 30 April 2017.[63]

Rank Team Points
72 Switzerland Young Boys 28.915
73 Austria Rapid Wien 28.570
74 Poland Legia Warsaw 28.450
75 France Olympique de Marseille 28.266
76 Germany Eintracht Frankfurt 27.899

Best results in European competitions[edit]

Season Achievement Notes
European Cup / UEFA Champions League
1970 Semi-Final lost to Netherlands Feyenoord 0–0 in Warsaw, 0–2 in Rotterdam
1971 Quarter-Final lost to Spain Atlético Madrid 0–1 in Madrid, 2–1 in Warsaw
1996 Quarter-Final lost to Greece Panathinaikos 0–0 in Warsaw, 0–3 in Athens
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
1965 Quarter-Final lost to Germany 1860 München 0–4 in Warsaw, 0–0 in Munich
1982 Quarter-Final lost to Soviet Union Dinamo Tbilisi 0–1 in Warsaw, 0–1 in Tbilisi
1991 Semi-Final lost to England Manchester United 1–3 in Warsaw, 1–1 in Manchester

Club records[edit]

  • Number of seasons in Ekstraklasa: 73 (from 1927–36 and from 1948–present)
  • First win in the league: May 8, 1927 Turystów Łódź – Legia Warszaw 1–6 (0–5)
  • Biggest win in the league: 19 August 1956 Legia Warsaw – Wisła Kraków 12–0 (5–0)
  • Biggest defeat in the league: September 3, 1927 Pogoń Lwów – Legia Warsaw 11–2 (6–1)
  • Longest series of victories in the league: 9 (in 1931 and 1932 and 2005–06)
  • Longest series of defeats in the league: 7 (1936)
  • Oldest goalscorer: Lucjan Brychczy – 37 years, 2 months, 31 days
  • Youngest goalscorer: Ariel Borysiuk – 16 years, 8 months, 21 days

Players[edit]

Current squad[edit]

As of 2 September 2017.[64]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Poland GK Arkadiusz Malarz
2 Poland DF Michał Pazdan (3rd captain)
3 Poland DF Tomasz Jodłowiec
4 Poland DF Jakub Czerwiński
5 Poland DF Maciej Dąbrowski
6 Brazil MF Guilherme
7 Portugal MF Hildeberto Pereira
8 Italy MF Cristian Pasquato
11 Poland FW Jarosław Niezgoda
13 Poland MF Łukasz Moneta
14 Czech Republic DF Adam Hloušek
15 Poland MF Michał Kopczyński (2nd captain)
18 Poland MF Michał Kucharczyk
21 Hungary MF Dominik Nagy
22 Finland MF Kasper Hämäläinen
No. Position Player
23 Poland DF Mateusz Żyro
24 Poland MF Robert Bartczak
27 Nigeria FW Daniel Chima Chukwu
28 Poland DF Łukasz Broź
29 Poland GK Jakub Szumski
31 Poland MF Krzysztof Mączyński
32 Serbia MF Miroslav Radović (Captain)
33 Poland GK Radosław Cierzniak
34 Spain DF Iñaki Astiz
53 Poland MF Sebastian Szymański
55 Poland DF Artur Jędrzejczyk
70 Poland MF Miłosz Szczepański
75 France MF Thibault Moulin
91 Poland GK Konrad Jałocha
99 Albania FW Armando Sadiku

Out on loan[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
Poland DF Mateusz Hołownia (at Ruch Chorzów)
Poland MF Miłosz Kozak (at Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała)
26 Croatia FW Sandro Kulenović (at Italy Juventus)
30 Poland GK Radosław Majecki (at Stal Mielec)
77 Croatia FW Tin Matić (at Slovakia Zemplín Michalovce)
19 Poland MF Rafał Makowski (at Zagłębie Sosnowiec)
No. Position Player
17 Poland MF Konrad Michalak (at Wisła Płock)
Poland MF Tomasz Nawotka (at Zagłębie Sosnowiec)
9 France FW Vamara Sanogo (at Zagłębie Sosnowiec)
Ghana FW Sadam Sulley (at Slovakia Zemplín Michalovce)
20 Poland MF Mateusz Szwoch (at Arka Gdynia)

Reserve team[edit]

Retired numbers[edit]

10 – Poland Kazimierz Deyna, Midfielder (1966–78) – Posthumous honour.

Hall of Fame[edit]

This is a list of former players and coaches who have been inducted into the Legia Warsaw Hall of Fame.[65]

Coaching staff[edit]

As of 24 September 2017[66][67]
Job Name Nationality
Head coach Romeo Jozak Croatia
Technical Director Ivan Kepcija Croatia
Team Spokesperson Izabela Kruk Poland
Assistant coach Dean Klafurić Croatia
Assistant coach Aleksandar Vuković Serbia
Assistant coach Lucjan Brychczy Poland
Goalkeeping coach Krzysztof Dowhań Poland
Goalkeeping coach Wojciech Kowalewski Poland
Fitness coach Krešimir Šoš Croatia
Fitness coach Piotr Zaręba Poland
Match analyst Przemysław Łagożny Poland
Match analyst Maciej Krzymień Poland
Team Doctor Maciej Tabiszewski Poland
Team Doctor Jan Szneider Poland
Physiotherapist Paweł Bamber Poland
Physiotherapist Wojciech Frukacz Poland
Physiotherapist Marcin Bator Poland
Physiotherapist Michał Trzaskoma Poland
Dietician Wojciech Zep Poland
Academy Director Ernest Waś Poland
U-17 Coach Kamil Socha Poland
U-19 Coach Darius Banasik Poland
U-17 and U-19 Goalkeeping coach Marcin Muszyński Poland
Legia II Warsaw Coach Krzysztof Dębek Poland
Scout Dominik Ebebenge Poland
Scout Tomasz Kiełbowicz Poland
Scout Danijel Ljuboja Serbia

Coaches and managers[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/EuroExperience/competitions/UEFACup/01/67/58/86/1675886_DOWNLOAD.pdf
  2. ^ a b Legia won 1st place in 1992–93 Ekstraklasa, but was accused of corruption. Result of the last match was cancelled and the team dropped into second place in the table. The Polish FA (PZPN) decided to give the championship to Lech Poznań.
    "Poland – List of final tables (RSSSF)". rsssf.com. Retrieved 2013-06-08. 
  3. ^ a b "Żydzi, masoni, cykliści" (in Polish). www.rp.pl. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
  4. ^ Polska, Grupa Wirtualna. "Lotto Ekstraklasa - Piłka nożna - WP SportoweFakty". 
  5. ^ "Historia Legii Warszawa" (in Polish). legia.com. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Historia Legii Warszawa" (in Polish). legionisci.com. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
  7. ^ Andrzej Gowarzewski, Zbigniew Mucha, Bożena Lidia Szmel, Wydawnictwo GiA (2013). "Legia najlepsza jest...: prawie 100 lat prawdziwej historii = The true history of the Legia. The jubilee book" (in Polish). Wydawnictwo GiA. p. 7. ISBN 9788388232374. 
  8. ^ Przemysław Bator, Grupa Wydawnicza Foksal (2016). "Legia: 100 lat" (in Polish). Grupa Wydawnicza Foksal. p. 7-8. ISBN 9788328019225. 
  9. ^ "Historia Legii Warszawa" (in Polish). legia.com. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
  10. ^ "47. rocznica śmierci Mielecha" (in Polish). legionisci.com. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
  11. ^ Grzegorz Karpiński (9 July 2003). "Bełkot wieków" (in Polish). legionisci.com. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
  12. ^ a b c d e f "Historia Legii Warszawa" (in Polish). legia.net. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
  13. ^ "Historia: Pierwszy mecz Legii w Warszawie" (in Polish). legionisci.com. 29 April 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
  14. ^ Błoński R.: Legia Warszawa. Wydawnictwo Atena, 2008. ISBN 978-83-7552-360-7.
  15. ^ Grzegorz Karpiński (2013-11-01). "Historia stadionu". legionisci.com. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
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  17. ^ "Pierwsza ligowa wygrana i pierwszy hat-trick legionisty" (in Polish). www.legionisci.com. Retrieved 20 November 2017. 
  18. ^ "Historia Legii: Najwyższa porażka w historii" (in Polish). www.legionisci.com. Retrieved 19 November 2017. 
  19. ^ Encyklopedia Piłkarska FUJI, Title: 12: Księga jubileuszowa. 75 lat PZPN (1919-1994), red. Andrzej Gowarzewski, Katowice 1994, p. 36–46.
  20. ^ "Klub – Historia Legii – 1946-1955" (in Polish). www.legia.com. Retrieved 28 November 2017. 
  21. ^ "Najbardziej pamiętne mecze Lech – Legia w Poznaniu. Rok 1956" (in Polish). www.poznan.sport.pl. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2017. 
  22. ^ "Cena wielkości" (in Polish). www.legia.com. Retrieved 28 November 2017. 
  23. ^ a b c "Historia Legii Warszawa" (in Polish). www.legionisci.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. 
  24. ^ "Legia Warszawa" (in Polish). . Archived from the original on 17 October 2007. Retrieved 30 November 2017. 
  25. ^ "Wydarzenia". BigWing.pl. Retrieved 30 November 2017. 
  26. ^ "Powrót do nazwy Legia i nowy herb w 1957 roku" (in Polish). www.legionisci.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. 
  27. ^ a b "Klub – Historia Legii – 1956-1965" (in Polish). www.legia.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017. 
  28. ^ "Historia stadionu Legii: 1960 cz.I" (in Polish). www.legionisci.com. Retrieved 2 December 2017. 
  29. ^ "Puchar Zdobywców Pucharów 1964/1965, 1/4 finału PZP" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 2 December 2017. 
  30. ^ a b "Klub – Historia Legii – 1966-1975" (in Polish). www.legia.com. Retrieved 2 December 2017. 
  31. ^ "Sezon 1972/1973 Legia Warszawa -Vikingur Reykjavik 9:0(3:0)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 5 December 2017. 
  32. ^ "Sezon 1972/1973 Legia Warszawa -AC Milan 1:1(0:0)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 5 December 2017. 
  33. ^ "Sezon 1972/1973 AC Milan -Legia Warszawa 2:1(1:1)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 5 December 2017. 
  34. ^ "Historia Legii Warszawa" (in Polish). legia.com.pl. Retrieved 5 December 2017. 
  35. ^ "Sezon 1972/1973 Legia Warszawa -Szombierki Bytom 3:1(0:1)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 5 December 2017. 
  36. ^ "Sezon 1972/1973 Szombierki Bytom -Legia Warszawa 1:1(0:1)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 5 December 2017. 
  37. ^ "Sezon 1972/1973 Legia Warszawa -Polonia Bytom 0:0(0:0)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 5 December 2017. 
  38. ^ CWKS Legia 1967-1996 Kronika. Warszawa: Vipart. 1996. p. 120. ISBN 83-87124-01-X. 
  39. ^ "Klub – Historia Legii – 1976-1985" (in Polish). www.legia.com. Retrieved 5 December 2017. 
  40. ^ Legia to potęga. Katowice: GiA. 2004. p. 132. ISBN 83-88232-12-6. 
  41. ^ "Sezon 1981/1982 Dinamo Tbilisi -Legia Warszawa 1:0(1:0)" (in Polish). Retrieved 8 December 2017. 
  42. ^ "Sezon 1981/1982 Legia Warszawa -Dinamo Tbilisi 0:1(0:1)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 8 December 2017. 
  43. ^ "Inter Mediolan -Legia Warszawa 0:0(0:0)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 8 December 2017. 
  44. ^ "Legia Warszawa -Inter Mediolan 0:1(0:0)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 8 December 2017. 
  45. ^ "Legia Warszawa -Inter Mediolan 3:2(1:1)" (in Polish). www.legia.net. Retrieved 8 December 2017. 
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