“I was scared, thinking whether I would live or die”: the tragic story of Marcin Oleksy, the amputee footballer who won the Puskas award

the Polish footballer Marcin Oleksy he cried at the manpower awards ceremony after FIFA unveiled his name as the winner of the Puskás award, which distinguishes the best goal of the year. After beating the Brazilian Richarlison and the French Dimitri Payet, among other great players who fell by the wayside before, the Polish player was honored at the ceremony held in Paris for an incredible goal that he scored in the Polish League of Amputeewhere he has been active since an accident marked his life.

In the Amputee League, Poland’s Oleksy scored a great goal, worthy of being recognized with the award that many goalscorers wish to have on their walls. While his team faced the Wartan Poznanthe forward of 35 years He showed all his talents and, after receiving a cross, he didn’t hesitate for a second and kicked a Chilean kick that left the rival goalkeeper unanswered.

The goal was not slow to go around the world with the viralization of social networks. This being the first time an amputee footballer has been shortlisted for the award, he has been able to distinguish himself from stars like the French kylian mbappethe Brazilian striker richarison and the French Payet, among others. It is clear that not even in his wildest dreams did he seem to have achieved such world recognition with this championship. His goal was to overcome the accident that marked his life.

2010 was not another year for him and, surprisingly, it marked a before and after in its history. Marcin he lost his left leg in November of the same year following an accident while he was finishing his day in a company dedicated to road works. A car fell on his leg and forced him to amputate his leg below the knee.

Only with 23 years, had to deal with a problem of such magnitude as sadness invaded him. Beyond the support of his family, in the amputee league he found a place to gather courage and move forward trying to forget the damage he had caused.

After the accident he had to face two years in a wheelchair, and he also had to wait another seven to return to the sport that today made him emerge worldwide. “I was just scared, wondering if I would live or die.”he recounted in a shocking account he gave to FIFA upon learning of his nomination for the award.

In the midst of the sad situation experienced by the Pole, while he was in complete rest to recover from his injury, his wife was awaiting the arrival of a son, with whom he had a clear objective: “I’ve always had the dream that, When I had a son, I was able to play football with him.“, quoted in an interview for ESPN.

His son was instrumental in experiencing the feeling of playing football again. “When I got a sports prosthesis, I took it to the football field and we started playing. And there I felt that I wanted to come back,” said the Polish striker. After returning to the field, his life has changed completely and today he enjoys a gift where he can say that he has won an award in the same gala where Lionel Messi was awarded. There was also Mbappé. But the prize for the most spectacular goal went to him.