Bronze Age - Attacking Midfielders
Boniek - The Beauty of the Night. The 1982 World Cup in Spain represents the definitive consecration of the Polish talent who leads a technically mediocre Poland to an unexpected third place. The match against Belgium in the second round will remain unforgettable when Boniek scores a fantastic hat-trick.
It is precisely in the unfortunate 1983 Champions Cup final lost against Hamburg that Boniek manages to make an impact with some notable performances, thus earning the nickname "Bello di Notte" from the lawyer Agnelli. Zbigneiw recalls the origin of the nickname: "We were in New York for an event that I don't remember now, a few weeks after my extraordinary performance in the Champions Cup that was played in the evening. During the gala reception, Agnelli introduced us to Kissinger: introducing Platini he said this is "beautiful during the day" and then introducing me he said "this is beautiful at night" (Boniek was given this name because he played his best under artificial lighting). Hearing this presentation, some journalists present repeated this definition, contributing to fueling this "myth" that I personally have always considered a nice and cute thing".
"I really owe everything to my wife. I always listened to her and I got a good deal out of it. She was made for me. When I was young, I was bursting with enormous energy. And my wife knew how to direct it well - said Boniek.
A Honduran footballer, born in 1984, was named after Zbigniew Boniek. Oscar Boniek Garcia Ramirez has represented Honduras in football over 100 times.
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Schuster - "The Blond Angel" stands unique as the sole foreign player to have graced all three of Spain's football titans: Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid. Reflecting on this rare feat, he remarked, “Fans often tell me how they admired seeing me in the colors of Barca, Madrid, and Atletico. But these weren't my initial intentions; it was a journey shaped by decisions taken step by step.”
At the tender age of 21, Schuster was a pivotal member of the West Germany squad that clinched the European Championship in 1980. His stellar performance earned him a spot in the Team of the Tournament, and he was the runner-up for the Golden Ball award, trailing his compatriot Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Despite playing 21 matches and netting four goals for West Germany between 1979 and 1984, Schuster decided to hang up his international boots. Frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of recognition from the German federation, he chose to channel his focus entirely on club football with Barcelona. “I grew increasingly disillusioned with the German federation's inability to appreciate the efforts I made just to represent my country.”
Reflecting on his decision, Schuster admitted, “Of course I have regrets. I was young, impulsive, and reckless. That generation went on to win the 1990 World Cup, and I could’ve been there."
