Ewa Pajor (Polish: [ˈɛ.va ˈpajɔr]; born 3 December 1996) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Liga F club Barcelona and the Poland national team.[1] Between 2015 and 2024, she played for VfL Wolfsburg. She is a five-time winner of the German Frauen-Bundesliga and was named Best Polish Female Player of the Year three times by the Piłka Nożna magazine.
_(cropped).jpg) Pajor with VfL Wolfsburg in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 3 December 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Uniejów, Poland | ||
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Barcelona | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2009 | Orlęta Wielenin | ||
| 2009–2012 | Medyk Konin | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2015 | Medyk Konin | 60 | (64) |
| 2015–2016 | VfL Wolfsburg II | 8 | (3) |
| 2015–2024 | VfL Wolfsburg | 121 | (96) |
| 2024– | Barcelona | 7 | (9) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2009–2011 | Poland U15 | 3 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Poland U17 | 18 | (15) |
| 2013–2014 | Poland U19 | 7 | (7) |
| 2013– | Poland | 93 | (63) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 October 2024 | |||
Club career
editYouth
editPajor comes from Pęgów. She started her football training at the age of 8 in Orlęty Wielenin. After graduating from primary school, she moved to Konin and trained with Medyk Konin. On 14 April 2012, she made her Ekstraliga debut, entering the game in the 55th minute of the match against AZS PWSZ Biała Podlaska, winning 3–0. On her debut, she scored two goals. The first goal was scored two minutes after entering the pitch. She became the youngest player ever to play in Ekstraliga at 15 years and 133 days old.[2] To be able to participate in this match, a special permit was needed from PZPN, because the regulations only allowed players over 16 to play.
Medyk Konin
editIn the 2012–2013 season, together with Medyk, she won the vice-championship and the Polish Cup. In the final match against KP Unia Racibórz, won 2–1, Pajor scored both goals for her team.[3] The seasons 2013–14 and 2014–15 turned out to be even more successful for her. Together with Medyk Konin she won the championship and the Polish Cup twice. She played her last match for the Konin team when Medyk defeated Górnik Łęczna in the Polish Cup final 5–0. Pajor scored a hat-trick in this match. In total, for the senior team of Medyka, she scored 74 goals in all official matches, of which 64 in the extra league (in 60 appearances).[4]
VfL Wolfsburg
editIn June 2015, Pajor signed a two-year contract with VfL Wolfsburg,[5][6] which she then extended in December 2017 to be valid until 30 June 2020.[7] In April 2020, Pajor signed a contract extension with Wolfsburg until 2023.[8]
In the 2018–19 season, she won the German Championship, the German Cup, and the title of Bundesliga top scorer, scoring 24 goals in 19 matches.[9]
In the 2023–24 season, she scored four goals in the 9–1 victory against Nürnberg.[10]
FC Barcelona
editIn June 2024, Pajor signed a three-year contract with FC Barcelona.[11]
International career
editAt the European Under-17 Championship held in June 2013, together with the Polish U-17 team she won the gold medal.[12] On 9 October, she was awarded the UEFA Under-17 Golden Player Award for the best under-17 player in Europe.
She made her debut in the senior Polish national team under coach Wojciech Basiuk, in the match between Poland and the Czech Republic, as part of the Balaton Cup friendly tournament in Hungary, on 20 August 2013. Pajor checked in on the field only in the 75th minute, but in the minute after entering she won a penalty kick, scored by Patrycja Pożerska. In the 84th minute, Pajor scored.[13]
She took part in the 4 to 11 March 2015 competition for the Istria Cup in Croatia, which she won first place with her team in the final against Slovakia.[14]
On 6 September 2022, after scoring three goals against the Kosovo national team, Pajor became the most effective scorer in the history of the Polish national team, ahead of previous record-holder Marta Otrębska.[15]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 12 November 2024[16]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | UWCL | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| VfL Wolfsburg | 2015–16 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | 16 | 2 | |
| 2016–17 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 17 | 8 | ||
| 2017–18 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 4 | — | 25 | 11 | ||
| 2018–19 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 19 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | 27 | 28 | ||
| 2019–20 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 17 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 24 | 18 | ||
| 2020–21 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 6 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | 13 | 11 | ||
| 2021–22 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 7 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | — | 14 | 13 | ||
| 2022–23 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 19 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 9 | — | 35 | 24 | ||
| 2023–24 | Frauen-Bundesliga | 19 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 25 | 20 | ||
| Total | 121 | 96 | 29 | 21 | 46 | 18 | — | 196 | 135 | |||
| Barcelona | 2024–25 | Primera División | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11 |
| Career total | 129 | 105 | 29 | 21 | 49 | 20 | — | 207 | 146 | |||
International
edit- As of match played 29 October 2024
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | 2013 | 4 | 2 |
| 2014 | 9 | 10 | |
| 2015 | 11 | 5 | |
| 2016 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2017 | 12 | 7 | |
| 2018 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 5 | |
| 2021 | 4 | 6 | |
| 2022 | 8 | 7 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 8 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 3 | |
| Total | 93 | 63 | |
International goals
edit- Scores and results list Poland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Pajor goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 August 2013 | Balatonfüred, Hungary |  Czech Republic |
4–1 | Friendly | |
| 2 | 22 August 2013 |  Slovakia |
1–1 | |||
| 3 | 8 May 2014 | Toftir, Faroe Islands |  Faroe Islands |
3–0 | 3–0 | 2015 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 18 June 2014 | Zenica, Bosnia & Herzegovina |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1–1 | 1–1 | |
| 5 | 16 July 2014 | Pruszków, Poland |  Estonia |
5–1 | Friendly | |
| 6 | ||||||
| 7 | ||||||
| 8 | 13 September 2014 | Toruń, Poland |  Northern Ireland |
2–0 | 4–0 | 2015 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 4–0 | |||||
| 10 | 17 September 2014 | Włocławek, Poland | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
2–0 | 3–1 | |
| 11 | 28 October 2014 | Náchod, Czech Republic | Czech Republic |
1–1 | Friendly | |
| 12 | 30 October 2014 | Nieciecza Stadium, Nieciecza, Poland | Slovakia |
4–1 | ||
| 13 | 11 February 2015 | Lipot, Hungary |  Hungary |
7–2 | ||
| 14 | 9 March 2015 | Umag, Croatia |  Romania |
2–0 | ||
| 15 | 11 March 2015 | Poreč, Croatia | Slovakia |
2–0 | ||
| 16 | 27 October 2015 | Jelenia Góra, Poland |  Netherlands |
1–0 | ||
| 17 | 27 November 2015 | CSR Orhei, Orhei, Romania |  Moldova |
3–1 | UEFA Euro 2017 qualifying | |
| 18 | 4 March 2016 | Paralimni Stadium, Paralimni, Cyprus |  Wales |
1–1 | 2016 Cyprus Cup | |
| 19 | 20 September 2016 | OSiR Włocławek, Włocławek, Poland | Moldova |
4–0 | UEFA Euro 2017 qualifying | |
| 20 | 26 November 2016 | Łęczna, Poland |  Belarus |
4–0 | Friendly | |
| 21 | ||||||
| 22 | 7 April 2017 | Pruszków, Poland |  Finland |
1–0 | ||
| 23 | 11 April 2017 | Minsk, Belarus | Belarus |
4–0 | ||
| 24 | ||||||
| 25 | 8 June 2017 | Buchach, Ukraine |  Ukraine |
3–2 | ||
| 26 | 15 September 2017 | Górnik Stadium, Łęczna, Poland | Belarus |
4–1 | 2019 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 27 | ||||||
| 28 | 19 September 2017 | Tissot Arena, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland |  Switzerland |
2–1 | ||
| 29 | 31 August 2018 | Traktor Stadium, Minsk, Belarus | Belarus |
2–0 | 4–1 | |
| 30 | 4–1 | |||||
| 31 | 9 October 2018 | Ostróda, Poland |  Republic of Ireland |
4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 32 | 8 November 2018 | Leganés, Spain |  Spain |
1–1 | 1–3 | |
| 33 | 1 March 2019 | Lagos Municipal Stadium, Lagos, Portugal | Spain |
3–0 | 3–0 | 2019 Algarve Cup |
| 34 | 5 April 2019 | Lublin, Poland |  Italy |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 35 | 7 March 2020 | Polonia Stadium, Warsaw, Poland | Moldova |
2–0 | 5–1 | UEFA Euro 2022 qualifying |
| 36 | 3–0 | |||||
| 37 | 5–0 | |||||
| 38 | 11 March 2020 | ASK Arena, Baku, Azerbaijan |  Azerbaijan |
1–0 | 5–0 | |
| 39 | 4–0 | |||||
| 40 | 13 April 2021 | Widzew Stadium, Łódź, Poland |  Sweden |
1–0 | 2–4 | Friendly |
| 41 | 2–2 | |||||
| 42 | 11 June 2021 | Pinatar Arena, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain | Finland |
2–2 | 2–2 | |
| 43 | 14 June 2021 | Estadio Cartagonova, Cartagena, Spain, Spain | Czech Republic |
1–0 | 5–0 | |
| 44 | 2–0 | |||||
| 45 | 17 September 2021 | Gdańsk Stadium, Gdańsk, Poland |  Belgium |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2023 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 46 | 29 June 2022 | Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski Stadium, Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Poland |  Iceland |
1–0 | 1–3 | Friendly |
| 47 | 1 September 2022 | Elbasan Arena, Elbasan, Albania |  Albania |
1–1 | 2–1 | 2023 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 48 | 2–1 | |||||
| 49 | 6 September 2022 | Arena Lublin, Lublin |  Kosovo |
3–0 | 7–0 | |
| 50 | 5–0 | |||||
| 51 | 6–0 | |||||
| 52 | 6 October 2022 | Estadio Municipal de Chapín, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain |  Morocco |
1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 53 | 21 February 2023 | Marbella Football Center, Marbella, Spain |  Switzerland |
1–0 | 1–1 | |
| 54 | 6 April 2023 | Władysław Król Stadium, Łódź, Poland |  Costa Rica |
2–1 | 2–1 | |
| 55 | 11 April 2023 | Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel, Rotterdam, Netherlands | Netherlands |
1–0 | 1–4 | |
| 56 | 22 September 2023 | Georgios Kamaras Stadium, Athens, Greece |  Greece |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2023–24 UEFA Nations League |
| 57 | 26 September 2023 | Gdynia Stadium, Gdynia, Poland | Ukraine |
1–0 | 2–1 | |
| 58 | 2–0 | |||||
| 59 | 27 October 2023 | Tychy Stadium, Tychy, Poland |  Serbia |
2–0 | 2–1 | |
| 60 | 5 December 2023 | Zagłębie Sports Park, Sosnowiec, Poland | Greece |
1–0 | 2–0 | |
| 61 | 25 October 2024 | Arcul de Triumf Stadium, Bucharest, Romania | Romania |
2–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs |
| 62 | 29 October 2024 | Gdańsk Stadium, Gdańsk, Poland | Romania |
1–0 | 4–1 | |
| 63 | 3–0 |
Honours
editMedyk Konin
- Ekstraliga: 2013–14, 2014–15
- Polish Cup: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
VfL Wolfsburg
- Bundesliga: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22
- DFB-Pokal: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
- UEFA Women's Champions League runner up: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2022–23
Poland
Poland U17
- Individual
- Polish Footballer of the Year: 2018,[17] 2019,[18] 2022,[19] 2023[20]
- Bundesliga top scorer: 2018–19, 2023–24
- UEFA Women's Champions League top scorer: 2022–23
- UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship Golden Player: 2013
References
edit- ^ "Polki mistrzyniami Europy U-17". www.90minut.pl. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Olimpiko Uniejów – Oficjalna Strona Internetowa – Polska – Ewa Pajor". 9 April 2016. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Forum – epoznan.pl – Pierwszy Portal Poznania". 2 November 2013. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Pierwsza godzina Pajor w Bundeslidze – KobiecaPilka.pl – piłka nożna kobiet". www.pilkakobieca.pl. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "VfL Wolfsburg ǀ Detailseite". 26 June 2015. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "PKO Ekstraklasa". Sport.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Oficjalnie: Ewa Pajor przedłużyła kontrakt z Wolfsburgiem". nowinkitransferowe.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ vavel.com (24 April 2020). "Ewa Pajor extends VfL Wolfsburg contract until 2023". vavel.com. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ S.A, Telewizja Polska. "Transmisje". sport.tvp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "1. FC Nürnberg - VfL Wolfsburg 1:9 (Women Bundesliga 2023/2024, 14. Round)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ "Agreement to sign Ewa Pajor until 2027". www.fcbarcelona.com. 17 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Ewa Pajor okrzyknięta polskim Messim – Piłka nożna – Przegladsportowy.pl". 14 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "PKO Ekstraklasa". Sport.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Poland – "Istria cup" 2015". 8 March 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ Media, Wirtualna Polska (7 September 2022). "To już najlepsza strzelczyni w historii reprezentacji Polski. Ewa Pajor pobiła rekord". sportowefakty.wp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Ewa Pajor – Soccerway profile". Soccerway.
- ^ "Plebiscyt Tygodnika "Piłka Nożna" - Fabiański najlepszym zawodnikiem 2018 roku" (in Polish). 3 February 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ Bukowski, Bartłomiej (2 February 2020). "Robert Lewandowski Piłkarzem Roku 2019 w plebiscycie tygodnika "Piłka Nożna"!" (in Polish). Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Robert Lewandowski piłkarzem 2022 roku! Wyniki plebiscytu tygodnika "Piłka Nożna"". polsatsport.pl (in Polish). 21 January 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Plebiscyt tygodnika "Piłki Nożnej" rozstrzygnięty. Kto został najlepszym zawodnikiem?". pap.pl (in Polish). 5 February 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.