Former Poland striker Emmanuel Olisadebe joins sixth-tier club KS Klopotow Osiek at age 47

Return to Polish football

Lower Silesian amateur club KS Klopotow Osiek announced on 18 September 2026 that former Poland international Emmanuel Olisadebe joined the squad for the regional A-klasa season. The 47-year-old forward returns to competitive football more than 13 years after officially retiring in January 2013. KS Klopotow Osiek competes in Group II of the Legnica district A-klasa, which forms the sixth tier of the Polish league system. The club published the announcement on its Facebook page, which had fewer than 2,000 followers, accompanied by an AI-generated promotional video referencing the EA Sports FC video game series. Reports from Polish media indicated that 41-year-old Nigerian midfielder Martins Ekwueme, a former Ekstraklasa player who already plays for KS Klopotow Osiek, persuaded Olisadebe to sign with the team.

International career with Poland

Born in Nigeria, Olisadebe received Polish citizenship on 17 July 2000 and immediately became a pivotal player under national team manager Jerzy Engel. During the qualifying campaign for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, he led Poland's attack by scoring eight goals. That qualification run returned Poland to the World Cup finals after a 16-year absence. At the tournament co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, Olisadebe scored in Poland's 3-1 group stage victory against the United States. Over his international career between 2000 and 2004, the forward accumulated 11 goals in 25 caps for Poland. His final appearance in the national team jersey took place on 28 April 2004.

Club achievements and post-retirement

Olisadebe established his reputation in Polish domestic football with Polonia Warsaw between 1997 and 2000. During that period, he helped the club win the Polish Ekstraklasa championship, the Polish Cup, the League Cup, and the Polish Super Cup. In the summer of 2000, he played a decisive role in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League against Romanian champion Dinamo Bucharest. Olisadebe scored once in a 4-3 first-leg victory in Bucharest and added two goals in three minutes during the 3-1 return leg in Poland, sealing a 7-4 aggregate victory. He subsequently transferred to Greece, winning both the Super League Greece title and the Greek Cup with Panathinaikos. His later career included stints with Portsmouth FC in England, clubs in China, and additional teams in Greece before concluding his professional career at PAE Veria in January 2013.

Business ventures after retirement

Following his exit from professional football in 2013, Olisadebe shifted away from sports management and coaching roles to manage personal business investments. In an interview with Foot Truck cited by Weszlo, the former striker described his daily pursuits outside football.

I try to invest, I try to earn a living. I do different things. I'm not interested in coaching or anything related to football. I try to do different things to earn a living. For example, in construction, I invest money in banks and the like, just to have something to live on.

The terms and duration of his amateur engagement with KS Klopotow Osiek remain undisclosed by the club.