# Łukasz Szukała

Łukasz Szukała (born 26 May 1984) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.
After starting out his career at Metz B in France, Szukała went on to compete professionally in Germany, Romania, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, respectively.
At international level, Szukała represented the Poland senior team between 2013 and 2015, earning 17 caps and one goal in the process.

## Club career
### Universitatea Cluj

In June 2011, Szukała joined Universitatea Cluj on a three-year contract.

### Steaua București

In August 2012, Łukasz signed with Romanian giants Steaua București. On 4 November 2012, Szukała scored his first goal for title-chasing Steaua in a 3–1 win against their Bucharest arch-rivals, Dinamo, guaranteeing him a good relationship with the very demanding Steaua fans. In 2014, he was voted as the best foreign footballer in Liga I.

### Al Ittihad

On 3 January 2015, he signed a contract with Al-Ittihad, when he entered his final six months of the deal with Steaua. The two clubs reached an agreement to release the player before his contract with Steaua ended, thus he joined Al-Ittihad in January 2015.

## International career

Szukała made his first appearance for the Poland national football team against Denmark in 2013.
He scored his first goal for the national side in the 7–0 victory over Gibraltar.

## Personal life

Łukasz Szukała is a polyglot who speaks fluent Polish, English, French, German, and Romanian.
He also has a German citizenship. His parents emigrated to Germany during his early childhood. He grew up in the region of Trier.
Szukała is married to a sports news presenter from Romania, Raluca Hogyes, with whom he has a son (b. 2019).

## Career statistics
### Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1860 Munich II | 2004–05 | Regionalliga Bayern | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 1 |
| 1860 Munich II | 2005–06 | Regionalliga Bayern | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| 1860 Munich II | 2006–07 | Regionalliga Bayern | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| 1860 Munich II | 2007–08 | Regionalliga Bayern | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 1 |
| 1860 Munich II | Total | Total | 51 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 4 |
| 1860 Munich | 2004–05 | 2. Bundesliga | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | – | – | — | — | 18 | 0 |
| 1860 Munich | 2005–06 | 2. Bundesliga | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| 1860 Munich | 2006–07 | 2. Bundesliga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| 1860 Munich | 2007–08 | 2. Bundesliga | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 0 |
| 1860 Munich | Total | Total | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| Alemannia Aachen II | 2008–09 | NRW-Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Alemannia Aachen | 2008–09 | 2. Bundesliga | 18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 2 |
| Alemannia Aachen | 2009–10 | 2. Bundesliga | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 1 |
| Alemannia Aachen | Total | Total | 26 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| Gloria Bistrița | 2010–11 | Liga I | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 30 | 2 |
| Universitatea Cluj | 2011–12 | Liga I | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | 0 |
| Petrolul Ploiești | 2012–13 | Liga I | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 1 |
| Steaua București | 2012–13 | Liga I | 20 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 4 |
| Steaua București | 2013–14 | Liga I | 29 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 46 | 5 |
| Steaua București | 2014–15 | Liga I | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 4 |
| Steaua București | Total | Total | 65 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 101 | 13 |
| Ittihad | 2014–15 | Saudi Professional League | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 3 |
| Osmanlıspor | 2015–16 | Süper Lig | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Osmanlıspor | 2016–17 | Süper Lig | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Osmanlıspor | 2017–18 | Süper Lig | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Osmanlıspor | Total | Total | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Ankaragücü | 2017–18 | TFF First League | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| Ankaragücü | 2018–19 | Süper Lig | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Ankaragücü | Total | Total | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 276 | 24 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 323 | 26 |

### International goals

| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 7 September 2014 | Estádio Algarve, Faro | Gibraltar | 4–0 | 7–0 | Euro 2016 qualifier |

## Honours

Steaua București
* Liga I: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
* Cupa României: 2014–15
* Supercupa României: 2013
* Cupa Ligii: 2014–15
Individual
* Gazeta Sporturilor Foreign Player of the Year in Romania: 2014