‘Look how far you’ve come’ – Wojciech Szczesny reveals how he lifted crying Barcelona star’s spirits after Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter

During an interview with GQ, the Polish goalkeeper recounted the San Siro scene, offering a rare, human look behind the curtain of elite football. “‘Why are you crying?’ I asked. He told me he had lost the semi-final. So I reminded him of his own journey. ‘Where were you two years ago? Playing mediocre football in any stadium. And today you played a Champions League semifinal! You’ll lose a hundred important games and win another hundred. But look where you are now. Man, this is the bathroom at San Siro — and tonight you were in a Champions League semi-final. You say we lost. Fine, we lost. But look how far you’ve come.’”

The former Juventus keeper added a humorous twist as he explained how he kept delivering the pep talk: “I take a drag. I wait. He needs to process it. Then I see him straighten up and say: ‘Damn, I even got an assist today!’ And he stops crying. He remembers who he is. His pass was an assist in a Champions League semi-final. And when he walked out of that bathroom, that’s exactly how he felt — chest out, head high.”

Szczesny also opened up about how he ended up returning to top-level football after briefly calling time on his career: “It wasn’t that football no longer excited me. I just wasn’t passionate about the options I had, even though the 10 biggest clubs were sending offers… Three days before announcing my retirement, I spoke to Robert Lewandowski and told him I didn’t want to play for any club again. When Barcelona called, he probably suspected he could persuade me. I played my entire first season for free. What I received from Barca was exactly the amount I had to repay Juventus for terminating my contract early.”

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!