Nowotny: I would like to return to Poland with a gold disc around my neck

The Polish women's national amphibious football team has arrived in Colombia, where they will begin their World Cup campaign. One of the players on the team is Weronika Nowotny, a Wisła Kraków player. We spoke with her about the upcoming event and how she feels about the Kraków team.

The White Star team currently features two players. One of them is Weronika Nowotny. How did her adventure with this sport begin? "My adventure with Amp Futbol began completely unexpectedly. I never expected to ever play football, much less for the national team. It all started when one day I was having a new prosthesis made by my prosthetist, and at the same time, a new team was starting up – the women's Amp Futbol," Nowotny began. "I received an offer to join the girls. Initially, I won't lie, I was skeptical about the idea, but after weighing the pros and cons and talking with family and friends, I decided to give it a try. And as you can see, it was worth it; I've stayed ever since, and I can definitely say it's the adventure of a lifetime," she assured.

Joining the women's team certainly generated considerable interest among those closest to me. How did they react to the decision? "My family and friends have always supported me in all my decisions. They are a great source of support, which I perhaps noticed most during the historic first match against the USA. Their cheers in the stands certainly gave me wings on the pitch. I realized that I have people around me who care about my fulfillment and happiness, and that's a privilege not everyone gets to experience," she continued.

Weronika Nowotny is a player representing Poland as well as Wisła Kraków. She currently competes in league competitions alongside the men. "At the moment, the women's league hasn't been established yet, but I think it's really just a matter of time. I'm currently training with the boys from Wisła Kraków, which is a great honor for me. I've learned a lot from them. I'm very grateful to them for accepting me into the team with such openness and willingness to share their skills, which are, after all, top-notch, as was clearly evident last season," she said. "They are people I can always count on. I can confidently say that it's largely thanks to the boys that my football skills are constantly developing and that I can step onto the pitch with greater confidence," she noted.

The women's Amp Futbol team faces a significant challenge in the coming days, as they will face other national teams in the World Cup. "For me, it's a great excitement, but also a journey into the unknown. We don't really know what to expect there—both in terms of weather conditions, which will certainly be challenging, and the athletic preparation of the other teams. However, I believe that each of the girls has given their all over the last two years to be as prepared as possible for this event, which is precisely what we want to demonstrate on the Colombian pitches," she commented, emphasizing: "I can assure you that we will do everything in our power to win this top trophy, but above all—and in my opinion, this is most important—we want to enjoy the game."

Participating in such a major event is certainly an extraordinary honor for a Wisła player. What expectations are she bringing to this event? "I'm a very demanding person, which sometimes isn't ideal. Of course, I won't hide the fact that I'd like to return to Poland with a gold medal around my neck. However, my most important goal is to play in such a way that, regardless of the result, I can look in the mirror at the end of the tournament and say I did everything in my power to support the team. Additionally, I'd like to remain calm on the pitch and showcase all the skills I've acquired so far—these are the aspects that are currently on my mind and which I'd like to start implementing on November 4th," she listed.

The Polish women's national amphibious football team has, among its coaching staff, one of Wisła Kraków's most well-known players – Igor Woźniak. "Igor is a key member of the team, without whom I can't imagine women's amphibious football. Both personally and with the team, I can confidently say that he is someone I can always count on. No matter what, he always offers good advice and shows that he believes in us and our abilities, which truly gives me strength and motivation to be better versions of myself," the player noted, concluding: "Despite her young age, she has extensive sporting experience and always strives to approach her work with professionalism and a smile on her face, which translates into our performance on the pitch."

Weronika during training in Barranquilla in Colombia.
photo: Paula Duda/Amp Futbol Polska