Nina Patalon (born 20 January 1986) is a Polish football manager and former player who played as a midfielder, currently in charge of Poland women's national team.[1]

Nina Patalon
Press conference of the Polish women's national team Nina Patalon
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-01-20) 20 January 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Działdowo, Poland
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Poland women's (head coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002– Medyk Konin
Czarni Sosnowiec
–2011 Medyk Konin
International career
2004–2006 Poland U19
2009 Poland (students)
Managerial career
2010–2013 Medyk Konin (youth)
2011–2013 Medyk Konin
2011–2013 Poland U15 (assistant)
2014–2019 Poland U17
2019–2021 Poland U19
2021– Poland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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In 2002, Patalon began her career at Medyk Konin in the Ekstraliga, where she had played for many years, with an in-between stint at Czarni Sosnowiec.[2]

International career

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From 2004 to 2006, she was a member of the under-19 national team. In 2009, she represented Poland as part of a students' team at the Summer Universiade 2009 in Belgrade.[3] The later stage of her career, however, was plagued by injuries for which she underwent seven knee surgeries.[4]

Managerial career

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After retiring from an active career she began working as a coach. Initially, from 2010, she trained Medyk Konin's youth team and, in January 2011, became the co-head coach of the Medyk's senior squad, alongside Anna Gawrońska.[5] In 2011, she took on a role of an assistant coach for the under-15 squad, and in May 2014 she was appointed to the managerial position of the Poland U17s.[6][7]

In March 2021 she replaced Miłosz Stępiński as the head coach of the senior national team,[1] becoming the first female coach in history to hold this position.[1] She made her debut in a friendly match against Sweden on 13 April 2021.[8]

Patalon has stressed that, in order for Poland to develop a stronger women's football capability, more awareness and finding is needed, and girls must receive more encouragement to take up the sport during school sports classes.[9]

Personal life

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Patalon graduated with a bachelor from the State University of Applied Sciences in Konin and with a Masters from the Poznan University of Physical Education, where she obtained a class II football coaching license.[4]

Honours

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Player

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Medyk Konin

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Manager

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Medyk Konin

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Nina Patalon oficjalnie selekcjonerem reprezentacji kobiet". TVP Sport (in Polish). 23 March 2021.
  2. ^ "futbolkobiet.pl | Video: Nina Patalon o futbolu!". futbolkobiet.pl. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  3. ^ "XXV Uniwersjada: Skład reprezentacji Polski - WP SportoweFakty". sportowefakty.wp.pl. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  4. ^ a b Witkowski, Maciej. "Nina Patalon: dobra trenerka, dobra mama". Biblioteka Piłkarstwa Polskiego (in Polish). Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Reprezentacja ma nowego trenera - Kobiecy Klub Piłkarski MAX-Sprint". kkpbydgoszcz.futbolowo.pl. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Nowi trenerzy w reprezentacjach - KobiecaPilka.pl - serwis o kobiecej piłce nożnej w Polsce". kobiecapilka.pl. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Nina Patalon: Na stadionie muszę być pierwsza! - Łączy nas piłka". laczynaspilka.pl. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Kobiety: Polska 2-4 Szwecja". 90minut (in Polish).
  9. ^ "Dziewczyny kontra chłopcy. Nieprzyjemna sytuacja na boisku. "Wygrywały 3:1"". Sport.pl (in Polish). 12 August 2023. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.