Zakrzewski reflects on life and football at FC Thun

Zbigniew Zakrzewski has offered a glimpse into his time in Swiss football, describing his spell at FC Thun as a markedly different experience from life in Poland. The former player, who spent more than a year and a half in Switzerland, said the contrast was felt not only on the pitch but also in everyday life.

A different environment in Switzerland

Zakrzewski’s recollection centres on the cultural gap he encountered after moving abroad. In his view, Switzerland felt like a different world compared with Poland, with social habits and attitudes standing out immediately.

One of the clearest differences he identified was the way people approached private matters. According to Zakrzewski, conversations about work and money were not part of everyday discussion there, something that left a strong impression on him during his stay.

FC Thun and a familiar European reference

Zakrzewski played for FC Thun, a club known to Polish supporters as a past Europa League qualifying opponent of Lech Poznań. That connection gives added context to his memories, linking his Swiss chapter to a side familiar within Polish football circles.

His time in the country lasted more than 18 months, long enough to build a clear picture of the environment around him and to experience both the positives and the challenges that came with living and playing abroad.

Not all of the memories were positive

While Zakrzewski spoke about the aspects of Swiss life that surprised him, he also made clear that the period was not without hardship. He said he went through a number of less pleasant moments during that chapter of his career.

The source material does not detail those incidents, but his account suggests that the move was not simply a straightforward success story. Instead, it was an experience shaped by adaptation, cultural difference and personal difficulty.

A revealing perspective from a Polish player abroad

Stories like Zakrzewski’s offer a useful reminder that football careers overseas are often defined by much more than matches and results. For players leaving Poland to test themselves in another country, the adjustment can involve new customs, different expectations and unfamiliar ways of life.

In Zakrzewski’s case, Switzerland left a lasting impression. His memories of FC Thun are tied not only to football, but also to a society he saw as distinct from the one he had known at home — and to an experience that brought both discovery and discomfort.