Mathieu Scalet was born in France, his father is French, but his mother is Polish. In 2015, the midfielder came to our country to play football – first to Wisła Kraków, then to Śląsk Wrocław, Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała, and currently he is a football player Motor Lublin. In the meantime, he also had an episode in Beskid Andrychów, a club from the town where his mother comes from.
The Frenchman came to Poland 10 years ago. “My life is better”
This season, Scalet played for Motor 12 matchesin which he scored one goal and provided one assist. The midfielder is mainly a substitute in Mateusz Stolarski's team, but he regularly appears on the pitch and is an important part of the squad. However, he didn't always have it easy in Poland.
– I came to Poland for tests at Wisła Kraków. I stayed because the club was interested in signing me. I played there in the reserves for two years – Scalet recalled in an interview with Onet Sports Review. Later, Wisła resigned from the second team, and the player went to the third league team Beskid Andrychów. From there, in 2017, to the reserves of Śląsk Wrocław. He even played in the first team and made his debut in the top league, but in 2021 he was transferred to Podbeskidzie. In 2023, the midfielder left for Motor Lublin and with him was promoted to the top league.
Scalet has been present in Poland for almost a decade now directly admits that he feels better than in the country where he was born. – Currently, there is no major difference between France and Poland when it comes to the quality of life – says the 27-year-old, who grew up in Annemasse, eight kilometers from Geneva and two from border with Switzerland.
– My life is better in Poland. Of course, this was influenced by the fact that I ended up in cool cities: Krakow, WrocławBielsko-Biała and Lublin. I like everything here. It's definitely safer here than in France. People in Poland have a different mentality, they are more open. I remember that when I came to Krakow, I was surprised that Poland was so developed. Generally speaking, the French think that Poland is poorer, but the reality is different. This is a positive surprise, said Scalet.
The footballer speaks Polish very well, and the result of this is, of course, the decade spent in our country and courses at the Jagiellonian University. – I knew that since I was in Poland and I have Polish origins, I had to learn the language and speak like anyone raised here – recalled Scalet.
Currently, Premier League players are on a winter break and, of course, they are spending Christmas with their families. Scalet recalls that he has always spent his time “in Polish”. – Holidays in Poland are different from French ones, but we spent them in Polish. We almost always go with our family, because Christmas Eve in Poland has greater traditions. In France, holidays are lavish. At least once a year, every home has a table filled with luxurious food, concluded Scalet.