Mourners visited the grave of former Polish national team coach Jacek Magiera at Powazki Military Cemetery on Sunday, November 1, leaving scarves and candles.
Magiera died on April 10, 2026, at the age of 49 while serving as assistant to Jan Urban on the senior national team coaching staff. His death shook all of Polish football, where he was respected as a club coach and an educator of many Polish players.
Sunday was a day without domestic league matches across Polish football grounds, offering an occasion for reflection and remembrance of figures who contributed to the national game. November 1 is All Saints' Day in Poland, a traditional holiday when people across the country visit cemeteries to remember those who have passed away and honour their memory by lighting candles.
Tributes at Powazki Military Cemetery
Many people chose to visit Magiera's grave at the Powazki Military Cemetery in Warsaw. Among them was former striker Lukasz Gikiewicz, who knew him closely. Gikiewicz posted a photograph from his visit, citing Magiera's words urging people to learn to do small things so they could do great things.
The monument was covered in numerous glass vigil lanterns lit by visitors. An internet user on the social media platform X responded to Gikiewicz's post with photographs showing that even more candles had accumulated on the memorial by the end of the day.
Reporters from the Polish sports outlet WP SportoweFakty also visited the grave and described the scene. They reported that scarves representing the Poland national team, Rakow Czestochowa and Legia Warsaw were draped over branches of a small tree growing right next to the plot.
On the gravestone itself, visitors found drawings created by children depicting crosses and hearts. The drawings carried handwritten messages to Magiera stating that they missed him and loved their uncle.
Career as player and coach
During his playing career, Magiera played as a midfielder for several top Polish clubs. He represented Rakow Czestochowa, Legia Warsaw, Widzew Lodz and Cracovia before transitioning into management.
He began his coaching career at Legia Warsaw, working first as an assistant and then leading the reserve side before eventually taking charge of the first team. His club coaching career also included a brief spell at Zaglebie Sosnowiec and two separate stints as manager of Slask Wroclaw.
In international football, Magiera served as head coach of Poland's under-19 and under-20 national youth teams before joining Urban's senior national team staff in July 2025, where he worked until his death. His lasting influence as an educator of young talent was further commemorated on September 1, when he was named the patron of the Legia Warsaw Sports Championship School Complex.
