Polish striker Andrzej Kubica who is celebrating his 43rd Birthday this week, arrived at Maccabi Tel Aviv coached by Avram Grant at the start of the 1998/99 season. During his time in Israel, Kubica became one of the most dangerous goal scorers in Israeli league history as he epitomized the definition of what a classic striker should be. At 1,96 meters, Kubica wore the Yellow-and-Blue for a total of three seasons playing in 100 matches and scoring 44 goals, with his most memorable campaign being in 1998/99.
It didn't take Kubica long to get used to the Israeli league and already in his first match in the Toto Cup the striker scored a brace helping Maccabi Tel Aviv to a 6:0 victory over Rishon Le'Zion. On Matchday One Kubica marked his arrival in league play as well scoring against Ashdod. Maccabi fans from the 90's will remember his prowess in the opposition's box well as Kubica became the first foreign player to win the scoring title in the Israeli league. Kubica ended the year off with 21 goals in league play and 25 in all competitions.
His composure in the box made Kubica one of the deadliest strikers to have ever played in Israel and his third goal against Hapoel Kfar Saba at Ramat Gan Stadium showed exactly that ability. Kubica easily outsmarted the defender, kept going at full speed and chipped the ball over the opposing 'keeper Sagi Staruss. Away at Maccabi Haifa Kubica was able to strike the ball so quickly that it left Nir Davidovitch frozen.
Another one of Kubica's great attributes was his ability to score with his head. The Polish striker was able to score in that fashion on Matchday Ten against Hapoel Petach Tikva and away at Hapoel Haifa where he cemented his place in the annals of history as one of the best strikers to ever wear the Yellow-and-Blue uniform.
