Nina Patalon
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 Patalon at a press conference in 2017 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 January 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Działdowo, Poland | ||
| Position | 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 | |||
Nina Patalon (born 20 January 1986) is a Polish professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder, currently in charge of Poland women's national team.[1]
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
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
After retiring from a playing 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 as 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 women's 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]
In December 2024, she led Poland to their first ever major international tournament, the UEFA Women's Euro 2025, after defeating Austria in the second round of the qualifying play-offs.[9] At the tournament, she led Poland to a win and two losses in the group stage.[10]
Patalon has said that, in order for Poland to develop a stronger women's football capability, more awareness and funding is needed, and girls must receive more encouragement to take up the sport during school sports classes.[11]
Personal life
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 licence.[4]
