AFC Warszawa - March

This month, we are delighted to introduce Rafal Gajerski, a long time fan and friend who has been involved in the club since the very start. Raf is also a regular at our ‘Saturday Kickabout’ football and when he isn’t playing football he is a keen and talented artist who focuses on football inspired art which you definitely need to check out (link below).

IG Profile: https://www.instagram.com/rychter_jpg/

1. When and how did your relationship with AFC Warszawa first begin?
I honestly can’t remember the exact year, but it all kicked off at Plac Zbawiciela, grabbing a drink with Ciaran, Richard and Neil. That’s when the idea of starting a team in the B Klasa first came up (or was mentioned to me). My role in actually building the club was tiny compared to the insane amount of time, energy and heart the lads poured into it. Still, I like to think I was there from day zero, a small cog in a pretty beautiful machine.

2. What do you enjoy about attending AFC games?
The social side, 100%. It’s the perfect excuse to back your mates while hanging out with good people. Sometimes it’s one of the rare chances to catch up with friends you haven’t seen in ages. What ties it all together is the shared love for football and for AFC. That bond is real.

3. Is there a good social scene connected with the club, players and fans?
Definitely. Honestly, those three groups feel more like one big extended family. Sure, the fans aren’t picking the starting XI or tweaking the tactics, but the whole setup is open to ideas, initiatives and people getting involved in shaping the club’s future. That creates a genuine sense of belonging. It feels like everyone’s building something of their own or rather, something that’s ours.

4. For anyone who hasn’t seen your art yet, how would you describe it and how does it connect to your love for football?
I always say football saved my life twice. The first time was eleven years ago, when a friend dragged me to a Saturday Kickabout. The second was when I started drawing it.

In 2019 I got seriously ill. My world kind of collapsed. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. At my girlfriend’s suggestion, I picked up drawing, even though I’d never been particularly into it and definitely didn’t think I had talent. Mixing football with art became my escape hatch from a pretty dark reality.

The best memories from my childhood and teenage years are all tied to football. So I draw memories, idols, iconic moments - and sometimes I just scribble to clear my head. It’s therapy with football at its centre.

5. What aspects, moments or figures in football inspire your art?
Mostly childhood heroes. Certain players, goals, moments that still replay in my head. Sometimes I’m inspired by something epic, sometimes by something hilarious. It really depends on my mood. I’ve kept that childlike way of looking at sport, and honestly, I think it’s the purest, most enjoyable way to experience it.

If I had to pick one piece that means the most to me, it would be the only painting I’ve done so far. I painted Ronaldo, the moment he injured his knee against Lazio in the Coppa Italia in 2000. He’d been back for six minutes after a long layoff and then… bang. Another injury that should’ve ended his career. As we all know, it didn’t. Two years later he’s top scorer at the World Cup, scoring a hat-trick at Old Trafford (2003). Unreal comeback.

I painted him in the style of Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. The cracks aren’t hidden, they’re highlighted. They become part of the beauty. That philosophy really hit me: something broken can become something new, maybe even better, and the scars are part of the story. That felt like the perfect metaphor for Ronaldo - and, in some ways, for me during my lowest moments.

I used acrylics, markers and gold leaf. The piece was shown in a digital exhibition during COVID, sold within 24 hours, and somehow that led to me giving an interview in Brazil. Life’s weird sometimes. Weird but good.

6. What’s your creative process like, and how long does it usually take?
It really depends. Commissioned work can be tough, especially if I’m not emotionally connected to the subject. The first stage is always the idea. Let’s say Zidane’s volley in the Champions League final against Leverkusen. Cool, we’ve got the moment. Then I browse the internet looking for the right reference photos.

Once I’ve got those, I work on the composition. Then comes the sketch, which I’ll tweak a few times, followed by choosing colours and style. After that, it’s refinement, shading, details. When the main figure feels right, I add the extra elements.

For me, that process can take anywhere from two hours to a few weeks. It all comes down to mood and how much I “feel” the subject.

7. If you were to create a piece for AFC Warszawa, what might it look like?
I’ve already done something AFC-related, but if I were to create something now, I’d focus on unity. I picture the team standing in a pre-match huddle, seen from above. But then I’d add more figures joining the circle - supporters, friends, families. It would highlight that the club isn’t just eleven players on a pitch, but a whole community standing shoulder to shoulder.

8. “Grassroots football is the truest form of art in the football world.” Do you agree?
Absolutely. When politics and money aren’t calling the shots, football is free and pure. That’s where the real passion lives. Parents, office workers, business owners - people who give up their free time simply because they love the game. That’s as authentic as it gets.

9. And finally, what message would you like to send to the team?
Lads, this might sound cheesy or unlikely, but we’re always with you. Those of us who don’t play feel every match just as intensely. We’re stressed, angry, gutted and buzzing right alongside you. I truly believe there are plenty of great moments ahead of us, promotion included. Back each other. Take care of your mental health. And try to be at least a fraction better every single day than you were the day before.

Thanks Raf!