Rangers legend Ally McCoist has admitted he could scarcely believe the news that former Ibrox right-back Mateusz Żukowski is now thriving as an out-and-out striker in Germany — and scoring goals for fun.
Żukowski’s time at Rangers was brief and largely uneventful, with the Polish defender struggling to make a lasting impact after arriving from Lechia Gdańsk in 2022. Used almost exclusively as a full-back or wing-back during his stint in Glasgow, he never hinted at the attacking transformation that has since defined his career revival abroad.
But McCoist, speaking after learning of Żukowski’s positional switch, revealed genuine astonishment at the scale of the reinvention. The former Rangers No.9 — who built his own legacy on ruthless finishing — said he would never have predicted the defender possessed the instincts to lead the line, let alone become a prolific scorer.
Żukowski’s conversion to striker reportedly came after a move within German football opened the door to a more advanced role. Freed from defensive duties, he has flourished closer to goal, showcasing pace, direct running and a newly sharpened eye for finishing that had gone largely unnoticed earlier in his career.
For Rangers supporters, the story lands as one of those curious football “what-ifs”: a player once written off as surplus at Ibrox now excelling in a position the club has frequently sought to strengthen. McCoist himself acknowledged the irony, noting that football careers can take wildly unexpected turns when players find the right role and environment.
While Żukowski is unlikely to rewrite his Rangers chapter, his German resurgence has nonetheless caught the attention of former teammates and fans alike — none more so than McCoist, whose disbelief speaks to just how dramatic the Pole’s positional metamorphosis has been.













