"Does smoking taste good? It's poison." This is the warning from the late teacher Lee Joo-il.

FC Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny (35, Barcelona) openly confessed to his smoking habit but emphasized that no one should imitate him.

Szczęsny made a glamorous return, receiving affection from fans after reversing his retirement last October and donning the Barcelona jersey. In 25 matches since reversing his retirement, he has experienced defeat only once, during the UEFA Champions League away game against Dortmund. He impressively recorded 13 clean sheets, becoming a hidden key player who helped lead La Liga, RAY, and the Champions League smoothly under head coach Hans Flick.

Outside the field, Szczęsny is drawing attention for a slightly different issue. Fans chant "Szczęsny the smoker" during matches. This reaction stems from his decision to not hide his smoking habit since joining Barcelona.

In relation to this, Szczęsny said in an interview with 'ESPN'.

"There are definitely parts that can serve as a role model for young players or my teammates. But smoking is not among them. Let me be clear: do not imitate this. I have lost this battle."

According to an ESPN report on the 25th, he candidly revealed, "It's a habit I started when I was young, and I know very well that it's a bad habit. I couldn't win. If someone is watching this interview, I sincerely hope they do not end up like me."

In modern football, it is rare for players to mention 'taboos' such as smoking or drinking. Szczęsny explained, "I'm not a politician. I'm just a goalkeeper. My job is to catch and kick the ball. I prefer to answer questions honestly."

He added, "There are topics I do not want to talk about. Smoking is one of those topics. If possible, I would like to avoid that question because I don't want to be a bad example. But if someone asks, honestly, I have to say that I smoke."

Despite Barcelona's incredible season, Szczęsny did not overly hype his role. "It's not because I played well that the team won. There weren't many chances to stop the ball. My teammates blocked shots, made tackles, and headers, so I was just, let's say, comfortable enough to smoke a cigarette."

Currently, Barcelona is four points ahead of Real Madrid in La Liga and is set to play the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla this weekend, followed by a UEFA Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan.

"It's hard to be a perfect role model," Szczęsny remarked. He is just focused on honestly showing his true self, and that sincerity resonates both on and off the field.

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