Tao Paradowski

Tao Paradowski (born 15 January 2005) is a French professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Pau in Ligue 2.

Tao Paradowski was born in Saint-Paul, Réunion on 15 January 2005. He was named after Tao, one of the main characters from the animated series The Mysterious Cities of Gold, a favorite of his parents.^[1] Paradowski began his football journey at a young age with Jarville JF,^[2] before joining the youth system of AS Nancy Lorraine in 2014.^[3] Despite facing criticism about his height, Paradowski remained determined, drawing inspiration from role models like Jordan Pickford.^[4]

In the summer of 2022, Paradowski joined Nîmes on trial and impressed the coaches, leading to a promotion to the senior squad. He debuted in the Championnat National in September 2023 and quickly became a key player, earning recognition for his performances.^[1]

Paradowski's notable performances include a standout display with 9 saves in a match against US Orléans, where he played a crucial role in securing a 1–0 victory despite the team facing a high expected goals (xG) score against them.^[5]

In August 2024, Paradowski signed with Pau, marking a move to Ligue 2.^[6] He was keen to continue working with Anthony Babikian,^[7] who was the goalkeeper coach at Nîmes and joined Pau at the beginning of the 2024–25 Ligue 2 season.^[8] Paradowski's transfer follows a promising season with Nîmes, where he established himself as a reliable goalkeeper.^[1]

In March 2024, Bernard Diomède included Paradowski in the France U19 squad for friendlies against Uzbekistan.^[9] Despite being part of the squad, he did not play in either of the matches.^[10] In September 2025, he was selected in the France U20 squad for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile^[11].

Outside of football, Paradowski is a devout Catholic, his faith plays a significant role in his life, providing him with grounding and focus.^[12] He is of Polish descent.^[13]

• Tao Paradowski at Soccerway
• l'Equipe Profile