Poland’s road to Euro 2024 has been a bumpy one. They have endured a torrid year by their own standards and narrowly managed to secure a berth in this summer’s tournament by the skin of their teeth.
The fact is that we often don’t quite know what to expect with Poland. The eastern European giants possess a depth of exciting young talents within their squad, which is coupled with some highly experienced figures from around Europe’s top five leagues, including three Premier League stars. And if the Eagles can put the woes of the last 12 months behind them, Poland can be a huge threat in Germany this summer.
But right now they are a team in transition. They have seemingly undergone several structural changes in their coaching department in the last nine months, following their dire qualification campaign. Amid their indifferent form, The Polish Football Association chose to part ways with former Portugal boss Fernando Santos back in September – after a mere six matches.
Michal Probierz was appointed as their new manager and has seemingly impressed during his time in charge, with Poland now unbeaten since taking over.
Hungry to rectify the disappointments of the past 12 months, Poland are one team to watch at this summer’s tournament. And while they have been drawn in one of the toughest groups, Lewandowski’s side are not to be underestimated, even after their indifferent 2023.
Poland have endured a disappointing year having almost failed to qualify for Euro 2024
Despite that, they managed to secure a berth in the tournament by the skin of their teeth
Mail Sport takes you through Poland, including how they qualified for the tournament, their history in the competition and who to look out for.
Who is the manager?
Michal Probierz
Following their indifferent 2023, failing to gain automatic qualification for the tournament after placing third in their qualifying group, the national side’s hierarchy decided that change was needed, with Poland parting ways with their manager Fernando Santos.
Despite his experience winning Euro 2016 and the 2018-19 UEFA Nations League with Portugal, Santos underwhelmed as their manager and was dismissed after just six games in charge.
The 69-year-old, who had also taken Portugal to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup, would oversee three wins and three losses as Poland boss, but it appeared a 2-0 defeat by Albania was the final nail in the coffin.
The Polish Football Association subsequently appointed their U21s manager Probierz as their new coach, and it seems to be a move that has so far paid off. The former midfielder, who made 260 games in the Polish Ekstraklasa, is yet to suffer defeat as Poland manager, having overseen four wins and two 1-1 draws, and secured Poland a place in the tournament, guiding them to a narrow victory in the play-offs in March.
While some may question his lack of experience coaching at the international level, Probierz has experience of winning domestic trophies following a successful managerial career working with clubs around Poland.
Fernando Santos (pictured) was sacked as Poland manager in September after six games
He was replaced by Michal Probierz (left), who oversaw Poland’s dramatic play-off final victory
He began his coaching journey in 2005 with Polonia Bytom, before going on to take charge of Ekstralasa sides Jagiellonia and Cracovia. He’d go on to enjoy success with both sides, winning the Polish Cup and Super Cup with both teams, before being appointed the national side’s U21s national side in 2022.
His ambitions with the national side are clear. Probierz wants to put Poland’s indifferent year behind them and take a step forward.
‘The most important thing is the good of the national team,’ he said on his appointment. ‘I want us to strive together to rebuild the national team and be proud of it. It is rare to start work and hear so many negative things about yourself.
‘The atmosphere around the team is not very good. I ask to be given the opportunity to work in peace, so that the players are happy to come to training camps, so that we all strive for one goal: advancement.’
Poland are unbeaten in their last six matches since Probierz (second from right) took charge
Who is their star man?
Robert Lewandowski
Poland’s goal-scoring machine is set to make his sixth appearance at a major international tournament this summer.
Across his epic international career, the striker has now returned 82 goals in 148 appearances and at the age of 35.
While Barcelona have struggled this season, crashing out of the Champions League and Spanish Cup before finishing 10 points behind Real Madrid, Lewandowski has continued to find the back of the net for the Catalan outfit.
This season he’s netted 26 goals across all competitons, and while his heroics weren’t quite enough to guide Barcelona to a spot in the Champions League semi-finals, without his goals, Xavi’s side may have been in a much more concerning position.
Yet, some have questioned whether he is still the player he once was.
Lewandowski (centre) will lead Poland at Euro 2024 in his sixth international tournament
The striker has now returned 82 goals in 148 appearances and at the age of 35 for Poland
‘Everything used to depend on him but in the qualifiers he was as disappointing as other players,’ Maciej Kaliszuk of Przeglad Sportowy Onet said to the BBC.
‘What did not help was a widely reported row over bonuses that also saw some verbal infighting between squad members, including Lewandowski, who was also said to have criticised his team-mates’ mentality in interviews.’
Lewandowski is reportedly set for showdown talks with Barcelona this summer over his wages.
In the meantime he will lead the Eagles out this summer and will be eager to add to his haul of international goals – that ranks him inside the world’s top ten best-ever international goalscorers.
He leads a cohort of exciting players which includes Southampton’s Jan Bednarek, whose stellar defensive performance in the Championship play-off final have earned him the plaudits of many.
Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski is another player to keep an eye on, having enjoyed a sensational 2022-23 campaign, being crowned Poalnads Player of the Year, while also helping guide his club side to the Serie A title.
They will be without Aston Villa star Matty Cash, who was omitted from the squad following an injury – with the Premier League star having missed the back end of Villa’s successful 2023-24 campaign. Despite that, Arsenal’s Jakub Kiwior and Brighton’s Jakub Moder will make up a small contingent of Premier League stars in Poland’s ranks.
Jan Bednarek (left) has been lauded for his performance in the Championship play-off final
Midfielder Piotr Zielinski was pivotal in Napoli’s title-winning campaign last season
Aston Villa star Matty Cash (centre) was not included in Probierz’s squad due to injury
How did they qualify?
Poland surprisingly failed to gain automatic qualification for Euro 2024 at the back end of last year.
‘We’ve had problems since the beginning of the qualification phase, Lewandowski said in an interview with Poland’s state-owned television channel, per SPORT.
‘What happened to a team that used to play much better with almost the same lineup?’
‘I know we have the potential to play better and win,’ he added.
The Eagles had finished third in qualifying Group E, having won three games, drawn two and lost another two.
Poland had failed to gain automatic qualification after finishing third in their qualifying group
But they would book their place at Euro 2024 after beating Wales in the play-off final in March
Wales were heartbroken after they were bested 5-4 on penalties at the Cardiff City Stadium
Poland secured a place in the play-offs thanks to their 10th-place finish in the Nations League
They were beaten by Albania 2-0, and were also bested by minnows Moldova – a particularly humiliating defeat against.
Albania topped the group, with Czech Republic finishing second just three points ahead of Poland – with both securing an automatic spot at this summer’s tournament.
It left Poland’s hopes of securing a spot in the play-offs hanging by a thread. But thanks to their 10th-place finish in the 2022-23 Nations League, they secured a berth in the play-offs alongside twelve other sides.
With Probierz now in charge, Poland would go on to seal a 5-1 victory against Estonia in the play-off semi-final, before facing Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium.
The match would finish 0-0 after extra time, with Poland failing to register a shot on target throughout the entire match, despite having 13 attempts. There was heartache for Wales, whose wait to qualify for their first European Championship since 2012 goes on, after Daniel James’ penalty in the resulting shootout was saved by ex-arsenal star Wojciech Szczesny saving the spot-kick.
But in the host’s agony, there was ecstasy for Poland, who despite their poor recent form would secure their spot at the European Championship.
Fixtures (all UK times)
Poland vs Netherlands – Sunday June 16, 2pm at Volksparkstadion, Hamburg
Poland vs Austria – Friday June 21, 5pm at Olympiastadion, Berlin
France vs Poland – Tuesday June 25, 5pm at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund
Tournament history
Poland will return to face France for the first time since the 2018 World Cup winners knocked Lewandowski’s side out at the round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup.
But their recent form at major international tournaments has been a bit of a mixed bag. The side had made it to seven World Cup tournaments before they qualified for the European Championship for the first time in their history in 2008.
That year they failed to make it out of the group stages that year, and again in 2012 before reaching the quater-finals in 2016 at the European Championship in France, where they were beaten by Portugal on penalties – their best finish to date.
Poland were beaten by France 3-1 at the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
Poland qualified to play in the Euros for the first time in their history in 2008, but failed to make it out of their group
Odds to win the trophy
Sky Bet are offering odds of 150/1 for Poland to win the Euro 2024. Odds correct at the time of publication.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus), Lukasz Skorupski (Bologna), Marcin Bulka (Nice), Oliwier Zych (Aston Villa).
Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Southampton), Bartosz Bereszynski (Empoli), Jakub Kiwior (Arsenal), Tymoteusz Puchacz (FC Kaiserlautern), Bartosz Salamon (Lech Poznan), Pawel Dawidowicz (Hellas Verona), Pawel Bochniewicz (SE Heerenveen), Sebastian Walukiewicz (FC Empoli).
Poland begin their campaign on June 16 vs the Netherlands, before playing Austria and France
Midfielders: Kamil Grosicki (Pogon Szczecin), Piotr Zielinski (SSC Napoli), Przemyslaw Frankowski (RC Lens), Sebastian Szymanski (Fenerbache), Jakub Moder (Brighton), Damian Szymanski (AEK Athens), Nicola Zalewski (AS Roma), Bartosz Slisz (Atalanta United), Michal Skoras (Club Brugge), Jakub Piotrowski (Ludogorets Razgrad), Taras Romanczuk (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Kacper Urbanski (Bologna).
Attackers: Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Arkadiusz Milik (Juventus), Karol Swiderski (Hellas Verona), Krzysztof Piatek (Basaksehir FK), Adam Buksa (Antalyaspor).