World Cup preview: Poland
The two-time World Cup semifinalists are led by one of the sport's biggest names
Previous World Cup appearances: 1938, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 2002, 2006, 2018
Best finish: 3rd place (1974, 1982)
Group stage schedule: vs. Mexico (Nov. 22), vs. Saudi Arabia (Nov. 26), vs. Argentina (Nov. 30)
Note: All stats accurate as of Sept. 14, 2022.
The breakdown
How they qualified: Poland finished second in a group that included Albania, Andorra, England, Hungary and San Marino, which got them into the qualifying playoffs. They were supposed to play Russia in their semifinal game but automatically advanced to the final after Russia were removed from the competition. Poland beat Sweden 2-0 in the final to secure their spot in Qatar.
Names to know:
Bartosz Bereszyński (Sampdoria) — Bereszyński is one of four players who have appeared in every game at Poland’s last two major tournaments, the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020 (held in 2021). He made six starts during qualifying and contributed an assist in a 3-3 draw with Hungary. The 30-year-old has averaged 28.6 Serie A starts in the five full seasons he’s played with Sampdoria.
Kamil Glik (Benevento) — Only one Polish outfield player (see below) logged more minutes during qualifying than Glik. He started all three games at Euro 2020 and made one start at the 2018 World Cup. Glik currently plays in Italy’s second division, and he scored six goals from his center back position for Monaco’s Ligue 1 title-winning team in 2016-17.
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) — Lewandowski sits atop his country’s all-time goalscoring chart by a whopping 31 goals1. He also ranks second in the history of the German Bundesliga with 312 goals that came in 12 seasons with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich2 before his move to Barcelona over the summer. The list of accomplishments is ridiculously long, and it's a travesty he doesn't have a Ballon d'Or.
Wojciech Szczęsny (Juventus) — Poland’s primary goalkeeper at the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020, Szczęsny started all but one game during qualifying. He’s earned 63 caps and participated in four major tournaments (Euro 2012, Euro 2016, 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020). Szczęsny won two FA Cups with Arsenal and has three Serie A titles since joining Juventus prior to the 2017-18 season.
Piotr Zieliński (Napoli) — The 28-year-old is arguably Poland’s most indispensable player behind Lewandowski. He’s started every game at the last two major tournaments and was directly involved in three goals during World Cup qualifying. By the time the World Cup starts, Zieliński will likely have more than 50 games of experience in European competition between the Champions League and Europa League.
Potential breakout star: Kamil Jóźwiak (Charlotte FC)
Jóźwiak started his career at Lech Poznań in his home country before moving to England to play with Derby County and then to Major League Soccer expansion team Charlotte FC. Only 24, he’s established himself as a national team regular but has yet to produce at the same level for his clubs since leaving Poland. A good World Cup would help set the stage for what could be a huge jump in year two with Charlotte.
Note: Jóźwiak was not included in Poland’s World Cup squad.
The bottom line
Reason for optimism: Robert Lewandowski
Poland are the only country headed to Qatar who have a top-five player in the world and are not among the favorites. Nobody on the planet is better at the most important part of the sport: putting the ball in the back of the net.
Biggest question: Will the rest of the attack show up?
The six goals Poland’s scored at their last two major tournaments came from Lewandowski, two midfielders who are not known for their goalscoring prowess and a center back. Adam Buska and Karol Świderski — who netted five goals apiece in World Cup qualifying — might be the solution to that problem.
Here’s the deal:
They’re the second-best team in the group on paper, assuming Lewandowski is healthy. Whether they can go any farther than that will be dependent on the supporting cast.