TEAM

POLAND

GROUP: D

PLAYER TO WATCH: Robert Lewandowski

EXPECTED FINISH: Group Stage

Poland Fixtures

There’s the Group of Death, and then there’s Group D.

It couldn’t have been a much more difficult draw for Poland, who face World Cup runners-up France, a surging Netherlands side and dark horses Austria. Even with the best four third-placed finishers qualifying, it’s difficult to see how Michał Probierz’s team advance.

We should not write them off completely, though. This is, after all, a team that beat Germany 1-0 in a friendly as recently as last year and there is plenty of top-level experience in a squad spearheaded by Barcelona’s evergreen striker Robert Lewandowski.

However, the Poland betting odds (10/1 to win the group, 7/10 to finish bottom) reflect their difficult undertaking. Here’s how their fixtures line up:

Poland vs Netherlands 16th June (Volksparkstadion)
Poland vs Austria 21st June (Olympiastadion)
Poland vs France 26th June (BVB Stadion)

Standings

Venues

Key players

Robert Lewandowski

Caps (goals): 148 (82)

Position: Striker

Club: Barcelona

Future generations are likely to see Lewandowski as one of the best strikers of his generation.

It could even be argued he has been unfortunate to be scoring goals in an era when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were posting freakish, almost superhuman numbers. His record for his country is impressive and he leads the all-time goalscoring rankings by a country mile.

Lewandowski only managed three goals in eight appearances qualifying for this tournament, which represents a notable nosedive on his World Cup qualifying numbers (nine goals in nine appearances). But more than 20 goals for Barcelona this term shows that, even at 36, he is still capable of performing regularly on the biggest stage.

Piotr Zieliński

Caps (goals): 88 (11)

Position: Midfielder

Club: Napoli

A genuine modern-day midfield marvel, Piotr Zieliński remains a commanding presence for his national team and the immensely successful Napoli team of the 2022-23 campaign.

Zieliński’s strength lies largely in his in-game intelligence coupled with an eye for a killer pass. A colleague of Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes at Empoli back in the 2013-14 season, the Portuguese midfielder once told an interview that Zieliński was “better technically than I was”.

High praise from the Old Trafford captain – and you sense he will be proved correct if Poland manage to advance.

Jakub Kiwor

Caps (goals): 21 (1)

Position: Defender

Club: Arsenal

A key part of Arsenal’s Premier League title push, Kiwor has been in excellent form at full-back, where he can utilise his searing pace and athletic ability despite his natural position being centre-back.

Indeed, when he is not shutting down defenders, he is breaking training ground records. Since joining the Gunners, he has registered the club’s fastest short sprint, highest agility jump and standing spring record.

It’s likely he will be used in his more familiar centre-back role with Poland, where his ariel dominance and speed across the ground might allow his team to push further up the pitch.

Previous performances in the Euros

Despite having some good teams on paper in previous tournaments, Poland have often struggled to make the latter stages, registering just one knockout round appearance in four attempts since making their debut in the competition in 2008.

Here’s how they have fared in each iteration of the European Championships:

1960: Did not qualify
1964: Did not qualify
1968: Did not qualify
1972: Did not qualify
1976: Did not qualify
1980: Did not qualify
1984: Did not qualify
1988: Did not qualify
1992: Did not qualify
1996: Did not qualify
2000: Did not qualify
2004: Did not qualify
2008: Group stage (fourth in Group B)
2012: Group stage (fourth in Group A)
2016: Quarter-finals (lost to Portugal on penalties)
2020: Group stage (fourth in Group E)

Expectations

Poland are perennial dark horses. Perhaps it is the presence of Lewandowski alone that registers them in the minds of value-seekers – and it is worth noting that they actually have a remarkably good record at World Cups – but they always struggle in this competition.

There are, unfortunately for them, realities that come with finding themselves both in a difficult section and relying on a brilliant, but ageing, striker to carry them through.

Odds and player information correct at time of publication but subject to change