Containing a 2-0 victory against Sweden in the play-offs, they returned to the tournament for the first time since 2010, and they were placed in a group with Argentina, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. Although it’s hardly an easy draw, their fourth straight group stage departure would be greatly disappointing, especially given that they have Robert Lewandowski’s skills at their disposal. What to anticipate from Poland at the 2022 World Cup is listed below.
Wojciech Szczesny
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 32
The seasoned goalkeeper has spent the majority of his career at Arsenal and Juventus, stocking his trophy cabinet with honors like the Italian league championship (three times) and two English and Italian cup victories. He played in the Premier League for 150 times before making over 200 Serie A matches. Additionally, he has participated in almost 70 UEFA Champions League matches, as if that weren’t enough.
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That calibre of big-match performance will be priceless for Poland, where he made his debut in 2009 and has since won 64 caps. The 32-year-old, who is unquestionably his nation’s top player, has recently struggled with a number of injuries, the most recent of which is an ankle issue.
Although Lukasz Skorupski, Bartlomiej Drgowski, and Kamil Grabara are all capable goaltenders who have recently competed in Nations League games, Polish supporters will be hopeful that Szczesny returns to full condition in time for the World Cup in Qatar.
Jan Bednarek
Position: Centre-back
Age: 26
The back line of Poland is led by Jan Bednarek. The 26-year-old center defender has played more than 150 times for Southampton, but he is currently on loan at Aston Villa where he hopes to feature more frequently than he anticipated while on the south coast of England. He made 30 Premier League starts last season, as well as one from the bench, and he scored four goals while playing for the Saints. He was also one of the first names on the team sheet.
He has also essentially become a mainstay in the Poland national team, and it is anticipated that he will partner up with veteran defender Kamil Glik as the central defensive pair in Qatar.
Grzegorz Krychowiak
Position: Defensive midfielder
Age: 32
Krychowiak has had a fascinating career so far in which he has worked for a variety of clubs. He won the Coupe de France with Paris St. Germain in 2017 before going on to win the Russian equivalent twice at Lokomotiv Moscow (in 2019 and 2021). He was a member of the 2015 and 2016 Europa League champion Sevilla squads.
The 32-year-old has consistently been listed as a defensive midfielder wherever he has played. He is now under contract with FK Krasnodar and has joined Al-Shabab on loan. He has had a successful start to the season in Saudi Arabia.
Krychowiak has 91 caps for his country so far, which puts him close to the century mark and shows how important he is to the team. He earned the nickname “the lumberjack” during his time in Ligue 1, which is a fair description of his playing approach, especially when he goes in for a tackle, which he never backs down from.
Piotr Zielinski
Position: Attacking midfielder
Age: 28
On the other side, Piotr Zielinski has played for a lot fewer clubs than his teammate Krychowiak. He transferred from Zaglebie Lubin to Udinese in Italy when he was still a young player, and nearly immediately after that, he made his Serie A debut.
He went to Napoli in 2016 and has since made a home there after spending two seasons on loan at Empoli. Zielinski hardly misses a game on the local and European levels for Maradona’s former club as the 2020 Italian Cup champions are now regulars in the Champions League or Europa League. His 300 appearances across all leagues and events, along with the 40+ goals he has scored during that time, speak volumes.
Robert Lewandowski
Position: Striker
Age: 34
Two-time The winner of the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Champions League, the Best FIFA Men’s Player, the footballer of the year in Poland and Germany a combined 12 times, and seven times the top scorer in the Bundesliga… The list continues and tells you everything you need to know about the illustrious career of the Poland captain.
Before joining Barcelona ahead of this season, Lewandowski scored an astounding 312 goals in 384 Bundesliga games for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. He has already adapted well to La Liga and is continuing his German form. He has made 132 appearances and scored 76 goals for Poland, both of which are records.
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