Poland’s were unconvincing in Euro 2024 qualifying, finishing third behind Albania and Czechia in quite a weak Group E, but they delivered in the play-offs by beating Wales on penalties in Cardiff.
Yet, while the jubilation was palpable, the Poland Euro 2024 squad will still head to Germany with relatively low expectations.
Contents
Poland – Key facts
Year founded: 1921
Nickname: The Eagles
Current FIFA ranking: 28th
Highest FIFA ranking: 5th
Year of Euro debut: 2008
Best Euro performance: Quarter-finals (2016)
Player to watch: Robert Lewandowski
Full Poland Euro 2024 squad
Goalkeeper
- Wojciech Szczesny
- Lukasz Skorupski
- Marcin Bulka
Defence
- Jan Bednarek
- Bartosz Bereszynski
- Jakub Kiwior
- Tymoteusz Puchacz
- Bartosz Salamon
- Pawel Dawidowicz
- Sebastian Walukiewicz
Midfield
- Kamil Grosicki
- Piotr Zielinski
- Przemyslaw Frankowski
- Sebastian Szymanski
- Jakub Moder
- Damian Szymanski
- Nicola Zalewski
- Michal Skoras
- Bartosz Slisz
- Jakub Piotrowski
- Taras Romanczuk
- Kacper Urbanski
Attack
- Robert Lewandowski
- Karol Swiderski
- Krzysztof Piatek
- Adam Buksa
Surprise inclusions in Poland Euro 2024 squad
Kacper Urbanski
19 year old Kacper Urbanski is a surprise inclusion in the final squad. He only made his international debut as a fifth minute substitute for the injured Arkadiusz Milik in Friday’s friendly win over Ukraine, but was later replaced.
He hasn’t set the world on fire in Serie A with Bologna this season with only nine league starts, no goals and only one assist, but coach Michal Probierz clearly sees him as one for the future and a trip to the Euros will be positive for his development even if he sees little game-time.
Taras Romanczuk
The final Poland Euro 2024 squad only features three players who play their football in the Polish league and one of those is midfielder Taras Romanczuk.
He is fresh from an impressive title winning season with Jagiellonia Bialystok, but at 32 and with only three international caps to his name, this feels like something of a left-field pick. Romanczuk did start and score in Poland’s penultimate warm-up game though, which may have clinched his ticket to the Euros.
In-form players for Poland
Robert Lewandowski
The one big positive for Poland is that key man Robert Lewandowski, by far their best player, ended the season in good form with six goals in his final six league games for Barcelona.
He’s not a player that regularly creates his own opportunities though and the concern will be that poor service in a tough group will leave him feeding on scraps in what may be his final international tournament.
Krzysztof Piatek
This Polish squad is light in terms of form players who have had good seasons at club level, but forward Krzysztof Piatek is one who could be placed in that category. He scored 17 times in the Turkish Super Lig for Istanbul Basaksehir including a hat-trick in his final game of the season.
That should send him to the Euros in good spirits and he’s capable of competing with an out-of-sorts Karol Swiderski for the starting role alongside Lewandowski.
Poland Predicted Euro 2024 XI
Poland vs The Netherlands
(3-5-2) Szczesny, Kiwior, Dawidowicz, Bednarek, Zalewski, Zielinski, Slisz, Piotrowski, Frankowski, Lewandowski, Swiderski
Poland tend to set up with wing backs in a 3-5-2 system and that’s how they’re likely to operate in this tournament, certainly in the tougher group matches. They have high quality performers at either end in the shape of Wojciech Szczesny and Robert Lewandowski but not a great deal in between that will spark fear in their Euro 2024 Group D opponents.
Poland vs Austria
(3-5-2) Szczesny, Kiwior, Bereszynski, Bednarek, Zalewski, Zielinski, Slisz, Sebastian Szymanski, Frankowski, Lewandowski, Piatek
Unless they get a surprise result against the Dutch, changes are likely on matchday two with in-form Krzysztof Piatek potentially replacing Swiderski in attack. The third central midfield role is also up for grabs so either Sebastian Szymanski or Damian Szymanski may well come in while the experienced Bartosz Bereszynski could also be preferred to Pawel Dawidowicz in defence.
Poland vs France
(3-5-2) Szczesny, Kiwior, Bereszynski, Bednarek, Zalewski, Zielinski, Slisz, Damian Szymanski, Frankowski, Lewandowski, Swiderski
It’s likely that Poland will need something from their tough final game against France so Michal Probierz should name another strong eleven. Much will depend on how players perform in the positions that are the source of debate, but he may opt for fresh legs in midfield for the final game with Damian Szymanski potentially coming in.
