Poland is one of the most populous states in Europe. With around 40 million inhabitants, it is a country with a rich history and very proud people. So, it’s no surprise they have qualified for UEFA Euro 2024. Many extraordinary talents have worn the red-white uniform over the years. There have been excellent and successful campaigns as well as total disappointments. In this blog, we will look at the history of Poland’s National Football Team, its most famous players and their best performances. So, let’s go!
History of Football in Poland and the Men’s National Team
For Poles, football is the most popular sport. It may be considered a national pastime. Every major and smaller city has their own squad and talent academies that raise exceptional footballers. Every big league in Europe has top-rank players from Poland.
However, the success of modern-day ballers wouldn’t be possible without the past legends and pioneers.
The roots of football in Poland can be traced back to the late 19th century. The sport began to gain popularity in Poland in the early 1900s. It was the establishment of the first Polish football clubs that did so. Lechia Lwów in 1903 and Wisła Kraków in 1906 were the first ones. Such clubs allowed Poles to refine their national identity and were significant propellers, pushing the nation to unify and declare independence.
The Polish Football Association (PZPN) was founded in 1919 after the country gained independence from Russia, Germany and Austria. PZPN became a member of FIFA in 1923 and UEFA in 1955.
The Polish national football team played its first official match in 1921 against Hungary. Over the years, Poland has had significant successes. The Golden Age for Polish fans is the 1970s and 1980s. The Red Whites finished 3rd in the 1974 and 1982 FIFA World Cups.
People often forget that Poland also won a gold medal in football at the 1972 Munich Olympics. They also got silver at the 1976 and 1992 Olympics.
Yet, Poland has failed to sustain high levels of competitiveness and success, not quite reaching the 5-star status of France, Spain, Italy, Germany or the Netherlands. They’ve missed numerous World Cups UEFA Euros and have had disappointing losses in these tournaments when they qualified.
The FIFA Men’s Ranking for Polish National Team. Over the past 5 years, they have fluctuated between 18th and 31st positions.
So, overall, Poland is a formidable powerhouse in the landscape of European football. Yet, not totally elite; their squad is always someone to reckon with.
Most Famous Polish Football Players of All Time
Robert Lewandowski
- Position: Striker
- Career: 2006-present
Lewa or Lewy is widely regarded as one of the best strikers in modern football, especially over the past two decades. From a poker against Real Madrid in the biggest stage of football to 5 goals in 9 minutes at Bayern, the Pole established his status as a deadly force in front of the goal. Throughout his career, Lewandowski is praised for his pace, finishing ability, and composure in the final third. He has scored over 270 goals in the Bundesliga and holds the record for the most goals in a single season at Bayern Munich with 55 in 47 games.
Zbygniew Boniek
- Position: Midfielder
- Career: 1973-1988
If Lewy has had the best club career out of everyone, then Bello di Notte had the best national career. He was the frontman during his era, taking Poland to their best-ever FIFA World Cup finish – 3rd position in 1982. He was named to the Team of the Tournament. Boniek also probably has the strongest single-game international performance in Poland’s football history. Former Juventus and Roma player bagged a hat-trick against Belgium in the 1982 World Cup.
Kazimierz Deyna
- Position: Midfielder
- Career: 1966-1984
The OG of Polish football – Kazimierz Deyna, is often overlooked on the lists of top Polish ballers, but he is definitely a top-tier talent. He was a very valuable midfielder known for his technical skills and vision on the field. Sort of the Pirlo/Modrič of Poland.
He played a crucial role in helping his squad win gold at the 1972 Olympics and third place in the 1974 FIFA WC. Deyna could score from set pieces and was a true leader.
Jakub Blaszczykowski
- Position: Winger
- Career: 2003-2023
Kuba is one of the top wingers of the 21st century. He spent 9 years at Borussia Dortmund and also played for Fiorentina and VfL Wolfsburg before finishing his career back home, representing Wisla Krakow until 2023. Blaszczykowski primarily played as a winger. His supreme technical skills with the ball earned him the Polish Footballer of the Year title in 2008 and 2010. He is Poland’s second most-capped player with 109 total appearances.
Best Performances from Poland in International Football
Poland’s best international football performances include a few very respectable performances.
They won the gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Poles also finished third in the FIFA World Cup in 1974 and 1982.
In the 1974 World Cup, Poland, led by Grzegorz Lato (Golden Shoe winner), defeated Brazil in the third-place match. Eight years later, Poland secured the same result, beating France and Michel Platini.
Recently, they reached the Quarterfinals in the 2016 Euros.
Predictions for Poland in Euro 2024 – Odds in a Very Strong Group
Poland faces a challenging task in Euro 2024. The draw wasn’t very favourable, and they were drawn into the same group with France and the Netherlands. Both of these squads are among the favourites. Despite a tough qualifying campaign, Poland secured their spot through the playoffs.
With Robert Lewandowski still around and leading the team, their performance hinges on providing adequate support to the Polish Football Demi-God. Although they have a decent squad, bookmakers don’t favour Poles that much. Their outright win for the tournament odds are only 150/1.
According to Fox Sports and The Sports Geek, Poland’s chances of progressing depend heavily on its ability to compete against higher-ranked teams. They need to capitalise on opponents’ errors, which hasn’t been their strength recently.