Poland’s national football team is set for a new chapter following the resignation of head coach Michal Probierz, who stepped down amid tensions with star striker Robert Lewandowski.
The Polish Football Federation announced his departure on Thursday, citing the coach’s decision to leave “for the good of the national team.”
Probierz, who took over the national side in September 2023, released a statement reflecting on his tenure, “I have come to the conclusion that in the current situation the best decision for the good of the national team will be my resignation from the position of selector. Performing this function was the fulfilment of my professional dreams and the greatest honour in my life.”
The move follows growing unrest after Lewandowski declared he would no longer represent Poland as long as Probierz remained in charge.
His announcement, made on Sunday, came just ahead of Poland’s 2-1 defeat to Finland, a result that cost them the top spot in their European World Cup qualifying group.
Although Lewandowski was absent from the squad during the latest international window, reportedly resting at his own request, according to the Polish Press Agency, his absence cast a shadow over the team.
Central to the conflict was Probierz’s decision to take the captain’s armband from the Barcelona striker.
“Taking into account the circumstances and a loss of trust in the coach, I have decided to resign from playing for the Poland national team for as long as he remains in charge,” Lewandowski stated on social media.
“I hope I will still have another chance to play again for the best fans in the world,” he added.
A veteran of the national team since 2008, the 36-year-old forward had captained Poland since 2014.
He remains the country’s most-capped player with 158 appearances and the all-time top scorer with 85 goals, 37 ahead of second-placed Wlodzimierz Lubanski.
Probierz’s stint included leading Poland to Euro 2024, where they failed to register a win and exited at the group stage.
His overall record as head coach stands at nine wins, five draws, and seven defeats from 21 matches.
“Thank you, of course, to all the footballers I have had the pleasure of meeting along the way,” Probierz wrote in his farewell. “I will keep my fingers crossed for all of you, because the national team is our common national asset.”
