Robert Lewandowski announced he will no longer play for Poland as long as Michal Probierz remains the national team coach, shortly after being stripped of the captaincy on Sunday.
Poland’s coach Probierz appointed midfielder Piotr Zielinski as the new captain, a decision confirmed in a statement from the Polish Football Federation (PZPN). “By decision of coach Michal Probierz, Piotr Zielinski became the new captain of the Polish national team,” the statement said. “The coach personally informed Robert Lewandowski, the entire team and the training staff of his decision.”
Lewandowski responded swiftly on social media, saying, “Considering the circumstances and the loss of trust in the Polish national team coach, I have decided to step back from playing for the Polish national team as long as he remains the coach. I hope I will have the chance to play again for the best fans in the world.”
The 36-year-old Barcelona striker, Poland’s all-time top scorer with 85 goals in a record 158 appearances, had held the captaincy since 2014. He is currently absent from the squad, citing physical and mental exhaustion after a demanding season.
Probierz, who replaced Fernando Santos as Poland’s manager in 2023, led the team to Euro 2024, where they were the first side eliminated. The PZPN confirmed that Probierz will address the situation at a press conference on Monday.
Poland recently defeated Moldova 2-0 in a friendly on Friday and will face Finland in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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