Poland’s national football coach, Michal Probierz, has resigned following a disagreement with star striker Robert Lewandowski. The country’s football association announced the resignation on Thursday, saying Probierz stepped down “for the good of the national team.”
Probierz said, “Being coach of Poland was a dream come true and the biggest honor of my career. But I believe stepping down is the best decision now.”
Lewandowski recently said he would not play for Poland as long as Probierz was coach. This followed a 2-1 loss to Finland, which pushed Poland off the top of their World Cup qualifying group. Lewandowski did not play in that match, saying he needed rest.
Reports say the Barcelona striker was upset after Probierz took away the team captaincy from him. On social media, Lewandowski wrote, “Because I no longer trust the coach, I will not play for Poland while he is still in charge. I still hope to wear the national jersey again in the future.”
Lewandowski, 36, has played for Poland since 2008 and was made captain in 2014. He holds the records for most appearances (158) and most goals (85) for the country.
Probierz became coach in September 2023. He helped Poland qualify for Euro 2024, but the team didn’t
