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Poland national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Poland women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Poland
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Biało-Czerwoni (The White-Reds)
Orły (The Eagles)
Association Polski Związek Piłki Nożnej (PZPN)
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Head coach Michał Probierz
Captain Robert Lewandowski
Most caps Robert Lewandowski (156)
Top scorer Robert Lewandowski (84)
Home stadium National Stadium
Silesian Stadium
FIFA code POL
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 20 Steady (7 February 2019)
Highest 5 (August 2017)
Lowest 78 (November 2013)
Elo ranking
Current 1
Highest 2 (10 September 1975)
Lowest 58 (October 1956)
First international
 Hungary 1–0 Poland 
(Budapest, Hungary; 18 December 1921)
Biggest win
 Poland 10–0 San Marino 
(Kielce, Poland; 1 April 2009)
Biggest defeat
 Denmark 8–0 Poland 
(Copenhagen, Denmark; 26 June 1948)
World Cup
Appearances 9 (first in 1938)
Best result Third place (1974, 1982)
European Championship
Appearances 5 (first in 2008)
Best result Quarter-finals (2016)
Medal record
Men's football
FIFA World Cup
Bronze 1974 West Germany Team
Bronze 1982 Spain Team
Olympic Games
Gold 1972 Munich Team
Silver 1976 Montreal Team

The Poland national football team represents Poland in international football games. They have been playing since their first match in 1921. The team is managed by the Polish Football Association (PZPN). People often call them "The White-Reds" or "The Eagles." These names come from Poland's national symbol, a white eagle on a red background.

In 2017, the team reached its highest ever World Ranking at 5th place. Poland's main home stadium is the Kazimierz Górski National Stadium in Warsaw. The current head coach is Michał Probierz.

Poland has played in nine FIFA World Cup tournaments. Their first time was in 1938. Their best results were finishing third in both the 1974 and 1982 World Cups. Many people see this time as the "golden era" for Polish football. A famous player, Grzegorz Lato, won the Golden Shoe award in 1974 for scoring seven goals. Most recently, Poland reached the Round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

In the UEFA European Championship, Poland's best result was reaching the quarter-finals in 2016. They have played in five European Championships since their first appearance in 2008. Poland was also a co-host for the 2012 tournament with Ukraine.

Overall, Poland's greatest success in an international football tournament was winning the gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics. They also won a silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

History of Polish Football

How Football Started in Poland

The first Polish football clubs were formed in the early 1900s. These included Lechia Lwów (1903), Czarni Lwów (1903), Pogoń Lwów (1904), KS Cracovia (1906), and Wisła Kraków (1906). The Polish Football Association (PZPN) was created on December 20, 1919. The PZPN joined FIFA in 1923 and UEFA in 1955.

Football came to Poland in the late 1800s. A doctor named Henryk Jordan helped make sports popular in Kraków. He opened a sports park in 1888 and promoted football as a healthy outdoor activity. Some say he brought the first football to Poland. Others say Dr. Edmund Cenar brought the first ball and translated the rules into Polish.

On July 14, 1894, the first recorded football match in Polish history took place. It was a short game between members of the Sokół society from Lwów and Kraków. The Lwów team won 1–0, with Włodzimierz Chomicki scoring the first known goal. This match made football very popular in Poland.

Soon, more football teams were formed, especially in schools. In 1903–1904, four schools in Lwów started their own clubs. Czarni Lwów is often seen as the first Polish professional football team. The sport quickly spread to other cities like Rzeszów, Katowice, and Poznań.

In 1906, a team from Kraków played against British and American members of the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show. The Kraków team won 1–0, scoring the first goal by a Polish team in an international game. This success led to more football teams forming in Kraków, including KS Cracovia and Wisła Kraków. In 1911, a Polish Football Union was formed in Galicia, which helped create even more teams.

During World War I, many Polish football players joined the Polish Legions. As they fought across Poland, they helped spread the popularity of football to new areas. Poland became an independent country again in 1918.

Early Years (1919–1939)

The Polish Football Federation (PZPN) was officially established in Warsaw in 1919. Two years later, they hired Jesza Poszony as the first coach of the national team.

Poland played its first official international match on December 18, 1921, against Hungary in Budapest. They lost 1–0. Their first win came on May 28, 1922, when they beat Sweden 2–1 in Stockholm. Józef Klotz scored Poland's first-ever goal in that game.

Poland qualified for their first FIFA World Cup in 1937. They beat Yugoslavia to earn their spot in the 1938 World Cup in France. In their World Cup debut, Poland played a thrilling game against Brazil. They lost 6–5 in extra time. Ernest Wilimowski scored four of Poland's five goals in that match.

Poland played their last international game before World War II against Hungary, winning 4–2.

During World War II (1939–1945)

When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, all Polish sports groups, including the PZPN, were shut down. Playing football was forbidden for Poles. Sadly, nine former national players lost their lives during this time.

After the War (1946–1974)

After World War II, Poland played its first friendly match on June 11, 1946. They lost 3–1 to Norway. One of their early successes was beating Czechoslovakia 3–1.

On April 26, 1948, Poland suffered its biggest defeat ever, losing 8–0 to Denmark. However, 15 years later, on September 4, 1963, they achieved their second-largest victory, beating Norway 9–0. This game was special because Włodzimierz Lubański made his debut and scored a goal. Lubański went on to become Poland's all-time top scorer with 48 goals. This 9–0 win was Poland's biggest until April 1, 2009, when they beat San Marino 10–0.

The Golden Era (1974–1986)

The 1970s and early 1980s are known as Poland's "golden era" in football.

For the 1974 World Cup, Poland qualified by beating England. In their first match of the tournament, Poland beat Argentina 3–2. Grzegorz Lato and Andrzej Szarmach scored early goals. Poland then crushed Haiti 7–0, with Szarmach scoring three goals and Lato two. They also beat Italy 2–1 to win their group.

In the second round, Poland continued their winning streak. They beat Sweden 1–0 and Yugoslavia 2–1. However, they lost 1–0 to host nation West Germany in a rainy semi-final. Poland then won the third-place match by beating Brazil 1–0.

In 1978 World Cup qualifying, Poland stopped Portugal from reaching the World Cup. In the tournament, Poland beat Tunisia 1–0 and Mexico 3–1 in the first round. In the second round, they lost 2–0 to Argentina and 3–1 to Brazil. They did manage to beat Peru 1–0.

At the 1982 FIFA World Cup, Poland started with two 0–0 draws against Italy and Cameroon. But they bounced back with a huge 5–1 win over Peru to win their group. In the next round, Zbigniew Boniek scored three goals to help Poland beat Belgium 3–0. Poland reached the semi-finals but lost 2–0 to Italy. They then won the third-place play-off, beating France 3–2. This game is often seen as the end of Poland's golden era.

Poland qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup by finishing first in their group. At the World Cup, they drew 0–0 with Morocco and beat Portugal 1–0. They lost 3–0 to England but still made it to the knockout stage. In the Round of 16, Poland was eliminated after a 4–0 loss to Brazil.

A Tough Period (1986–2001)

After their golden era, Poland struggled to qualify for major tournaments. They missed three World Cups in a row, from 1990 to 1998. They also failed to qualify for the Euros during this time.

Return to the World Cup (2001–2006)

Poland finally qualified for the 2002 World Cup, their first since 1986. In the qualifying rounds, they had a big 4–0 win over Armenia. At the World Cup in South Korea and Japan, Poland was in a group with hosts South Korea, the United States, and Portugal. They lost their first two games, 2–0 to South Korea and 4–0 to Portugal, which meant they were out of the tournament early. They won their final group game 3–1 against the United States but finished last in their group.

Poland also qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. They won eight of their ten qualifying matches, including a huge 8–0 victory over Azerbaijan. Despite high hopes, Poland's performance at the World Cup was disappointing. They lost 2–0 to Ecuador and 1–0 to host nation Germany. These losses meant they couldn't advance past the group stage. They won their last game 2–1 against Costa Rica.

First Euro Appearance (2008)

Poland qualified for their first-ever Euro tournament in 2008. They finished first in their qualifying group, beating teams like Portugal and Belgium. Ebi Smolarek was a key player, scoring 9 goals in qualifying.

At Euro 2008, Poland was in a group with Germany, Austria, and Croatia. They lost 2–0 to Germany in their first match. They then drew 1–1 with Austria, with Roger Guerreiro scoring Poland's goal. Poland lost their final group game 1–0 to Croatia and finished last in the group.

World Cup Qualifying (2010)

For the 2010 World Cup qualifying, Poland was in a group with Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, and San Marino. They finished fifth in the group and did not qualify. A highlight was their record-breaking 10–0 win against San Marino.

Co-hosting Euro (2012)

On April 18, 2007, Poland and Ukraine were chosen to host UEFA Euro 2012. This was the third time two countries co-hosted the tournament.

Poland was in Group A with Greece, Russia, and the Czech Republic. The opening match between Poland and Greece ended in a 1–1 draw, with Robert Lewandowski scoring for Poland. Their next game against Russia also ended 1–1, with Błaszczykowski scoring. Poland lost their final group game 1–0 to the Czech Republic. They finished last in their group with two points and were eliminated.

Recent Tournaments (2014–Present)

Poland did not qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. They finished fourth in their qualifying group.

However, Poland had a strong performance in Euro 2016 qualifying. They famously beat 2014 World Cup champions Germany 2–0. They secured automatic qualification for the Euros by beating the Republic of Ireland.

1 Jakub Błaszczykowski
Jakub Błaszczykowski playing for Poland during the Euro 2016 quarter-final match with Portugal, on 30 June 2016.
Robert Lewandowski 2018
Robert Lewandowski became Poland's all-time top goalscorer.

At UEFA Euro 2016, Poland was in a group with Germany, Northern Ireland, and Ukraine. They won their first match 1–0 against Northern Ireland. They drew 0–0 with Germany and then beat Ukraine 1–0. Poland reached the Round of 16, where they beat Switzerland in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw. In the quarter-finals, they faced Portugal. The game ended 1–1, but Poland lost in a penalty shootout.

Poland qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Robert Lewandowski was amazing in qualifying, scoring 16 goals and breaking the European qualifying record. At the World Cup, Poland was in a group with Senegal, Colombia, and Japan. Despite being seen as favorites, Poland had a tough tournament. They lost 2–1 to Senegal and 3–0 to Colombia, which meant they were out. They won their final group game 1–0 against Japan.

Poland played in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League and was almost relegated to a lower division, but rule changes allowed them to stay in the top league. They qualified for UEFA Euro 2020 (played in 2021 due to COVID-19). They started well in qualifying, beating Austria and Latvia. They secured their spot in the Euros for the fourth time in a row. At Euro 2020, Poland lost to Slovakia and Sweden, and drew with Spain, which led to their elimination.

Poland qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They were supposed to play Russia in a play-off, but Russia was suspended from international games. So, Poland automatically moved to the play-off final, where they beat Sweden to qualify.

At the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Poland was in a group with Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico. They drew 0–0 with Mexico and then beat Saudi Arabia 2–0. Even though they lost 2–0 to Argentina, Poland made it to the knockout stage for the first time since 1986! In their game against Argentina, goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny saved a penalty from Lionel Messi. Szczęsny became only the third goalkeeper to stop two penalties in one World Cup. In the Round of 16, Poland lost 3–1 to France.

After the World Cup, Michał Probierz became the new coach. Poland qualified for UEFA Euro 2024 through the play-offs, beating Estonia and then Wales in a penalty shootout. At Euro 2024, Poland finished last in their group after losing to the Netherlands and Austria, and drawing with France.

Team Image

Team Names and Nicknames

The official code for Poland in football is POL. This is used in FIFA, UEFA, and other matches. In Polish, the team is called "Reprezentacja Polski w piłce nożnej." Their most common nicknames are "Biało-czerwoni" (The White-Reds) and "Orły" (The Eagles). In English, they are also known as "The White Eagles," inspired by Poland's national symbol.

Supporters

Mecz Polska - Armenia 01 ssj 20070328
Polish football fans

The Polish team has many fans in Poland and among Polish people living all over the world. A popular chant among fans is "Polska, biało-czerwoni" (Poland, the White-Reds).

National Kits

Szalik pl
Poland scarf

Poland's football kits (uniforms) use the colors of the national flag: white and red. The home kit is a white shirt, red shorts, and white socks. The away kit is usually all red. If both of these clash with the opponent's colors, a third kit is used, often in black or navy blue.

The kits traditionally feature the coat of arms of Poland, which is a crowned white eagle. For a long time, the kits only had "POLSKA" written above the eagle. Since 2012, the kits also include the logo of the PZPN. Since 2009, Nike has been the company that makes Poland's kits.

Kit supplier Period
Poland Polsport until 1974
West Germany Adidas 1974–1992
United Kingdom Admiral 1992–1993
Germany Adidas 1993
Italy Lotto 1993–1994
Germany Puma 1994–1996
United States Nike 1996–1999
Germany Adidas 1999
Germany Puma 1999–2000
Poland Tico 2000
Germany Puma 2001–2008
United States Nike 2009–present

Stadiums

Main Stadiums

The Silesian Stadium in Chorzów was built in 1956 and can hold over 47,000 fans. It was renovated and reopened in 2017. In 1993, it became the official home stadium for the Poland national team. The National Stadium in Warsaw was finished in 2011 and can hold over 58,000 people. It is now the main stadium for most Euro and World Cup qualifying matches.

  • Warsaw National Stadium before Germany - Italy (6)

    National Stadium

  • Widok bramka

    Silesian Stadium

Other Stadiums

Poland has also played games at other stadiums, including:

  • Gdańsk, Stadion PGE Arena - fotopolska.eu (326975)

    Gdańsk Stadium

  • Wrocław, Stadion Miejski - fotopolska.eu (265184)

    Wrocław Stadium

  • Stadion Lecha Poznan. 2010-11-03 (2)

    Poznań Stadium

  • Stadion przed meczem z APOELEM

    Henryk Reyman Stadium

  • Warsaw Polish Army Stadium 6

    Polish Army Stadium

Recent Results and Upcoming Games

Main article: Poland national football team results (2020–present)

Here are Poland's recent match results from the last year and any games planned for the future.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

Team Staff and Coaches

This section lists the people who work with the national team, like coaches and medical staff.

Position Name
Head coach Poland Michał Probierz
Assistant coaches Poland Michał Bartosz
Poland Robert Góralczyk
Poland Sebastian Mila
Goalkeeping coach Poland Andrzej Dawidziuk
Fitness coaches Poland Radosław Gwiazda
Poland Mateusz Oszust
Match analyst Poland Hubert Małowiejski
Video analyst Poland Jakub Rejmoniak
Doctor Poland Jacek Jaroszewski
Physiotherapists Poland Paweł Bamber
Poland Marcin Bator
Poland Wojciech Herman
Poland Adam Kurek
Team manager Poland Jakub Kwiatkowski
Communications manager Poland Tomasz Kozłowski
Logistics manager Poland Łukasz Gawrjołek
Technical director Poland Paweł Kosedowski
Assistant technical director Poland Paweł Sidorowicz

Coaching History

Here are the head coaches who have led the Polish national team over the years.

Caretaker managers are shown in italics.
  • Poland Michał Matyas (1966–1967)
  • Poland Ryszard Koncewicz (1968–1970)
  • Poland Kazimierz Górski (1971–1976)
  • Poland Jacek Gmoch (1976–1978)
  • Poland Ryszard Kulesza (1978–1980)
  • Poland Antoni Piechniczek (1981–1986, 1996–1997)
  • Poland Wojciech Łazarek (1986–1989)
  • Poland Andrzej Strejlau (1989–1993)
  • Poland Lesław Ćmikiewicz (1993)
  • Poland Henryk Apostel (1994–1995)
  • Poland Władysław Stachurski (1996)
  • Poland Krzysztof Pawlak (1997)
  • Poland Janusz Wójcik (1997–1999)
  • Poland Jerzy Engel (2000–2002)
  • Poland Zbigniew Boniek (2002)
  • Poland Paweł Janas (2003–2006)
  • Netherlands Leo Beenhakker (2006–2009)
  • Poland Stefan Majewski (2009)
  • Poland Franciszek Smuda (2009–2012)
  • Poland Waldemar Fornalik (2012–2013)
  • Poland Adam Nawałka (2013–2018)
  • Poland Jerzy Brzęczek (2018–2021)
  • Portugal Paulo Sousa (2021)
  • Poland Czesław Michniewicz (2022)
  • Portugal Fernando Santos (2023)
  • Poland Michał Probierz (2023–present)

Players

Current Team Squad

These players were chosen for the UEFA Nations League games in November 2024.

The numbers for games played (caps) and goals scored are correct as of November 18, 2024, after the match against Scotland.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Łukasz Skorupski (1991-05-05) 5 May 1991 (age 34) 14 0 Italy Bologna
12 1GK Marcin Bułka (1999-10-04) 4 October 1999 (age 25) 4 0 France Nice
22 1GK Bartłomiej Drągowski (1997-08-19) 19 August 1997 (age 27) 2 0 Greece Panathinaikos
1GK Bartosz Mrozek (2000-02-23) 23 February 2000 (age 25) 0 0 Poland Lech Poznań
2 2DF Kamil Piątkowski (2000-06-21) 21 June 2000 (age 25) 6 1 Austria Red Bull Salzburg
3 2DF Mateusz Wieteska (1997-02-11) 11 February 1997 (age 28) 4 0 Italy Cagliari
4 2DF Sebastian Walukiewicz (2000-04-05) 5 April 2000 (age 25) 9 1 Italy Torino
5 2DF Michał Gurgul (2006-01-30) 30 January 2006 (age 19) 0 0 Poland Lech Poznań
14 2DF Jakub Kiwior (2000-02-15) 15 February 2000 (age 25) 31 1 England Arsenal
15 2DF Tymoteusz Puchacz (1999-01-23) 23 January 1999 (age 26) 15 0 Germany Holstein Kiel
6 3MF Bartosz Slisz (1999-03-29) 29 March 1999 (age 26) 14 0 United States Atlanta United
7 3MF Kacper Urbański (2004-09-07) 7 September 2004 (age 20) 11 0 Italy Bologna
8 3MF Jakub Moder (1999-04-07) 7 April 1999 (age 26) 31 2 England Brighton & Hove Albion
9 3MF Mateusz Bogusz (2001-08-22) 22 August 2001 (age 23) 2 0 United States Los Angeles FC
10 3MF Piotr Zieliński (vice-captain) (1994-05-20) 20 May 1994 (age 31) 99 14 Italy Inter Milan
13 3MF Jakub Kamiński (2002-06-05) 5 June 2002 (age 23) 18 1 Germany VfL Wolfsburg
17 3MF Antoni Kozubal (2004-08-18) 18 August 2004 (age 20) 1 0 Poland Lech Poznań
18 3MF Bartosz Kapustka (1996-12-23) 23 December 1996 (age 28) 15 3 Poland Legia Warsaw
19 3MF Dominik Marczuk (2003-11-01) 1 November 2003 (age 21) 1 1 United States Real Salt Lake
21 3MF Nicola Zalewski (2002-01-23) 23 January 2002 (age 23) 27 3 Italy Roma
20 3MF Sebastian Szymański (1999-05-10) 10 May 1999 (age 26) 41 5 Turkey Fenerbahçe
11 4FW Karol Świderski (1997-01-23) 23 January 1997 (age 28) 38 11 United States Charlotte FC
16 4FW Adam Buksa (1996-07-12) 12 July 1996 (age 28) 20 7 Denmark Midtjylland
23 4FW Krzysztof Piątek (1995-07-01) 1 July 1995 (age 29) 33 12 Turkey İstanbul Başakşehir

Recent Players Called Up

These players have been called up for the national team in the last year.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Kacper Trelowski (2003-08-19) 19 August 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Poland Raków Częstochowa v.  Croatia, 15 October 2024
GK Wojciech Szczęsny RET (1990-04-18) 18 April 1990 (age 35) 84 0 Spain Barcelona UEFA Euro 2024
GK Mateusz Kochalski (2000-07-25) 25 July 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Azerbaijan Qarabağ UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
GK Oliwier Zych (2004-06-28) 28 June 2004 (age 20) 0 0 England Aston Villa UEFA Euro 2024 PRE INJ
DF Jan Bednarek (1996-04-12) 12 April 1996 (age 29) 65 1 England Southampton v.  Scotland, 18 November 2024 INJ
DF Bartosz Bereszyński (1992-07-12) 12 July 1992 (age 32) 57 0 Italy Sampdoria v.  Scotland, 18 November 2024 INJ
DF Paweł Dawidowicz (1995-05-20) 20 May 1995 (age 30) 17 0 Italy Hellas Verona v.  Croatia, 15 October 2024
DF Mateusz Skrzypczak (2000-08-22) 22 August 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Poland Jagiellonia Białystok v.  Portugal, 12 October 2024 INJ
DF Bartosz Salamon (1991-05-01) 1 May 1991 (age 34) 15 0 Poland Lech Poznań UEFA Euro 2024
DF Paweł Bochniewicz (1996-01-30) 30 January 1996 (age 29) 3 0 Netherlands Heerenveen UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
DF Matty Cash (1997-08-07) 7 August 1997 (age 27) 15 1 England Aston Villa v.  Estonia, 21 March 2024 INJ
MF Taras Romanczuk (1991-11-14) 14 November 1991 (age 33) 5 1 Poland Jagiellonia Białystok v.  Scotland, 18 November 2024 INJ
MF Przemysław Frankowski (1995-04-12) 12 April 1995 (age 30) 47 3 France Lens v.  Portugal, 15 November 2024 INJ
MF Kacper Kozłowski (2003-10-16) 16 October 2003 (age 21) 6 0 Turkey Gaziantep v.  Portugal, 15 November 2024 INJ
MF Michael Ameyaw (2000-09-16) 16 September 2000 (age 24) 2 0 Poland Raków Częstochowa v.  Portugal, 15 November 2024 INJ
MF Maxi Oyedele (2004-11-07) 7 November 2004 (age 20) 2 0 Poland Legia Warsaw v.  Croatia, 15 October 2024
MF Jakub Piotrowski (1997-10-04) 4 October 1997 (age 27) 10 2 Bulgaria Ludogorets Razgrad v.  Croatia, 15 October 2024 INJ
MF Mateusz Kowalczyk (2004-04-16) 16 April 2004 (age 21) 0 0 Poland GKS Katowice v.  Croatia, 8 September 2024
MF Damian Szymański (1995-06-16) 16 June 1995 (age 30) 18 2 Greece AEK Athens UEFA Euro 2024
MF Michał Skóraś (2000-02-15) 15 February 2000 (age 25) 9 0 Belgium Club Brugge UEFA Euro 2024
MF Kamil Grosicki RET (1988-06-08) 8 June 1988 (age 37) 94 17 Poland Pogoń Szczecin UEFA Euro 2024
MF Jakub Kałuziński (2002-10-31) 31 October 2002 (age 22) 1 0 Turkey Antalyaspor UEFA Euro 2024 PRE
MF Paweł Wszołek (1992-04-30) 30 April 1992 (age 33) 14 2 Poland Legia Warsaw v.  Wales, 26 March 2024
FW Robert Lewandowski (captain) (1998-08-21) 21 August 1998 (age 26) 156 84 Spain Barcelona v.  Portugal, 15 November 2024 INJ
FW Arkadiusz Milik (1994-02-28) 28 February 1994 (age 31) 73 17 Italy Juventus UEFA Euro 2024 PRE INJ

INJ Player left the team due to an injury.
PRE Player was in the first list of players, but not the final one.
RET Player has stopped playing for the national team.
U21 Player joined the Poland national under-21 football team.

Player Records

Here are some records for players who have played for Poland. Players in bold are still active with the team.

Most Games Played (Caps)

JAP-POL (6) (cropped)
Robert Lewandowski is Poland's top goalscorer and their most capped player.
Rank Player Caps Goals Years Played
1 Robert Lewandowski 156 84 2008–present
2 Jakub Błaszczykowski 109 21 2006–2023
3 Kamil Glik 103 6 2010–2022
4 Michał Żewłakow 102 3 1999–2011
5 Grzegorz Krychowiak 100 5 2008–2023
Grzegorz Lato 100 45 1971–1984
7 Piotr Zieliński 99 14 2013–present
8 Kazimierz Deyna 97 41 1968–1978
9 Jacek Bąk 96 3 1993–2008
Jacek Krzynówek 96 15 1998–2009

Top Goalscorers

Rank Player Goals Caps Goals per Game Years Played
1 Robert Lewandowski (list) 84 156 0.54 2008–present
2 Włodzimierz Lubański 48 75 0.64 1963–1980
3 Grzegorz Lato 45 100 0.45 1971–1984
4 Kazimierz Deyna 41 97 0.42 1968–1978
5 Ernest Pol 39 46 0.85 1955–1965
6 Andrzej Szarmach 32 61 0.52 1973–1982
7 Gerard Cieślik 27 45 0.6 1947–1958
8 Zbigniew Boniek 24 80 0.3 1976–1988
9 Ernest Wilimowski 21 22 0.95 1934–1939
Jakub Błaszczykowski 21 109 0.19 2006–2023

Most Clean Sheets (Goalkeepers)

Rank Player Clean Sheets Caps Clean Sheet Ratio Years Played
1 Wojciech Szczęsny 34 84 0.4 2009–2024
2 Łukasz Fabiański 27 57 0.47 2006–2021
3 Józef Wandzik 25 52 0.48 1985–1995
4 Artur Boruc 24 65 0.37 2004–2017
5 Jerzy Dudek 23 60 0.38 1998–2013
Jan Tomaszewski 23 63 0.37 1971–1981
7 Adam Matysek 20 34 0.59 1991–2002
8 Hubert Kostka 13 32 0.41 1962–1972
Jarosław Bako 13 35 0.37 1988–1993
Józef Młynarczyk 13 42 0.31 1979–1986

Most Games as Captain

Rank Player Captain Games Total Games Years Played
1 Robert Lewandowski 91 156 2008–present
2 Kazimierz Deyna 57 97 1968–1978
3 Jakub Błaszczykowski 32 109 2006–2023
4 Jacek Bąk 29 96 1993–2008
5 Tomasz Wałdoch 27 74 1991–2002
6 Michał Żewłakow 25 102 1999–2011
7 Henryk Szczepański 24 45 1957–1965
8 Gerard Cieślik 22 45 1947–1958
9 Waldemar Prusik 21 49 1983–1991
Stanisław Oślizło 21 57 1961–1971
Władysław Żmuda 21 91 1973–1986

Tournament Records

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place     Tournament played fully or partially on home soil  

FIFA World Cup History

FIFA World Cup Record Qualification Record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Did not enter Did not enter
Italy 1934 Did not qualify 1 0 0 1 1 2
France 1938 Round of 16 11th 1 0 0 1 5 6 Squad 2 1 0 1 4 1
Brazil 1950 Did not enter Did not enter
Switzerland 1954 Withdrew Withdrew
Sweden 1958 Did not qualify 5 3 0 2 9 7
Chile 1962 2 0 1 1 2 3
England 1966 6 2 2 2 11 10
Mexico 1970 6 4 0 2 19 8
West Germany 1974 Third place 3rd 7 6 0 1 16 5 Squad 4 2 1 1 6 3
Argentina 1978 Second group stage 5th 6 3 1 2 6 6 Squad 6 5 1 0 17 4
Spain 1982 Third place 3rd 7 3 3 1 11 5 Squad 4 4 0 0 12 2
Mexico 1986 Round of 16 14th 4 1 1 2 1 7 Squad 6 3 2 1 10 6
Italy 1990 Did not qualify 6 2 1 3 4 8
United States 1994 10 3 2 5 10 15
France 1998 8 3 1 4 10 12
South Korea Japan 2002 Group stage 25th 3 1 0 2 3 7 Squad 10 6 3 1 21 11
Germany 2006 21st 3 1 0 2 2 4 Squad 10 8 0 2 27 9
South Africa 2010 Did not qualify 10 3 2 5 19 14
Brazil 2014 10 3 4 3 18 12
Russia 2018 Group stage 25th 3 1 0 2 2 5 Squad 10 8 1 1 28 14
Qatar 2022 Round of 16 15th 4 1 1 2 3 5 Squad 11 7 2 2 32 11
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined To be determined
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total Third place 9/22 38 17 6 15 49 50 – 127 67 23 37 260 152

World Cup Match History

Olympic Games History

Year Round Pld W D L GF GA Squad
Greece 1896 No football tournament
France 1900 Did not enter
United States 1904
United Kingdom 1908
Sweden 1912
Belgium 1920
France 1924 Round 1 1 0 0 1 0 5 Squad
Netherlands 1928 Did not qualify
United States 1932 No football tournament
Nazi Germany 1936 Fourth place 4 2 0 2 11 10 Squad
United Kingdom 1948 Did not qualify
Finland 1952 Round 1 2 1 0 1 2 3 Squad
Australia 1956 Did not qualify
Italy 1960 Group stage 3 1 0 2 7 5 Squad
Japan 1964 Did not qualify
Mexico 1968
West Germany 1972 Gold medalists 7 6 1 0 21 5 Squad
Canada 1976 Silver medalists 5 3 1 1 11 5 Squad
Soviet Union 1980 Did not qualify
United States 1984
South Korea 1988
Since 1992 See Poland Olympic football team
Total 6/22 22 13 2 7 52 33 –

Olympic Games Match History

UEFA European Championship History

UEFA European Championship Record Qualifying Record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
France 1960 Did not qualify 2 0 0 2 2 7
Spain 1964 2 0 0 2 0 4
Italy 1968 6 3 1 2 13 9
Belgium 1972 6 2 2 2 10 6
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1976 6 3 2 1 9 5
Italy 1980 8 5 2 1 13 4
France 1984 6 1 2 3 6 9
West Germany 1988 8 3 2 3 9 11
Sweden 1992 6 2 3 1 8 6
England 1996 10 3 4 3 14 12
Belgium Netherlands 2000 8 4 1 3 12 8
Portugal 2004 8 4 1 3 11 7
Austria Switzerland 2008 Group stage 14th 3 0 1 2 1 4 Squad 14 8 4 2 24 12
Poland Ukraine 2012 14th 3 0 2 1 2 3 Squad Qualified as co-hosts
France 2016 Quarter-finals 5th 5 2 3 0 4 2 Squad 10 6 3 1 33 10
Europe 2020 Group stage 21st 3 0 1 2 4 6 Squad 10 8 1 1 18 5
Germany 2024 23rd 3 0 1 2 3 6 Squad 10 4 3 3 15 11
United Kingdom Republic of Ireland 2028 To be determined To be determined
Italy Turkey 2032
Total Quarter-finals 5/17 17 2 8 7 14 21 – 120 56 31 33 197 126

Euro Match History

UEFA Nations League History

UEFA Nations League Record UEFA Nations League Finals Record
Season Division Group Pld W D L GF GA P/R Rank Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad
2018–19 A 3 4 0 2 2 4 6 Same position 10th Portugal 2019 Did not qualify
2020–21 A 1 6 2 1 3 6 6 Same position 10th Italy 2021
2022–23 A 4 6 2 1 3 6 12 Same position 11th Netherlands 2023
2024–25 A 1 6 1 1 4 9 16 Decrease 13th 2025
2026–27 B To be determined 2027 Did not enter
Total 22 5 5 12 25 40 10th Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 —
Poland's UEFA Nations League Highlights
First match  Italy 1–1 Poland 
(Bologna, Italy; 7 September 2018)
Biggest win  Poland 3–0 Bosnia and Herzegovina 
(Wrocław, Poland; 14 October 2020)
Biggest defeat  Belgium 6–1 Poland 
(Brussels, Belgium; 8 June 2022)
Best result 10th place in 2018–19 and 2020–21
Worst result 13th place in 2024–25

Nations League Match History

FIFA Ranking History

Key
Highest FIFA ranking's position
Lowest FIFA ranking's position
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
28 29 33 53 48 31 32 43 33 34 25 25 22 24 22 34 58 73 66 55 76 41 34 15 5 20 19 19 21

Head-to-Head Records

This table shows Poland's results against other national teams. Statistics are updated as of November 18, 2024.

Key
Positive balance (more Wins)
Neutral balance (Wins = Losses)
Negative balance (more Losses)
Opponent Games Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Confederation Win %
 Albania 15 10 3 2 20 10 +10 UEFA 67%
 Algeria 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 CAF 100%
 Andorra 3 3 0 0 11 1 +10 UEFA 100%
 Argentina 12 3 2 7 12 20 −8 CONMEBOL 25%
 Armenia 7 5 1 1 15 4 +11 UEFA 71%
 Australia 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 AFC 0%
 Austria 11 5 2 4 20 20 0 UEFA 45%
 Azerbaijan 6 5 1 0 20 1 +19 UEFA 83%
 Belarus 6 2 2 2 9 10 −1 UEFA 33%
 Belgium 21 7 6 8 27 27 0 UEFA 33%
 Bolivia 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2 CONMEBOL 100%
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 4 1 0 9 3 +3 UEFA 80%
 Brazil 12 1 2 9 19 37 −18 CONMEBOL 8%
 Bulgaria 25 12 9 4 47 30 +17 UEFA 48%
 Cameroon 3 0 2 1 0 3 −3 CAF 0%
 Canada 6 6 0 0 20 4 +16 CONCACAF 100%
 Chile 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 CONMEBOL 50%
 China 2 2 0 0 2 0 +2 AFC 100%
 Colombia 6 2 0 4 8 10 −2 CONMEBOL 33%
 Costa Rica 3 3 0 0 8 3 +5 CONCACAF 100%
 Croatia 7 1 2 4 6 11 −5 UEFA 14.28%
 Cuba 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 CONCACAF 0%
 Cyprus 7 4 3 0 14 5 +9 UEFA 57%
 Czech Republic/ Czechoslovakia 29 8 6 15 39 56 −17 UEFA 28%
 Denmark 23 8 2 13 38 49 −11 UEFA 35%
 Ecuador 3 1 1 1 5 4 +1 CONMEBOL 33%
 Egypt 2 0 1 1 0 4 −4 CAF 0%
 England 21 1 8 12 13 33 −20 UEFA 5%
 Estonia 10 8 1 1 23 5 +18 UEFA 80%
 Faroe Islands 5 5 0 0 16 1 +15 UEFA 100%
 Finland 32 21 8 3 81 29 +52 UEFA 66%
 France 18 3 6 9 20 31 −11 UEFA 17%
 Georgia 5 4 0 1 13 4 +9 UEFA 80%
 East Germany 19 9 4 6 26 27 −1 UEFA 47%
 Germany/ West Germany 22 2 7 13 12 34 −22 UEFA 9%
 Ghana 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 CAF 100%
 Gibraltar 2 2 0 0 15 1 +14 UEFA 100%
 Greece 17 10 4 3 30 12 +18 UEFA 59%
 Guatemala 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1 CONCACAF 50%
 Haiti 3 2 0 1 11 3 +8 CONCACAF 66%
 Hungary 34 8 5 21 43 92 −49 UEFA 24%
 Iceland 7 5 2 0 15 7 +8 UEFA 71%
 India 1 1 0 0 2 1 +1 AFC 100%
 Iran 3 3 0 0 6 2 +4 AFC 100%
 Iraq 5 2 2 1 7 3 +4 AFC 40%
 Republic of Ireland 28 11 11 6 44 30 +14 UEFA 39%
 Israel 13 7 4 2 32 15 +17 UEFA 54%
 Italy 18 3 8 7 10 23 −13 UEFA 17%
 Ivory Coast 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 CAF 100%
 Japan 7 5 0 2 14 10 +4 AFC 71%
 Kazakhstan 5 4 1 0 12 3 +9 UEFA 80%
 North Korea 2 1 1 0 7 2 +5 AFC 50%
 South Korea 3 1 1 1 5 6 −1 AFC 33%
 Kuwait 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 AFC 50%
 Latvia 16 12 2 2 42 15 +27 UEFA 75%
 Libya 1 1 0 0 5 0 +5 CAF 100%
 Liechtenstein 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 UEFA 100%
 Lithuania 11 5 4 2 17 8 +9 UEFA 45%
 Luxembourg 7 6 1 0 26 5 +21 UEFA 86%
 Macedonia 5 4 1 0 11 2 +9 UEFA 80%
 Malta 4 4 0 0 13 0 +13 UEFA 100%
 Mexico 9 3 3 3 9 13 −4 CONCACAF 33%
 Moldova 8 5 2 1 13 6 +7 UEFA 63%
 Montenegro 4 2 2 0 9 6 +3 UEFA 50%
 Morocco 5 2 2 1 9 3 +6 CAF 40%
 Netherlands 20 3 7 10 20 30 −10 UEFA 15%
 New Zealand 2 1 1 0 2 0 +2 OFC 50%
 Nigeria 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 CAF 0%
 Northern Ireland 10 4 2 4 14 13 +1 UEFA 40%
 Norway 19 12 3 4 58 26 +32 UEFA 63%
 Paraguay 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4 CONMEBOL 0%
 Peru 3 3 0 0 9 2 +7 CONMEBOL 100%
 Portugal 15 3 5 7 15 26 −11 UEFA 20.00%
 Romania 36 7 15 14 53 55 -2 UEFA 19%
 Russia/ Soviet Union 19 4 6 9 18 34 −16 UEFA 21%
 San Marino 10 10 0 0 45 2 +43 UEFA 100%
 Saudi Arabia 4 4 0 0 7 2 +5 AFC 100%
 Scotland 13 4 6 3 19 18 +1 UEFA 30.76%
 Senegal 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 CAF 0%
 Serbia/ Yugoslavia 26 10 7 9 51 54 −3 UEFA 38%
 Singapore 1 1 0 0 6 1 +5 AFC 100%
 Slovakia 9 3 1 5 14 14 0 UEFA 33%
 Slovenia 8 3 3 2 9 9 0 UEFA 38%
 South Africa 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 CAF 50%
 Spain 11 1 2 8 9 28 −19 UEFA 9%
 Sweden 28 9 4 15 41 59 −18 UEFA 32%
 Switzerland 11 4 6 1 21 12 +9 UEFA 36%
 Thailand 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 AFC 100%
 Tunisia 4 3 0 1 9 2 +7 CAF 75%
 Turkey 18 12 3 3 41 13 +28 UEFA 67%
 Ukraine 10 5 2 3 14 10 +4 UEFA 50%
 United Arab Emirates 2 2 0 0 9 2 +7 AFC 100%
 Uruguay 4 1 2 1 4 5 −1 CONMEBOL 25%
 United States 17 7 3 7 36 22 +14 CONCACAF 41%
 Wales 11 7 3 1 13 6 +7 UEFA 64%
Total 895 389 219 287 1,524 1,203 +320 FIFA 43.46%

Team Achievements

Major Competitions

Friendly Tournaments

  • King's Cup
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 2010
  • Nehru Cup
    • 1 Champions (1): 1984
    • 2 Runners-up (1): 1988
  • Cyprus International Football Tournament
    • 1 Champions (1): 1997
  • Valeriy Lobanovskyi Memorial Tournament
    • 1 Champions (1): 2005

Summary of Medals

Competition 1 2 3 Total
FIFA World Cup 0 0 2 2
Olympic Games 1 1 0 2
UEFA European Championship 0 0 0 0
Total 1 1 2 4

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Polonia para niños

kids search engine
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