Poland’s national football team coach, Michal Probierz, announced his resignation Thursday, just days after a public fallout with star striker Robert Lewandowski.
“In light of recent developments, I’ve concluded that stepping down is the best decision for the good of the national team,” Probierz said in a statement released by the Polish Football Association.
The move came after Probierz stripped Lewandowski of the captaincy ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier against Finland earlier this week, handing the armband to Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski.
Lewandowski responded by saying he would no longer play for the national team as long as Probierz remained head coach. Poland went on to suffer an embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Finland, putting its qualification hopes in jeopardy.
The 36-year-old Lewandowski, who has played a record 158 games for his country and is the leading scorer with 85 goals, is widely regarded as the most outstanding player in the history of Polish football.
He pulled out of last Friday’s friendly against Moldova, citing fatigue from a La Liga title-winning season with Barcelona.
Probierz, who took over in September 2023 following the disappointing tenure of Fernando Santos, managed to secure qualification for the 2024 European Championship but has since struggled to maintain form.
Polish Football Association President Cezary Kulesza summoned Probierz on Wednesday to discuss the situation.
“I give coaches a lot of freedom, but with that comes responsibility. I expect results, first and foremost,” Kulesza said. “These were difficult days for the fans of the national team.”
