Three hopes, one fear: Poland at the 2018 World Cup

Poland comes into this 2018 World Cup ranked the highest over the last two years they’ve ever have been ranked by FIFA. 

Their highest ranking was 5th in July 2017. They’re currently ranked 10th.

Poland has the best players currently that they’ve had since the 1970’s.

The games are in a neighbor’s backyard. 

As a result, could Poland capitalize dramatically in the 2018 World Cup?

HOPE 1: Achieve the best result possible… One game at a time.

Poland’s head coach Adam Nawałka says the national squad wants to “achieve the best result possible … but we do not intend to make any promises because there are no weak players in the World Cup.”

Poland shouldn’t make any promises as Polish teams that were expected to do better in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups were massive disappointments. 

Poland didn’t even come close to qualifying in recent World Cup history. For the 2010 World Cup they finished 5th in a not very difficult group ahead of just San Marino. They followed that up in 2014 World Cup qualifying by just finishing 4th ahead of Moldova and San Marino again.

Further disappointments included Poland finishing last in their European Championship Group in 2008 and last again as the hosts with Ukraine in 2012.

Recent history has been a bit brighter. 

A quarterfinal appearance in the 2016 European Championship where Poland lost to eventual champions Portugal on penalties was hopefully an introduction of things to come.

When coupled with a 8-1-1 2018 World Cup qualifying record, could be safe to expect that this is a different Polish team with a different level of talent. 

Nevertheless, players like Lewandowski (who has been around for some Polish disappointments since his first cap in 2008), Błaszczykowski (Wolfsburg player, first cap in 2006), and Grosicki (Hull City player, first cap in 2008) will stress that they do not get ahead of themselves. 

HOPE 2: Pass your first test.

Poland can’t look ahead and worry about the next opponent. They just have to show and take it one game at a time,

If Poland does then they have more talent than Japan (which is 75% J League players), they have more talent than Senegal (although with Sadio Mane and a bevy of EPL midfielders they could be a surprise group runner-up hopefully over Colombia), and it’s debatable who has more talent between Poland and Colombia, we will see.

Everyone knows Lewandowski (Bayern Munich). But, Poland also has two players at Napoli (Zielinski and Milik), a keeper at Juventus (Szczesny), a defender at Monaco (Glik), and multiple midfielders and defenders in the Serie A and the EPL.

Last time Poland was in the World Cup in 2006 their biggest players were Maciej Zurawski (Celtic), Ebi Smolarek (for a not as good Borussia Dortmund), and then a bit of a drop off after that. 

But the first test is Colombia. Interestingly enough Cuadrado and Szczesny are Juventus teammates. Glik and Falcao are Monaco teammates and will be going right up against each other in game two.

If Poland takes care of business in the other two games, they should go for it against Colombia as winning the group would be a nice confidence boost for Poland compared to World Cups past.

HOPE 3: Youth steps up.

From Poland’s last World Cup warm up versus South Korea.

More of this from 24 year old Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski.

I also could see it being a big World Cup for 23 year old Sampdoria midfielder Karol Linetty. 

Wouldn’t be bad if 24 year old Napoli striker Arkadiusz Milik could start producing half the strike rate of Lewandowski. 

Also, 22 year old Southampton center back Jan Bednarek seems to have great timing to get hot, interested to see what happens there.

Bednarek started 5 out of the last 6 games of the 2017-2018 season for Southampton getting them 2 wins, 2 draws, and a loss (where he scored).

Was enough to keep Southampton from relegation. 

Speaking of center backs I wonder if Matt Miazga will be sitting around this World Cup debating .

Regardless, as long as none of these players go the route of Bartosz Kapustka after this World Cup they should be good.  

The 21 year old Kapustka peaked at the right time before the 2016 Euro Championship, then signed with Leicester City, never played, and has disappeared from the national team.

A few years ago was expecting a big World Cup for him.

Fear: Overthinking

This is the best Polish team in 30 years and a big Polish crowd will follow them everywhere in Russia.

I would expect a hooligan issue on one side or the other with the phrase “big Polish crowd in Russia.” I can see that being a bit of an issue in this World Cup from several teams fans. 

Regardless, play your game, one game at a time, and good things should happen for Poland.

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