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The Polish national soccer team qualified for the Euro 2008 with a game to spare and topped qualifying Group A.
This will be their first appearance in the final stages of the competition after failing to qualify in their previous 12 attempts. Poland were drawn in Group B with co-host Austria, Germany and Croatia, and will kick off their campaign on June 8th against Germany in Klugenfurt, Austria.
The road to Euro 2008:
After a disappointing elimination in the first round at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the helm of the Polish national team was taken over by Dutch coach Leo Beenhaker.
Poland kicked off their campaign with a disappointing defeat to Finland, followed by a draw against Serbia.
However, they rebounded in the remaining games with only one defeat, 1-0 against Armenia, and topped their group in front of Portugal.
Euzebiusz Smolarek scored nine goals for Poland during the qualifying round.
The team:
The formation of the Polish team can vary from 4–4-2, 4-5-1 and 4-3-3 and their team is consisted mostly of players playing their club soccer in various teams across Europe.
The absence of Real Madrid’s Jerzy Dudek, who asked to be excused from the national team duties, didn’t seem to bother Poland during qualifying and he was quickly replaced by Celtic keeper Artur Boruc. Beenhaker also has Tomasz Kuszczak (Manchester United) and Lukasz Fabianski(Arsenal) available for the position.
Fellow veterans Jacek Bak (Austria Vienna) and Michal Zewlakow (Olympiacos) were included in the back line of the final squad. Beenhaker also counts on Mariusz Jop (FC Moscow), and Jakub Wawrzyniak (Legia Warszawa).
Pawel Golanski (steaua Bucharest), Marcin Wasilewski (Anderlecht), Michal Pizdan (Gornik Zabrze), and Adam Kokoszka (Wisla Krakow) will complete Poland's defense.
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski, who developed into a key player on the right wing in qualifying is expected to be fit for the Championship and will be joined by Jacek Krzynowek, Mariusz Lewandowski and Dariusz Dudka in the midfield.
In the attack, Maciej Zurawski looks set to pair up with Racing Santander's Euzebiusz Smolarek.
Coach Profile:
Leo Beenhaker took over the Polish National Team on July 11 2006.
Among the most notable accomplishments in his coaching career are the three consecutive Primera Division titles with Real Madrid, as well as one Spanish Cup during his stay in Madrid from 1986 to 1989.
Team Record:
Poland has finished third on two World Cup events, in Germany in 1974 and Spain in 1982.
Sources: Polish Soccer Association, Euro 2008, UEFA, FIFA
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