Lewandowski leads Poland squad for Euro 2016

Warsaw (AFP) – Poland coach Adam Nawalka on Monday unveiled his 23-man squad for Euro 2016 led by Robert Lewandowski, the top scorer with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. 

Nawalka rewarded players who proved themselves during qualifying where Poland scored 33 goals, finishing just behind Germany, who they beat for the first time 2-0 in Warsaw.

“The challenge is great but we’re ready to take it up,” said Nawalka, who dropped four players from his provisional list from earlier this month.

They include VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton, Benfica defender Pawel Dawidowicz, Terek Grozny midfielder Maciej Rybus, who is suffering a shoulder injury, and Hanover striker Artur Sobiech.

Poland compete in their third straight European Championship in France from June 10 to July 10 where they are drawn in Group C alongside Germany, Ukraine and Northern Ireland. 

Squad

Goalkeepers: Artur Boruc (Bournemouth/ENG), Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City/WAL), Wojciech Szczesny (AS Roma/ITA), 

Defenders: Thiago Cionek (Palermo/ITA), Kamil Glik (Torino/ITA), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Legia Warsaw/POL), Michal Pazdan (Legia Warsaw/POL), Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Bartosz Salamon (Cagliari/ITA), Jakub Wawrzyniak (Lechia Gdansk/POL)

Midfielders: Jakub Blaszczykowski (Fiorentina/ITA), Kamil Grosicki (Rennes/FRA), Tomasz Jodlowiec (Legia Warsaw/POL), Bartosz Kapustka (Cracovia/POL), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Sevilla/ESP), Karol Linetty (Lech Poznan/POL), Krzysztof Maczynski (Wisla Krakow/POL), Slawomir Peszko (Lechia Gdansk/POL), Filip Starzynski (Zaglebie Lubin/POL), Piotr Zielinski (Empoli/ITA)

Strikers: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/GER), Arkadiusz Milik (Ajax/NED), Mariusz Stepinski (Ruch Chorzow/POL)