The list of great players missing the 2026 World Cup is not as long as it used to be, because 48 teams will compete in this edition. Still, Robert Lewandowski could not avoid joining the group of big names who will not be seen in the tournament.
Like some other players, Lewandowski’s absence is solely related to his country failing to qualify. Poland finished second in their group behind the Netherlands, which sent them to the playoffs.
This new format included 16 teams divided into four groups, with a semifinal and final in each group for a spot in the tournament. In the first match, Poland beat Albania before losing to Sweden on a late goal that eliminated them.
Poland’s World Cup history
Poland has a strong World Cup history, having appeared nine times since the tournament began. While they have not been close to their best in recent years, they were a regular presence in the 20th century, with the exceptions of 2010 and 2014, when they did not participate.
Lewandowski represented Poland greatly playing at Barcelona (Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
Even if the present has not been great for them, that does not mean their history was irrelevant. Poland were a strong team in several editions during a golden period that began in the 1970s.
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The 2026 World Cup Absent XI: Best players missing the tournament
With the expanded version of the competition, it was hard to imagine Poland being eliminated early, but their recent lack of success was driven by the inability to produce more talent in quantity outside of Lewandowski, who may leave a void for the future.
Their best performance
Poland’s history in the tournament includes two bronze medals, which shows how good they used to be. In 1974, they finished second behind West Germany in the final round group of four, where the winner advanced to the final and the runner-up went to the third-place match, which they won against Brazil. In 1982, they lost to Italy in the semifinals before defeating France.
