The World Cup quarter-finals have drawn to a close, and the semi-finals are near at hand. Argentina, Croatia, Morocco, and France have advanced, defeating their opponents in exciting, incredible matches. Of course, just as the fans of these teams are excited, many of the losing teams’ fans are devastated. Brazilian, Portuguese, and English fans are especially down-in-the-dumps, as these teams were all favored to win by the odds on many betting websites.
And speaking of betting, as we enter the semi-finals, the World Cup Finals odds are heating up. More and more punters are coming out of the woodworks. It is only natural, as the semi-finals and finals are watched by a lot more people. Especially the World Cup final, as it is considered one of the most important sports matches in the world.
But, just as many are excited for the final, others are disappointed that their team did not make it this far. For example, Poles from all over the world were devastated when Poland was knocked out as soon as they qualified for the Round of 16. So, let’s take a look at Poland’s performance in 2022, and how they can improve for 2026.
Poland’s Performance in 2022
Poland competed in Group C of the 2022 World Cup. The country was paired with Argentina, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. The first match they played in the World Cup came on 22 November, when the Poles were paired against Mexico. Both teams performed admirably, and the match ended in a draw, with neither of the two scoring a goal.
The Polish team would truly shine during the second match, when they faced off against the Saudi team. Saudi Arabia did not do too well in the match, and suffered their second defeat, which ultimately led to their disqualification. Poland won the game with 2 – 0. Zielinski scored the first goal near the end of the first half, and Lewandowski put the cherry on top at the end of the second.
Finally, their match against Argentina was the most difficult obstacle. And perhaps rather unsurprisingly, the Argentinians mopped the floor with the Polish team. Mirroring the Poles’ victory against Saudi Arabia, Argentina won, with a score of 2 – 0. However, despite the loss, Poland had enough points to advance to the Round of 16. And it is during this round that they got ejected from the tournament.
As luck would have it, the Poles were paired with the French during the knockout stage. Unsurprisingly, France won the match. The defending champions scored 3 goals against the Poles’ 1. Giroud and Mbappe were the standouts here, as they were the players to score the goals (1 and 2 respectively). So, Poland was knocked out of the running, and France advanced in the tournament. The defending champions have advanced to the semi-finals, and have a good chance of actually winning the tournament.
What Can Be Done?
While Poland did advance to the Knockout Stage, many fans are underwhelmed by the team’s performance this time around. Many are wondering, how the Poles can improve their game next time around. And of course, some of the answers are obvious. They need better training, better strategy, and better playmaking. But, what else can the team do?
Well, one thing that the Polish team was criticized about, is that they over-relied on a single player. Robert Lewandowski is one of Poland’s star players, and he has certainly made a name for himself on the international stage. However, most critics and analysts warned that Poland would be relying on their star player, and that he wouldn’t be enough to win the Cup.
In saying this, we don’t mean anything against Lewandowski himself. He is a fantastic player, who has scored 500 senior career goals, and has been recognized as one of the best players in the World Cup. However, no matter what the case may be, a single player cannot carry an entire team. This fact goes double for important events like the World Cup, where everyone is giving it their best.
So, in the next four years, the recommendation we have would be that Poland raises up some new blood, puts a higher emphasis on team play, and improve their play making. Perhaps when all things are said and done, they will have improved their odds and chances to win the championship.