Poland manager Czesław Michniewicz left out Torino midfielder Karol Linetty from his 26-man squad for the World Cup in Qatar, which he named on Thursday. The list of those who didn't make it to the squad also includes FC Copenhagen goalkeeper Kamil Grabara, Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich, and Fortuna Duesseldorf forward Dawid Kownacki.
The 27-year-old Torino midfielder Karol Linetty has earned 42 caps for Poland since making his debut in 2014, but Michniewicz found no room for him in the squad due to fierce competition.
Poland captain Robert Lewandowski is one of four attackers in the squad, along with Arkadiusz Milik, Krzysztof Piątek and Karol Świderski.
Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich and Fortuna Duesseldorf forward Dawid Kownacki were also dropped by the coach.
Other experienced players missing include Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Jakub Moder, who is out with an injury, and defender Maciej Rybus who was dropped from the Poland squad after joining Russian club Spartak Moscow in June.
There had been speculation that Michniewicz would name four goalkeepers but he opted for three, leaving out FC Copenhagen's Kamil Grabara and Cercle Brugge's Radoslaw Majecki.
Michniewicz included 34-year-old veteran Kamil Grosicki, who has earned 86 caps for the national team, and now plays in the Polish club Pogoń Szczecin. The midfielder played his first game for Poland back in 2008.
He will be joined by 35-year-old Legia Warsaw defender Artur Jędrzejczyk who was called up despite not playing for Poland since 2019.
Aston Villa's defensive duo Jan Bednarek and Matty Cash are included, along with Birmingham City's Krystian Bielik, who missed the whole of World Cup qualification except their playoff win against Sweden due to a torn knee ligament.
The tournament will be Poland's ninth World Cup finals appearance after they failed to make it out of their group in Russia four years ago.
Poland, who were drawn in Group C for Qatar, open their World Cup campaign against Mexico on Nov. 22, before matches against Saudi Arabia and Argentina.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczęsny (Juventus), Bartłomiej Drągowski (Spezia), Łukasz Skorupski (Bologna).
Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Aston Villa), Kamil Glik (Benevento), Robert Gumny (FC Augsburg), Artur Jędrzejczyk (Legia Warsaw), Jakub Kiwior (Spezia), Mateusz Wieteska (Clermont), Bartosz Bereszyński (Sampdoria), Matty Cash (Aston Villa), Nicola Zalewski (AS Roma).
Midfielders: Krystian Bielik (Birmingham City), Przemysław Frankowski (Lens), Kamil Grosicki (Pogoń Szczecin), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Al-Shabab), Jakub Kamiński (VfL Wolfsburg), Michał Skóraś (Lech Poznań), Damian Szymański (AEK Athens), Sebastian Szymański (Feyenoord), Piotr Zieliński (Napoli), Szymon Żurkowski (Fiorentina).
Forwards: Robert Lewandowski (FC Barcelona), Arkadiusz Milik (Juventus), Krzysztof Piątek (Salernitana), Karol Świderski (Charlotte FC).
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters