That might change on Tuesday in opposition to Mexico, Poland’s opening opponent in Group C. A prolific scorer who moved to Barcelona after a profitable stint with Bayern Munich, Lewandowski has 18 targets in all competitions this season. For Poland, he’s scored 76 targets from 134 appearances.

At 34, the World Cup in Qatar could also be Lewandowski’s final likelihood for a coveted purpose in soccer’s largest occasion.
Poland managed solely two targets 4 years in the past in Russia, from Jan Bednarek and Grzegorz Krychowiak, and the crew was eradicated from the group stage with losses to Senegal and Colombia.

Poland, ranked No. 26 on this planet, didn’t even make the 2010 or 2014 World Cups and the crew hasn’t superior to the knockout spherical since 1986. Poland’s finest end was third place in West Germany in 1974 and in Spain in 1982.

Lewandowski scored within the 2-0 playoff victory over Sweden in March, giving Poland a spot on the World Cup. He completed with 9 targets within the qualification marketing campaign. Poland is coming off a 1-0 victory over Chile final week in a last warmup match earlier than the opener in opposition to Mexico at Stadium 974.

While third-ranked Argentina is the favourite to win Group C, which additionally contains Saudi Arabia, Tuesday’s match may very well be an excellent indication of the second crew that strikes on to the knockout stage. “This is an important game for us. It’s important that we show confidence. We know Mexico play high quality soccer, we know their potential. We’ll fight to win and we’ll do our best,” Lewandowski mentioned in Doha final week.

“They have a lot of quality and pace, and are dynamic. We’ll have to be ready to stop them causing us problems.” Mexico has been beset by uncertainty and accidents.

Coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino included Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez, who has been dogged by a groin harm however got here off the bench in a 2-1 loss to Sweden final week. It was his first sport since August. Although there have been hopes Sevilla ahead Jesus Corona might get well from a fractured fibula earlier than the World Cup, he was finally left off Mexico’s last roster.

But there have been a few different notable absences. Martino left off younger ahead Santi Gimenez, who performs for Dutch crew Feyenoord, in addition to Mexico’s all-time main scorer, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, who hasn’t performed for his nationwide crew since 2019. Hernandez, who presently performs for LA Galaxy, had performed within the final three World Cups.

Martino has confronted criticism for each the crew’s current outcomes and his roster choices. “The only thing that can change people’s opinion are the results and that’s what we’re going to play for,” he mentioned following the loss to Sweden.

Mexico completed second in CONCACAF qualifying behind Canada — and forward of the United States — however Martino’s crew scored solely 4 targets in its last 5 qualifying matches regardless of having each Jiménez and Corona out there. El Tri went winless in opposition to Canada and the United States through the last spherical.

Four years in the past in Russia, Mexico misplaced to Brazil 2-0 within the spherical of 16, marking it the seventh straight time that the crew has failed to achieve the quarterfinals at soccer’s premier match. The failure to advance to the “quinto partido,” or fifth sport, has dogged El Tri.

Mexico has reached the quarterfinals solely twice, first in 1970 and once more in 1986. Mexico hosted each of these tournaments