Poland first to be knocked out of Euro 2024

Poland were mathematically eliminated from Euro 2024 on Friday, the first team to do so, after a 3-1 loss to Austria and a 0-0 draw between France and the Netherlands, leaving striker Robert Lewandowski's side with no option but to finish bottom of the group.

With 0 points, pending the final match against the Netherlands, they can no longer catch any of the teams ahead of them in the standings: neither Austria, who are three points ahead of them but have the advantage on aggregate, nor the Netherlands and France, both four points ahead with only three points to play for.

It is yet another failure for the national team led by Robert Lewandowski, who has barely featured. Injury against Turkey in a previous friendly meant he was unable to play more minutes and only half an hour on Friday after not taking the field against the Netherlands.

A new disappointment for a national team that already seems to have hit rock bottom. It was their fifth appearance at a European Championship after losing in the quarter-finals to Portugal last year, in the Round of 16 in 2016 and failing to progress beyond the group stage in both 2012 and 2008. They do have more World Cup appearances, with third place being their best result in 1974 and 1982.

 

June 21, 2024