The Poland national football team suffered a 3-1 defeat against Sweden in Solna on Monday, extending a winless streak under manager Jan Urban.
The result leaves Poland facing a relegation battle against Romania to maintain their position in the second division of European football, failing to achieve Urban's initial objective of securing promotion to the top tier.
Poland put up a fight in the first half of the match in Solna and responded after conceding the opening goal. However, Sweden dominated the second half, leaving Urban's squad thoroughly beaten on the night.
Solna, a municipality located just north of the Swedish capital Stockholm, hosted the match at Sweden's national stadium. The fixture formed part of the UEFA Nations League, Europe's biennial international competition that divides national teams into four hierarchical leagues based on ranking.
Recent Results and Declining Form
Poland last won a match on March 26, when they defeated Albania in the play-offs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Since that victory, the team has registered three losses and two draws across five fixtures.
The current winless run includes a 3-2 defeat to Sweden, a 2-0 loss against Ukraine, a 2-2 draw with Nigeria, a goalless draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Monday's 3-1 loss in Sweden. The decline follows a promising start to Urban's tenure, which began 14 months ago.
During his first six months in charge, Urban recorded victories over Malta, Lithuania, and Finland. Those wins came against teams competing in Division C and Division D of the Nations League, representing the third and fourth tiers of European international football.
Urban's side also earned two draws against the Netherlands during the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, including a 1-1 result in Warsaw on November 14, 2025. Following that fixture, described as the team's best performance under his tenure, Urban stated that he told Dutch manager Ronald Koeman that Poland would reach the World Cup finals and defeat the Netherlands there.
Koeman, who previously coached Barcelona and led the Netherlands to the Euro 1988 title as a player, saw his side maintain their form while Poland subsequently missed out on qualifying for the tournament co-hosted by North American nations. Urban, a former Poland international striker who played for Górnik Zabrze and Spanish club Osasuna during his career, was appointed national team manager in July 2025.
A Decade of Managerial Turnover
Urban's tenure comes amid high expectations that have seen six different head coaches leave the role since 2018, a rate of managerial turnover unmatched by any other European nation. Former manager Adam Nawałka remains widely regarded in Poland as the benchmark for coaching success during this period.
Urban replaced Michał Probierz, who had been appointed after taking over from Fernando Santos. Probierz left the national team in emotional disarray following a defeat against Finland and an ongoing conflict with captain Robert Lewandowski.
Santos, who previously guided Portugal to victories at Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League, lasted less than eight months in Poland after losing all of his crucial matches. He had been brought in to rebuild after Czesław Michniewicz was dismissed from his post.
Michniewicz lost his job not because of team performance, but following a controversy over government bonuses sparked by then Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. His predecessor Paulo Sousa left the Polish national team in December 2021 to coach Brazilian side Flamengo rather than lead Poland into the World Cup qualifying play-offs for Qatar.
Sousa had been hired by former Polish Football Association president Zbigniew Boniek to replace Jerzy Brzęczek and maximize the squad's attacking potential. However, under Sousa's management, Poland finished last in their group at Euro 2020 after group stage losses to Slovakia and Sweden. Boniek, one of Poland's most celebrated former footballers who played for Juventus and Roma, served as head of the domestic governing body from 2012 to 2021.
Systemic Challenges and What Comes Next
The source notes that neither Urban nor 38-year-old captain Lewandowski are to blame for the team's ongoing struggles. Instead, the problems stem from a broader lack of player development systemically across the country and administrative turmoil within the governing body, where Polish Football Association officials have engaged in internal power struggles and covert recordings.
Lewandowski, who plays as a striker for Spanish club Barcelona, and midfielder Piotr Zieliński of Italian side Inter Milan are highlighted as rare exceptions who reached top European status despite the domestic system rather than because of it. Middle-tier European nations such as Sweden and Bosnia and Herzegovina reached the round of 16 at the previous World Cup, illustrating the competitive gap facing Poland.
Urban, who views coaching the national side as his highest professional honor, has indicated he will not resign and intends to continue fighting to turn around the team's fortunes. Poland's next objective will be to secure their place in League B through an upcoming playoff battle against Romania.
