Poland (POL)

Poland start their quest to revive old glory under new leadership. After signing a five-year deal in March 2023, Marcin Lijewski enters his first major event as head coach at EHF EURO 2024. Lijewski’s mission is clear: guide Poland back to where the four-time World Championship medallists and 1976 Olympic bronze winners once were – among the very best teams in Europe. Their last notable success was bronze from the 2015 IHF World Championship.

Lijewski has stepped in after Poland failed to deliver in three consecutive EHF EUROs. After making it to the quarter-finals of their 2016 home tournament, Poland didn’t even qualify in 2018 and had any medal hopes dashed soon in both 2020 (preliminary round) and 2022 (main round). Also, crashing out in the main round of the 2023 World Championship they co-hosted with Sweden was nothing short of a disappointment for Poland.

But if anyone knows how to win medals, then it is Lijewski. As a club player, he won the EHF Champions League with Hamburg in 2013; as a national team player, he helped Poland win silver at the World Championship in 2007 and bronze in 2009 while making the All-star Team as the tournament’s best right back on both occasions.

Can he replicate the success as a coach? At least, Lijewski can work with a Polish squad that looks stronger than it has done for quite some time. Industria Kielce star Szymon Sicko, 26, is in the prime of their careers and will guide the team alongside experienced on-court leaders like Orlen Wisla Plock right back Michal Daszek and Paris Saint-Germain HB line player Kamil Syprzak. However Arkadiusz Moryto's participation is in doubt as the tournament begins, due to an injury.

Poland look ready for the challenge in one of the toughest preliminary groups at EHF EURO 2024, which includes Norway, Slovenia, and the Faroe Islands.