LEGEND Robert Lewandowski has sensationally quit playing for Poland – “until” the manager is sacked.
The Barcelona striker blamed a “loss of trust” in Michał Probierz after the national coach stripped him of the captaincy.
Lewandowski, 36, has hit 85 goals in 158 internationals.
He posted on social media: “Considering the circumstances and the loss of trust in the coach of the Polish National Team, I decided to resign from playing in the Polish National Team until he is [not] the coach.
“I hope that I will be able to play for the best fans in the world.”
But despite his iconic status in his home country, some Polish fans have criticised Lewandowski for missing recent matches.
Probierz then replaced him as skipper with Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski.
But Lewandowski’s hard-hitting announcement as he retired from the international game has shocked the football world.
He’s arguably Poland’s greatest-ever player, having made his debut in 2008.
Club-wise, the former Lech Poznan starlet won the Bundesliga twice with Borussia Dortmund and eight times with Bayern Munich, where he also tasted Champions League glory in 2020.
Since then, Lewandowski has picked up two LaLiga crowns after moving to Barca three years ago.
But fans on social media seemed split over Lewandowski’s decision to stop playing for Poland.
Many reckon it proved 52-year-old coach Probierz should be axed after two years in charge.
One posted: “Robert, you deserve much better treatment.”
Another wrote: “How can you have a problem with Robert, who is undoubtedly the best Polish footballer in history who has achieved more than all the others put together, that he will not play for Probierz again.”
But other supporters criticised Lewandowski for “abandoning” his national team.
One put: “[Jakub] Blaszczykowski did not give up playing in the national team after losing the captain’s armband, just saying”
And another wrote: “But when the armband was there, there was some trust, but then it was lost and you say bye-bye. In such a situation, the player should choose the coach? Now, maybe at least some players will show what they are capable of without one star.”
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