On Sunday evening, a real earthquake occurred in Polish football. First, PZPN informed about taking the captain's band Robert Lewandowski, who did not appear at the current grouping of the staff and handing it over to Piotr Zieliński.
Shortly afterwards, Barcelona's player himself dropped in his social media, informing Barcelona himself, informing de facto about giving up the game in the team under the leadership of Michał Probierz.
“Considering the circumstances and the loss of confidence in the Polish national team coach I decided to give up playing the Polish national team. I hope that I will still be able to play for the best fans in the world, “wrote the best and most titled Polish footballer in history.
This is a real rock in the Polish squad. For now, neither PZPN nor the president of Cezary Kulesza nor trainer Michał Prdyk took the floor in this matter.
Sponsors in shock
The decision of the (former) captain of the national team and one of the most recognizable Polish athletes around the world caused consternation throughout Poland. The movement of the Barcelona attacker can have gigantic consequences not only for the band himself, but also for PZPN. And this is not so much sporting as financial.
It is about setting sponsors to the staff itself, but also the whole relationship. This is not the first time that controversy arises around the team. However, about this later in the text.
Today, among the patrons of Polish football we will find many giants of Polish business. Number one is Orlen, which in 2023 extended the contract with PZPN. Under it, it can pay up to PLN 170 million.
See also: Thick millions from Orlen to PZPN. Here are the details of the “Century's Contract”
In addition to the state concern in the sponsorship pyramid, we will also find, among others InPost, Biedronka, Leroy Merlin, STS, Viking kitchen or Tarczyński. Everyone pays a lot of money to be able to advertise around the most popular players. In this first of all Robert Lewandowski, who is the greatest star of our team.
The resignation of “Lewy” could not like the sponsors' offices. – Is it supposed to promote us instead of Lewandowski? Rather, this image will not improve and will not convince customers – one of the interlocutors tells us.
The sports journalist Tomasz Włodarczyk drew attention to this issue. “PZPN has extended Contract with Orlen on record principles, where the obligation to perform Barcelona player in commercials was negotiated. Perhaps PZPN does not realize it yet, “he said on Sunday evening.
For now, however, it is too much for nervous movements and alarmistic messages. In several sponsors we talked to, the atmosphere of waiting for the further development of accidents is underway. “We are waiting for what will fall at a press conference” – we hear with another sponsors. On Monday, at 14 coach and Piotr Zieliński are to meet with journalists.
“No comment” – Inpost spokesman Wojciech Kądziołka informed us. PZPN itself too He does not answer the question of whether he is afraid of sponsors' reaction to the atmosphere of the conflict around the national team.
Hiccups after Qatar and more
PZPN under the leadership of Cezary Kulesza had to extinguish similar fires several times in relations with sponsors.
The loudest took place at the end of 2022, just after the end of the world championships in Qatar. Although Poland came out of the group and dropped out in the 1/8 final after the match against France. But the result was not the loudest at that time.
The media revealed that the competitors were to receive the promise of a gratile bonus from the then Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and the rules of its division were set just before the key meeting. This was very badly received by fans and sponsors.
There was a risk that a new sponsorship agreement with PZPN would not sign, for example, Biedronka. The final both parties came to an agreement and the contract extended.
But half a year later another scandal broke out. The media revealed that Mirosław Stasiak, an activist convicted of corruption in football, found himself in the PZPN delegation to a trip to Moldova.
In response to press publications, the union announced that Stasiak in the official delegation was because one of the sponsors invited him. However, he did not give details, de facto suspicion of all companies supporting PZPN. In addition, the defeat in Moldova contributed to the fact that irritation increased even more.
“We are very seriously thinking about continuing the support of Polish football in the formula, which we have recently been observing,” said Rafał Brzoska, founder and head of InPost in social media.
Tarczyński joined him. “We are indignant with the PZPN statement suggesting that a person who was convicted of corruption was a member of the official delegation to Moldova at the invitation of one of the partners or sponsors,” the company said. In a communiqué, she added that she would not extend the contract with the union signed in 2022 and that she analyzes the possibility of its earlier break.
Ultimately, here and here he managed to alleviate the case and at the beginning of 2024 Tarczyński extended the contract until the summer of 2026.
Importantly, on June 30, the election of the new PZPN president for the next four -year term will be held. Everything indicates that Cezary Kulesza will remain in the position until 2029. There was no opponent to fight.
