Poland manager Jan Urban has confirmed that Robert Lewandowski is open to returning to international football, months after the Barcelona striker stepped away from the national team following a dispute over the captaincy.
Urban, who took over in July after Michal Probierz’s resignation in June, revealed that he had spoken directly with Poland’s all-time top scorer about a comeback. The fallout began when Probierz stripped Lewandowski of the captain’s armband and handed it to Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski.
“I spoke with Robert Lewandowski by phone and asked if he wanted to come back,” Urban told private broadcaster RMF FM. “He said yes. So we’ve taken a step forward.”
Whether Lewandowski will regain the captaincy remains undecided. Urban said he plans to consult Zielinski and the members of the team council before making a final call.
“I wouldn’t just like to talk to Robert, but also to those involved – Piotr Zielinski and the players on the team council. The decision will be mine, but I’d like to listen to the players and find out what they think,” he explained.
Poland are currently third in their World Cup qualifying group, trailing Finland and the Netherlands, and see Lewandowski’s return as crucial to their hopes of securing a place at next year’s tournament.
The 36-year-old forward, who has scored 85 goals in 158 appearances for his country, could feature in Poland’s upcoming qualifiers away to the Netherlands on 4 September, followed by a home match against Finland on 7 September.