“We were drawn into a very tough group, and we are in a rebuilding phase,” Probierz stated. The loss against Austria, combined with a 0-0 draw between the Netherlands and France, ensures that Poland will finish last in Group D regardless of the final round results.

The team remains without points after two matches.

“In sports, you have to be tough. We must accept this defeat with humility. We’ve landed in a very strong group, and we have a team in transition,” said coach Probierz during a Saturday press conference at the team’s base in Hanover.

He maintained his stance on the team’s playing style and strategy. “We are one team that has won and lost. I will not deviate from the path I have taken. We will continue to play the same way, aggressively.

“We will still strive to apply high pressing because it’s the only way to develop. We are still missing certain elements, but we will work on that… We will approach the game against France the same way, as part of our ongoing development. And we will definitely play similarly.”

Reflecting on the match against Austria, Probierz admitted to initial challenges.

“The first quarter-hour didn’t go well; we couldn’t counter the Austrians’ aggressive play, and we had too many losses. But later, we had the match under control. It seemed like we had calmed things down appropriately. After the 60th minute, when we made substitutions, we wanted to impose an even higher tempo, but unfortunately, we conceded a goal in the same manner as against the Netherlands.”

Despite the setbacks, Probierz remained focused on improvement. “After that, we chased the result at all costs, changed our formation, and tried to score until the end, but we lacked quality.”

The Polish team will conclude their Euro 2024 campaign against France on June 25. Probierz sees this final match as a critical step for future competitions.

“We will treat this match as preparation for the Nations League games and World Cup qualifiers,” he added.