Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski has said he will no longer play for Poland as long as Michał Probierz remains the manager.

He feels he has been betrayed and mistreated by the 52-year-old. His resignation from the national team came as a result of a lack of trust in the manager.

Lewandowski spoke on the issue that transpired:

“I received a surprise call from coach Michał Probierz informing me that he had decided to strip me of the captaincy. I wasn’t prepared for that. The conversation lasted only a minute. I didn’t even have the chance to tell my family or talk to anyone about what had happened. The way it was communicated really shocked me”.

“I haven’t been captain for just one or two years… It’s been eleven years, and I’ve played with the national team for seventeen. Matters like this should be handled differently, especially with the next international break just around the corner. We have an important match coming up, and I was informed of all this over the phone. That shouldn’t happen. The coach betrayed my trust”.

“Over the years, I’ve always given everything. The national team has always been the most important thing for me, and at the same time, I feel great pain over what happened. It’s not just about the decision to take the armband away, but about how it was communicated”.

“I get the impression that the coach gave in to media pressure and broke our agreement. The decision not to attend this call-up was made mutually and wasn’t explained publicly. Before the last match against Athletic, I called the coach and shared my view on the need to rest. He said he would call me back to discuss it, and we agreed. I was willing to attend the camp, but we agreed that I wouldn’t. I always try to find the best solution with the national team, and I’m someone who is open to dialogue. After I didn’t attend, there was a lot of media speculation, and I understand that the situation developed from there to where we are now”.

“I only had one conversation with the coaching staff where I expressed my point of view, and it wasn’t in front of anyone else. It’s not the first time I’ve done that. I’ve spoken with many coaches before, and nothing had ever happened. I simply thought my opinion could be useful. I’ve never had personal problems with any coach in my career, even though I’ve worked with many, like Klopp and Guardiola”.

“I feel angry because my country’s national team means a lot to me. I need to think this through. I need to regain focus and talk more later about how I feel and what I think.”

Lewandowski is open to returning to the national team if Probierz is no longer the head coach, as he considers Polish fans to be the best in the world. Hopefully, Lewandowski doesn’t have to wait that long, and the issue is resolved between him and Probierz.