Lewandowski will threaten English bid: Southgate
ENGLAND face familiar qualifying foes Poland on the road to the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
The Poles, whose star striker Robert Lewandowski has arguably been the best player in the world in 2020, have faced the Three Lions in qualifying for the 1974, 1990, 1994, 2006 and 2014 World Cups, as well as taking on England in the finals in Mexico in 1986.
Gareth Southgate’s men have also been drawn against Hungary, Albania, Andorra and San Marino.
Southgate reckons England have been dealt a “complicated” path to Qatar.
He said: “Poland are a very good team, Hungary have just been promoted to the Nations League top division. We know these games are going to be tough, complicated games to navigate.
“There’s a great history of that fixture (England v Poland). There was a spell when we seemed to draw them every time.”
Asked about Poland’s star striker Lewandowski, Southgate said: “He’s a fantastic player.
“He’s as good a number nine as there is — him and Harry (Kane) and (Romelu) Lukaku. When you think about number nines around Europe, they’re three that immediately come to mind.”
Ahead of the World Cup games in March, Southgate has warned players that off-field behaviour does come into his thinking as Jack Grealish awaits sentencing over two driving offences.
The Aston Villa captain admitted two counts of careless driving last month, the first related to an incident on March 29, during the first national lockdown, and the second taking place close to his club’s training ground on October 18. Grealish is due to appear at a sentencing hearing on December 15.
“The responsibility of being an England player carries a lot of weight,” he said.
“When you’re going towards a tournament, you want as little noise as possible around the group. You want the country to connect with the team, you want the country to feel excited by the team but also proud of the team, and that they’re good ambassadors for everything we’re trying to do.”