Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has been picked for Poland’s squad for the 2022 World Cup.

The Best FIFA Men’s Player will partner up with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and Kamil Glik as the Polish team carries the hopes of a nation on its shoulders.

Coach Czeslaw Michniewicz has not included midfielder Karol Linetty from his 26-man squad despite the footballer being on the team since 2014.

Maciej Rybus was dropped from the Poland squad after joining the Russian club Spartak Moscow earlier this year.

The tournament will be Poland’s ninth World Cup appearance after they failed to make it out of their group in Russia four years ago.

Michniewicz will be hopeful Poland can make it to the round of 16 for the first time since 1986.

The team is facing one if not the most challenging groups at the FIFA World Cup .

They are paired with Argentina, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia in Group C, and much will depend on the result of their opener against Mexico on 22 November.

Poland World Cup

Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus), Bartlomiej Dragowski (Spezia), Lukasz Skorupski (Bologna)

Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Aston Villa), Kamil Glik (Benevento), Robert Gumny (FC Augsburg), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Legia Warsaw), Jakub Kiwior (Spezia), Mateusz Wieteska (Clermont), Bartosz Bereszynski (Sampdoria), Matty Cash (Aston Villa), Nicola Zalewski (AS Roma).

Midfielders: Krystian Bielik (Birmingham City), Przemyslaw Frankowski (Lens), Kamil Grosicki (Pogon Szczecin), Grzegorz Krychowiak (Al-Shabab), Jakub Kaminski (VfL Wolfsburg), Michal Skoras (Lech Poznan), Damian Szymanski (AEK Athens), Sebastian Szymanski (Feyenoord), Piotr Zielinski (Napoli), Szymon Zurkowski (Fiorentina).

Forwards: Robert Lewandowski (FC Barcelona), Arkadiusz Milik (Juventus), Krzysztof Piatek (Salernitana), Karol Swiderski (Charlotte FC)