Poland are undeniably the new kids on the block ahead of Euro 2025. Qualifying for their first major tournament at the European Championship this summer, the team overcame the odds to see themselves set for Switzerland.
With a young squad and a young manager, the Biało-czerwone are gearing up for the biggest summer in their history. The Halfway Line previews the nation ahead of their maiden tournament.
Poland’s road to Euro 2025
2024 was bookended by two extremes for Poland. A win and a loss in friendlies against Switzerland set the year off to an unstable start, before the sucker punch, 6 straight loses in their Euros qualifying group against tough competition. Despite losing to Germany, Iceland and Austria, the side could be proud that they managed to score against both Germany and Austria in both legs, only being rendered goalless against Iceland.
Despite being winless, the side were able to enter the playoffs for the final slots due to winning their Nations League group in 2023/24. The first round saw them with two wins over Romania, a 2-1 and 4-1 score line respectively. Then came the final hurdle, and familiar foes, Austria again. After losing both games against the side earlier in the year, the odds were against Poland. But Natalia Padilla-Bidas put the side 1-0 up at home in the first leg, the odds looked to shift. And when, after a long 90 minute battle, Ewa Pajor put the side 1-0 up in the away leg in the 90+4 minute, history was sealed. Captain Fantastic had sealed her country’s first ever participation in a major tournament, after 30 years of trying.
Head coach Nina Patalon is leading Poland at Euro 2025
Nina Patalon already knows a thing or two about making history. When she took over from Miłosz Stępiński in 2021, Patalon became the first female head coach in team’s history. She is the leader at the helm as Poland look to make history at Euro 2025.
An ex-player herself, she became a head coach aged just 25 when she was forced to retire after seven knee surgeries. She was first in charge of Medyk Konin’s youth team before moving to the senior team in 2011, where she got to know a certain Ewa Pajor quite well (more on her in a bit). During her time in charge of Medyk Konin, she became an assistant of Poland’s U-15 female team. In 2014, she switched to manging the U-17s before moving up to the U-19s in 2019.
In her 4 years in charge of the senior team, Patalon has managed the side to 25 wins, 8 draws and 15 loses, and one debut appearance in a major tournament.
Captain Fantastic: Ewa Pajor seeks to make history
To put it bluntly, Ewa Pajor is the greatest female footballer in Poland’s history.
Pajor made her debut for the Polish senior team in 2013, aged just 17, just two months after winning the U-17 Euros and being named UEFA’s ‘Golden Player’ of the competition. She scored on her debut, just nine minutes after coming on in the 4-1 win over the Czech Republic.
In club football, the striker made her debut in the Ekstraliga, the Polish league, aged just 15, scoring twice in Medyk Konin. She would score 64 goals in 60 games in the league, winning the league twice and the Polish Cup three times.
Aged 18, she signed with German Giants Wolfsburg, where she would score 135 goals in 196 games. She lifted the Bundesliga trophy 5 times, and the DFB Pokal Cup 10 times, before she moved to Barcelona last summer.
When the final whistle blew in Austria back in December, she broke down in tears. She had finally done it, after 12 years in this squad, one of the game’s best strikers was going to play in one of the best tournaments in the game. And on her 28th birthday too, what a lovely present.
The Barcelona striker has scored 68 goals in 101 games for the side, a 67.3% scoring rate. Coming into this summer’s tournament, Pajor has had a stellar showing in front of goal for her club. In the 2024/25 season, Pajor netted 45 goals for Barcelona, in her debut season.
Poland’s youth eager to make an impact at Euro 2025
In their last game in this year’s Nations League against Romania, the average age of Poland starting XI was 24.7 years old. In fact, in every game of their campaign in 2025, Poland registered an average XI age of 25.5 or below. Of the 23 players heading to Switzerland, 10 are 23 and under, with a further four being 25.
For example, West Ham United’s Kinga Szemik is Poland’s number one and at 27, is at a ripe age for a goalkeeper. The three goalkeepers below her are 21, 20 and 18 respectively. Whilst Szemik will not be hanging up her gloves anytime soon, to have such a plethora of youth waiting in the wings already is not only a sign of the development going into women’s football in Poland, but the wide range of youth talent they hold.
Compared to countries such as holders England or hosts Switzerland, who both regularly rely on players 32 and over in their starting XI’s, Poland are in a great position for their future, Whilst this is only their first major tournament, with 43% of their squad being under 23, this is a squad that will be together for a good while yet. A great sign for the future.
One Polish player to watch at Euro 2025
Outside of Captain Pajor, Poland have a number of key players that are likely to have a big say this summer.
Bayern München’s Natalia Padilla Bidas is one of these young players looking to make a statement this summer. The winger made her debut Patalon’s first squad in 2021, in a 4-2 lose over group stage opponents Sweden. Born in Málaga to an American-Spanish father and Polish mother, Padilla Bidas also played for Poland’s U-17 and U-19 squads.
In the 2024/25 season, the winger bagged 11 goals in 28 games on loan at Sevilla. For Poland, Padilla Bidas has scored 12 goals in 44 games, including 5 goals against Romania across 4 games.
Versatile across both wings, Padilla Bidas works best in space. Quick reactions and great thinking, she combines well with others on the pitch, both with her back to goal and facing it. With a wonder finish or two on her, she will be key in a tough for group this summer for Poland.
The summer ahead
Poland truly do not have it easy for a debut tournament. Draw in a group with 2022’s runner ups Germany, ‘22’s semi-finalists Sweden and Denmark, it will be a hard test for the group to face. However, they go in knowing they can score against the sides. The two meetings with Germany last year saw Poland score a goal in both games, whilst the last time they faced Sweden in 2021 saw them score twice. The last time the side faced Denmark was in a 0-0 draw back in 2016.
A tough summer on paper, but with history already made, the only way is up for Poland at this year’s Euros.
