"I have come to the conclusion that, given the current situation, the best decision for the good of the national team is for me to step down as head coach," Probierz said in a statement.
"Serving in this role has been the fulfillment of my professional dreams and the greatest honor of my life," he added.
'Our shared national treasure'
"I want to sincerely thank all of my colleagues and the staff at the Polish Football Association," Probierz also said.
"I could always count on you. I also thank the PZPN president and board for their trust.
"Of course, I want to thank all the players I had the pleasure of working with along the way. I’ll be rooting for every one of you because the national team is our shared national treasure.
"I also want to thank our incredible fans—you’ve stood by us through thick and thin. Wherever the national team played, your support could always be heard."
The Polish Football Association (PZPN) said it extended its thanks to Probierz "for his cooperation and dedication in leading the national team," and wished him "success in the next chapter of his career."
The announcement came after Poland's humiliating 2-1 defeat to lower-ranked Finland in Helsinki on Tuesday, a loss that dealt a blow to the team’s chances of securing automatic qualification for next year’s tournament in North America.
Tensions had escalated after Probierz recently stripped Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski of the captain’s armband, naming Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zieliński as his replacement.
Lewandowski announced on Sunday he would no longer play under Probierz, citing a breakdown in trust—a stance he reiterated in an interview published on Monday.
Probierz, who took over as head coach on September 20, 2023, led Poland in 21 matches, recording nine wins, five draws and seven losses, state news agency PAP reported.
Poland began its World Cup qualifying campaign in March with with a 1-0 home win over Lithuania, followed by a 2-0 victory against Malta.
After three rounds of qualifiers, Poland sit third in their qualifying Group G with six points. Finland lead the group with seven points from three games, followed by the Netherlands with six points from two matches.
Poland will face the Netherlands away on September 4 and host Finland on September 7 in their next World Cup qualifiers.
The top two teams in each group will qualify automatically.
The 2026 World Cup will be held in June and July next year in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Poland reached the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before being eliminated by eventual runners-up France.
(gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, TVN24