Jakub Błaszczykowski

“Kuba” sporting the red and white of Poland ———- Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Jakub_Błaszczykowski4.jpg

Błaszczykowski has played well in international competitions. In Euro 2012, he scored one goal and assisted on another. In the 2014 World Cup qualifying stages, he was Poland’s leading scorer with four goals. However, lately he has been limited in action at the club level. This year at Fiorentina he saw little playing time, but still managed to score 2 goals in 12 games. He is a pacey midfielder part of a very talented Polish squad. He links up well with former BVB Dortmund teammates Robert Lewandowski and Lukasz Piszczek. Furthermore, he helped Poland beat Germany in the Euro 2016 qualifying rounds, eventually leading his side to a second place finish, 1 point behind Germany. Not the flashiest of players, Błaszczykowski affects games through his pace and passing. With Germany, Ukraine, and Northern Ireland also in Group C expect Poland to make a push to win the group. Regardless, watch out for Kuba and the Poles.

Other Players:

Starters:

Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimović

Midfielders: Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić, Dmitri Payet, Robbie Keane, Arda Turan

Defenders: Jordi Alba, Vlad Chiricheș, Ashley WilliamsTaulant Xhaka

Goalkeeper: The Gianluigi Buffon

Substitutes:

Forwards: Eden Hazard

Midfielders: Mesut ÖzilYevhen KonoplyankaGökhan Inler, James MilnerBalázs Dzsudzsák

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakub_Błaszczykowski

http://www.dw.com/en/dortmunds-blaszczykowski-gifts-poland-perfect-start-to-euro-2016-preparation/a-19137459

 

Written By: Austin Tran and Chris Arora

How to cite this article: “Euro 2016 Key Players to Watch” Written by Austin Tran and Chris Arora (2016), European Cup 2016 Guide, Soccer Politics Blog, Duke University, http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/tournament-guides/european-cup-2016-guide/ (accessed on (date)).