Szczesny opens up about retirement following Poland penalty shoot-out

Wojciech Szczesny, the goalkeeper for Juventus and the Poland national team, admitted that he would have retired from international football if Poland had failed to qualify for Euro 2024.

Chirag

March 27, 2024

Juventus Goalkeeper Considers Retirement — Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images

Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny confessed that had Poland failed to secure qualification for Euro 2024 this summer, he would have retired from the Poland national team. This admission followed his exceptional performance in the penalty shoot-out against Wales on Tuesday night.

Szczesny’s pivotal save from former Manchester United winger Dan James in Cardiff secured Poland’s spot in the Euros in Germany. The match ended 0-0 after 120 minutes of play.

When questioned by beIN Sports whether the Wales game would have marked his last for Poland if they hadn’t emerged victorious, Szczesny responded firmly, stating, “Oh it would have been, yes.”

With 81 appearances for Poland, Szczesny is poised to participate in his fourth consecutive Euros, having been part of the squad in 2012, 2016, and 2021.

The Juventus goalkeeper also shared insights into his approach to penalty shoot-outs, emphasizing meticulous analysis of the penalty takers. However, he noted that during the Wales match, most shooters opted to aim down the middle, deviating from their usual strategies.

Reflecting on Dan James’ penalty, which he saved, Szczesny highlighted the pressure on the player rather than on himself as the goalkeeper. He expressed sympathy for James but admitted to feeling confident about saving the shot, attributing it partly to luck.

Poland clinched victory over Wales in a tense penalty shoot-out, with all nine consecutive kicks finding the net before Szczesny’s crucial save.