The 2014 World Cup is in the rearview, but that doesn't mean that fans of international football don't have anything to look forward to. On the contrary, qualifying rounds for the 2016 European Championship are now officially underway, and with them, the excitement of international match-ups is back on the table for sports fans around the globe to enjoy.
Need proof of how entertaining Euro qualifying matches can be? In one of the earliest matches of the tournament, the red and white of the Poland soccer kit looked positively unstoppable, as Poland flatted Gibraltar 7-0.
You can support the Poland team by stopping by Soccer Box today and purchasing a Poland home jersey 2014 2015, like the one that Poland wore in Sunday's match against Gibraltar. The shirt features a classic design, with a single red stripe running down the center of a white shirt. It looks equally stylish on the field and in the stands.
Recent History
The outcome of the Gibraltar match was a very positive one for the Poland national football team, which missed out on qualifying for this summer's World Cup after losing to England and the Ukraine in the qualifying rounds.
Poland's rough draw in the qualifying rounds meant that the 2014 World Cup did not feature the Poland home jersey 2014 2015 at all, a harsh blow for a team that hasn't made a strong impression at the World Cup since 1982. That year, Poland ended the tournament in third place, losing to eventual champions Italy in the semifinals.
Since 1982, the Poland soccer kit has only appeared in three World Cup tournaments: once in 1986, once in 2002, and most recently in 2006. The disappointments have been hard on Polish football fans, which makes the team's precipitous victory over Gibraltar that much more satisfying.
The Gibraltar Match
The qualifying match against Gibraltar was already tilted heavily in favor of the Polish team. After all, Gibraltar has never been ranked higher than 175 in the world football rankings. In addition, Gibraltar is not a full member of FIFA, which means that the country has never participated in a World Cup event and is, as yet, ineligible to do so. Supposedly, Gibraltar could have FIFA membership in time to campaign for qualification in the 2018 event, but nothing is for sure yet.
What is for sure is that Poland's best players looked like men possessed on the football pitch on Sunday, wearing the red and white of their Poland home jersey 2014 2015 kits with pride.
The star of the match was undoubtedly Robert Lewandowski, a striker who currently plays for Bayern Munich. Lewandowski scored four goals in the second half including a brace within four minutes of each other to lead his team to a resounding victory.
Winger Kamil Grosicki added a brace of his own to Poland's score, while Center Back Lukasz Szukala scored one goal to make the Polish total seven. Polish defense also held strong, keeping Gibraltar's squad scoreless throughout the match.
Looking Forward
So what does this stunning victory mean for the Poland national football team? The answer to that question will differ depending on who you ask. On one hand, a lone win against Gibraltar may or may not be much of a sign that Poland has what it takes to beat the rest of its qualifying group, travel to Euro 2016, and score a high placement on the international stage.
However, even if Poland will face harsher competition in later qualifying matches the recent World Cup championship team, Germany, is also in Poland's group this triumph will likely still prove to be a significant one.
7-0 is a huge win regardless of the opponent, and it will give Poland a major leg up in terms of goal difference, for potential tie-breaking purposes. Since the other two first matches of the group Germany versus Scotland and Ireland versus Georgia only ended in one-point victories for Germany and Ireland, Poland is at least temporarily the top team in the group.
Do you think Poland can hold on for Euro 2016 qualification? If so, stop by Soccer Box today and pick up a Poland soccer kit to cheer the team on.
Need proof of how entertaining Euro qualifying matches can be? In one of the earliest matches of the tournament, the red and white of the Poland soccer kit looked positively unstoppable, as Poland flatted Gibraltar 7-0.
You can support the Poland team by stopping by Soccer Box today and purchasing a Poland home jersey 2014 2015, like the one that Poland wore in Sunday's match against Gibraltar. The shirt features a classic design, with a single red stripe running down the center of a white shirt. It looks equally stylish on the field and in the stands.
Recent History
The outcome of the Gibraltar match was a very positive one for the Poland national football team, which missed out on qualifying for this summer's World Cup after losing to England and the Ukraine in the qualifying rounds.
Poland's rough draw in the qualifying rounds meant that the 2014 World Cup did not feature the Poland home jersey 2014 2015 at all, a harsh blow for a team that hasn't made a strong impression at the World Cup since 1982. That year, Poland ended the tournament in third place, losing to eventual champions Italy in the semifinals.
Since 1982, the Poland soccer kit has only appeared in three World Cup tournaments: once in 1986, once in 2002, and most recently in 2006. The disappointments have been hard on Polish football fans, which makes the team's precipitous victory over Gibraltar that much more satisfying.
The Gibraltar Match
The qualifying match against Gibraltar was already tilted heavily in favor of the Polish team. After all, Gibraltar has never been ranked higher than 175 in the world football rankings. In addition, Gibraltar is not a full member of FIFA, which means that the country has never participated in a World Cup event and is, as yet, ineligible to do so. Supposedly, Gibraltar could have FIFA membership in time to campaign for qualification in the 2018 event, but nothing is for sure yet.
What is for sure is that Poland's best players looked like men possessed on the football pitch on Sunday, wearing the red and white of their Poland home jersey 2014 2015 kits with pride.
The star of the match was undoubtedly Robert Lewandowski, a striker who currently plays for Bayern Munich. Lewandowski scored four goals in the second half including a brace within four minutes of each other to lead his team to a resounding victory.
Winger Kamil Grosicki added a brace of his own to Poland's score, while Center Back Lukasz Szukala scored one goal to make the Polish total seven. Polish defense also held strong, keeping Gibraltar's squad scoreless throughout the match.
Looking Forward
So what does this stunning victory mean for the Poland national football team? The answer to that question will differ depending on who you ask. On one hand, a lone win against Gibraltar may or may not be much of a sign that Poland has what it takes to beat the rest of its qualifying group, travel to Euro 2016, and score a high placement on the international stage.
However, even if Poland will face harsher competition in later qualifying matches the recent World Cup championship team, Germany, is also in Poland's group this triumph will likely still prove to be a significant one.
7-0 is a huge win regardless of the opponent, and it will give Poland a major leg up in terms of goal difference, for potential tie-breaking purposes. Since the other two first matches of the group Germany versus Scotland and Ireland versus Georgia only ended in one-point victories for Germany and Ireland, Poland is at least temporarily the top team in the group.
Do you think Poland can hold on for Euro 2016 qualification? If so, stop by Soccer Box today and pick up a Poland soccer kit to cheer the team on.