- Title: Lewandowski not ruling out Qatar as his last World Cup
- Date: 18th November 2022
- Summary: UMM SALAL, QATAR (NOVEMBER 18, 2022) (REUTERS) POLAND TEAM PLAYERS DOING RUNNING EXERCISES ON PITCH PHOTOGRAPHER FILMING PLAYERS DOING DRILLS PLAYERS WALKING ON PITCH POLAND TEAM COACH ,CZESÅAW MICHNIEWICZ, STANDING VARIOUS OF PLAYERS KICKING BALL AROUND POLAND TEAM STRIKER, ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI, DOING DRILLS POLAND TEAM STRIKER, ARKADIUSZ MILIK, DOING DRILLS CZESLAW AND LE
- Embargoed: 2nd December 2022 16:09
- Keywords: Lewandowski Mexico Poland World Cup
- Location: UMM SALAL, QATAR
- City: UMM SALAL, QATAR
- Country: Qatar
- Topics: Middle East,Sport,World Cup
- Reuters ID: LVA001053118112022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Poland talisman Robert Lewandowski said on Friday (November 18) he is preparing for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar as if it could be his last, but the 34-year-old added that he would still be physically fit to play at the next edition in 2026.
Poland's record goal scorer Lewandowski has been in terrific form for his La Liga club Barcelona this season, having scored 18 times in 19 games across all competitions.
Poland are in Group C at the World Cup and begin their campaign against Mexico on Tuesday (November 22). They also face Argentina and Saudi Arabia.
"Is this my last World Cup? I don't know," Lewandowski told reporters in Doha on Friday.
"I'm preparing as if it could be my last World Cup, but I'm not saying yes, I'm not saying no."
Lewandowski said that opponents are likely to focus on marking him in attack during games -- a move which Poland will try to take advantage of.
Asked about playing in the high temperatures in Qatar, Lewandowski said they knew what to expect.
"We knew what the temperature will be like. I am also aware that there is a difference between when the sun is up and when there is no sun, even though the temperature will be quite high, we will be ready for it and there will be no problems," he said, adding that their group stage in the last World Cup in Sochi was in colder and less comfortable conditions.
Poland, who Lewandowski said are not favourites in their group, won 1-0 against Chile in Warsaw in a warm-up friendly on Wednesday (November 16) before making the trip to Doha.
Head coach Czeslaw Michniewicz opted to leave out some of his key players including goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, playmaker Piotr Zielinski and Lewandowski for that game.
The Polish team's flight to Poland was escorted by two F-16 jets, following an unintended missile strike near Poland's border with Ukraine.
The missile that crashed inside Poland was probably a stray fired by Ukraine's air defences and not a Russian strike, Poland and military alliance NATO said on Wednesday (November 16).
"I hope it was ... I don't want to say it was  a coincidence, but more of a one-time incident and such things will not repeat in our country," Lewandowski said.
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