From a construction site to the national team: Oskar Kubiak makes his Poland debut against Romania

In brief

• Oskar Kubiak, a 20-year-old from the Gopło Kruszwica academy, starts for Poland against Romania in the Nations League.
• Less than two years ago he worked construction and trained with third-tier Wda Świecie.
• Coach Jan Urban picked him as one of several young players because of regular absences in the squad.

A sudden rise

Not long ago Oskar Kubiak worked on a construction site during the day and trained in the evening with Wda Świecie, a club playing in Poland's third tier. Within less than two years he has gone from that routine to a place in the senior national team. (Rano budowa, wieczorem trening. Niespełna dwa lata później zagrał dla Polski – SportoweFakty)

He was born in Kruszwica and came up through the academy of local club Gopło Kruszwica.

Urban's selection

Poland's coach Jan Urban has named Kubiak in the starting lineup for Saturday's Nations League fixture in Romania, a match set for 20:45 local kick-off. Several regular starters are unavailable, so Urban has turned to players who are only beginning their international careers, and Kubiak is one of them. (Jan Urban podał skład na mecz z Rumunią. Jest debiutant – sport.fakt.pl)

Urban said he sees in Kubiak the qualities he wants from young players. (Oskar Kubiak debiutuje w reprezentacji Polski. „Widzę w nim to, co chce widzieć w młodych zawodnikach” – transfery.info) Earlier coverage noted that Kubiak had been told by people around him that such a route would not lead to a career, a doubt he has now answered on the pitch. (Jan Urban stawia na 20-letniego debiutanta. Mówili mu: tak nie zrobisz kariery – Przegląd Sportowy)

The match

Poland beat Romania 6-0 at the National Stadium in Warsaw in early October, their most recent meeting, which gives the Polish side a good memory of this fixture. Kubiak's first start comes in the reverse fixture in Romania, where the team must rebuild form after a demanding autumn schedule.

For readers in Kruszwica and the surrounding area, the lineup is a rare local story at national level.

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• Urban may call up two uncapped players for Romania and Sweden matches