Fabian Drzyzga especially about Bartosz Kurek. These words are very thought-provoking

With “Kuraś”, the playmaker won gold at the World Championships in 2018. Then Bartosz Kurek returned to the Polish national team with a bang, gaining the trust of coach Vital Heynen. The attacker repaid the Belgian as best as he could, leading the team to great success. Kurek himself was chosen MVP of the gold tournament for Poles.

Fabian Drzyzga about the situation of Bartosz Kurek. Important words were said

Practically over the last two decades, Kurek, with minor breaks, has been the leading figure of the national team. Currently, the attacker is a volleyball player playing in Japan.

During the call-ups to the Polish national team for the 2026 season, it was confirmed that “Kuraś” would not be in the team. Aleksander Śliwka will take over Kurek’s captaincy duties, although the attacker himself is not closed to the national team. Nikola Grbic himself emphasized this, suggesting that the decision about the volleyball player’s absence this season was made after a mutual, mature conversation.

Drzyzga commented on Kurek’s situation and his status on TVP Sport.

– Bartek deserves to decide about such things when he doesn’t feel strong and needs it. From what I know, it was his decision, not the coach’s, so it’s absolutely right. After all, such a legend should leave or take a break on his own terms. He himself will know when to leave the stage. Who will replace him, however, is another matter (…) the Polish environment does not appreciate players like Bartek, and these are players who can be counted on the fingers of one hand. He was always there for the national team. But I don’t want to talk about him because I don’t like talking about someone who isn’t there. I just hope that he will leave the stage whenever he wants, and not when someone imposes it on him – admitted Drzyzga in an interview with Sara Kalisz.

The playmaker himself will most likely return to PlusLiga. In the 2026/27 season, Drzyzga will be a volleyball player for Cuprum Stilon Gorzów Wlkp.

As for Kurek, the 2024 Olympic vice-championship does not seem to be what he himself dreamed of. It is not impossible that “Kuraś” will take up the challenge of preparing for the last Olympic Games in his career – with positive assumptions, among others: health – i.e. Los Angeles 2028.

However, there is still a lot of time left until this event and it is difficult to say exactly what will happen to both the Polish national team itself and Kurek’s career beyond Polish borders. It is certainly a pity that the attacker’s return to Poland – in the 2024/25 season in the ranks of ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle – was so short.

In this case, it seems that the reality of PlusLiga and the final – quite surprising – lack of a sufficiently good offer for such a distinguished player may leave a bad taste for the entire story of Kurek’s return to his homeland.

And also be a good example of what Drzyzga, who knows Kurek’s value well over many, many years, mentioned in the quoted fragment of the conversation.