Jan Urban: “We may give up” on playing Kiwior at left-back | OneFootball

Jakub Kiwior has become a highly important figure at FC Porto since arriving in the Invicta from Arsenal in the summer of 2025. The Polish defender has shown consistency and quality at the heart of the defence of the national champions coached by Francesco Farioli, usually forming a partnership with compatriot Jan Bednarek, the sheriff of the back line.

Although he is a natural centre-back, the 26-year-old left-footed player is also capable of operating on the left flank, as he already did with the gunners. It was precisely in that position that he lined up for Poland on Friday against Bosnia, in the opening round of League B of the Nations League.

However, the Porto number 4 did not deliver a positive performance. Kiwior was shown a yellow card after 19 minutes, made a few passing errors and was ultimately substituted at half-time by head coach Jan Urban, with Rennes’ Przemyslaw Frankowski coming on.

FC Porto’s internationals during this FIFA break

After the goalless draw against Bosnia, Kiwior’s use at left-back sparked debate in the Polish media. The criticism was aimed more at Jan Urban, the 64-year-old coach who has come under fire, than at the defender, whose display fell short of expectations.

In Poland, it is felt that the FC Porto player does not offer the desired attacking width down that flank and that the position does not make the most of his characteristics. On the other hand, the partnership he has with Bednarek in the Invicta is seen as very solid, so it would be natural to replicate it in the national team. Against the Bosnians, Bednarek played alongside Kacper Potulski, Mainz’s 18-year-old centre-back.

Urban has admitted he could turn to a back three, a scenario in which Kiwior would take the left-sided centre-back role. Even so, the head coach has favoured a 4-2-3-1, a system that demands different tasks from the players in the defensive unit.

At the press conference previewing the match against Sweden, scheduled for Monday, the coach indicated that the experiment of using Kiwior at left-back is likely to come to an end. In central defence, the choice will «probably» be the pairing of Kiwior and Bednarek.

FC Porto’s internationals with their national teams

“For me, Potulski is still a player who is just breaking into the national team, like most young players, while Kiwior returns to his natural position. In fact, we may give up on that attempt to put him at left-back,” he said at the press conference.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.