One of the best middle blockers in world volleyball, Mateusz Bieniek, will not play for the Polish national team throughout the entire international season. The news was confirmed by the player himself, who announced via social media that for health reasons he would not be available to head coach Nikola Grbić.
Initially, the Polish Volleyball Federation only announced that Bieniek would not join the team's preparations for the Volleyball Nations League. Subsequently, the volleyball player himself put an end to all speculation and confirmed that he would miss the entire national season.
"With a heavy heart, I inform you that for health reasons I will not be able to participate in this year's national season. This is an extremely difficult decision for me because representing Poland has always been and continues to be a great honor and a dream," Bieniek wrote.
The news is a serious blow for Nikola Grbić. Even before the start of preparations, Poland was forced to deal with personnel problems, and Bieniek's absence further reduces the options in the middle of the net.
For Bulgaria, the development of the situation is also of serious interest. Our national team will face Poland in the Volleyball Nations League, and in 2026, the two teams will also be rivals in the preliminary group of the European Championship, which will take place in Sofia.
Bieniek is among the most experienced and successful Polish national players of the last decade. An Olympic silver medalist from Paris 2024, a world champion, and a multiple medalist from the biggest international forums, he is a key figure in Grbić's system of play, both in blocking and in attack.
It is not yet clear how long the 31-year-old middle blocker's recovery will last. However, Polish media report that the decision is related to ongoing health problems, with the main goal being for him to return fully recovered for the next major tournaments.

photo: Nikolay Varadinov