Poland defender Piszczek quits national team after World Cup

Colombia's James Rodriguez, left, and Poland's Lukasz Piszczek, right, challenge for the ball. (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

WARSAW, Poland — Poland defender Lukasz Piszczek says he is quitting the national team following a poor World Cup performance.

Piszczek wrote on Instagram that he was taking a "hard but rational" decision and was ending his "adventure with the representation."

In an interview for Wirtualna Polska news portal, the 33-year-old Borussia Dortmund defender said his performance was a "great surprise" to him and that his physical condition failed him at the tournament in Russia.

Poland was eliminated in the group stage.

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