PZPN

Zalewski joined the Polish Football Association as a staff member of the 1994-born Polish national team, for which Marcin Dorna became the head coach at the beginning of the 2008/09 season. Soon, players such as the then 14-year-old Piotr Zieliński and Tomasz Kędziora came under their wing. 

A year later, Zalewski left the association, dedicating himself to working in the backroom staffs of Ekstraklasa clubs alongside Stefan Majewski, and subsequently Michał Probierz. Whenever possible, the coach from Zduńska Wola combined work on two coaching staffs. He assisted Stefan Majewski with the Polish U-21 team and, for a short time, also with the senior national team. He worked with Michał Probierz at Jagiellonia Białystok, ŁKS Łódź, Aris Thessaloniki, Wisła Kraków and GKS Bełchatów. 

From the time of his return to the association alongside Majewski until now, Bartłomiej Zalewski remained continuously associated with the Polish Football Association, serving for several seasons as head coach of Polish national teams in various age categories, from U-15 to U-19. In the meantime, he also assisted Marcin Dorna during the U-21 European Championship in 2017 and planned, implemented, and developed projects related to scouting, developing, and monitoring the greatest talents in the country. He was responsible for such things as the training camps of the Young Eagles Academy, Talent Pro, Future, and Gramy dla Polski. Furthermore, he coordinated scouting courses at the Polish Football Association Coaching School.

Zalewski ended his work as a head coach with the outbreak of the pandemic, focusing solely on the aforementioned projects. In October 2024, he took charge of the Poland U-16 team (2009 age group) for the last time, when he replaced Marcin Włodarski during a two-match series against Germany after Włodarski left for Zagłębie Lubin. Senior national team head coaches Jerzy Brzęczek, Michał Probierz and Jan Urban also drew on his knowledge and skills, as he prepared opponent analyses for them. 

Over the last few months, Zalewski dedicated himself to creating the individual player development department, as part of which, in agreement with the clubs, he set short- and long-term goals for the top talents nationwide, aimed at maximising their chances of reaching the professional level.

"Over the years, Bartek has made a tremendous contribution to the development of many training projects in our federation, and above all, to the development of the players who are now the strength of the Polish national team. I have had many opportunities to see his enormous commitment, knowledge and passion for working with young players. I am pleased that a new challenge lies ahead of him, and I believe that at Legia Warsaw he will be able to make full use of his experience and ideas. Bartek and I have known each other and worked together for many years, so his departure from the Polish FA also has a personal dimension for me. I would like to thank him for all the years of cooperation and wish him every success in the next stage of his career," said Marcin Dorna, Sports Director of the Polish Football Association.

"It has been a very long, but above all, an exceptional journey in every respect. For 18 years I wore the Eagle on my chest; with pride, wherever I went, I was able to fulfil my coaching dreams and develop my skills in many different areas across all levels of the national teams, from the youth team to the senior team – the most important one. During that time, I was incredibly fortunate to work with the best specialists in football, but most importantly with good people. It is thanks to them that I am now in this place and can take on further professional challenges. I cannot fail to mention the most important link in the training process: the players. It was a tremendous privilege and honour to develop and educate the most talented footballers in Poland. Thank you all very much, and see you somewhere along the football road," said Bartłomiej Zalewski, who was presented on 9 March 2026 as the new director of the Legia Warsaw Football Academy.

For all his years of work, his contribution to the development of training projects and his support for players who went on to join the Polish national team in subsequent years, the Polish Football Association extends its heartfelt thanks to Bartłomiej Zalewski and wishes him every success in his new role.