Directed by him, Poland slowly began to achieve successes on an international scale.

Two years later, during the 1938 FIFA World Cup, Poland, after a fierce battle, lost 5–6 against Brazil.

[citation needed] Kałuża's last game as coach took place on Sunday 27 August 1939 in Warsaw.

During the war, Kałuża, as one of the few officials of the Polish Football Federation (PZPN), remained in his homeland, where he died in 1944.

In 1946, to commemorate him, PZPN begun organizing Józef Kałuża's Cup, but after a few years this idea was given up.