On the last day of June this year, they ended their famous ride. After convincing progress from the qualification, they were among the most pleasant surprises at the 2024 European Championships.
Photo: Profimedia
The coach of the national football team, Francesco Calzona, during the dramatic match against England.
Game rooms entertained not only fans under the Tatras. As a result, they lacked a bit of luck or better concentration to pull off a big shock and knock out England in the round of 16.
All that is in the past. The Slovak national football team is starting a new and again accelerated cycle. This time with an emphasis on the World Cup in 2026.
They will be held for the first time by three countries – the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. And for the second time in the era of independence, the Slovaks would also like to get there.
“Everything we showed in qualifying and the championship is behind us. We can be happy about it, but we have to look ahead to other goals,” said coach Francesco Calzona shortly after returning from the championship.
Favorites to proceed
Already today at 8:45 p.m. (the broadcast is broadcast by Sport 1), the national team is waiting for the opening match of the C-division of the League of Nations in Estonia. From Tallinn, the footballers will move directly to Košice, where they will welcome Azerbaijan (STVR) on Sunday at 18.00. In the first group, the Slovaks will meet Sweden.
It is interesting that almost exactly two years ago (September 22, 2022) Calzona made his debut as head coach of Slovakia against this very opponent. In Trnava, the Slovaks lost to him 1:2, Erik Jirka scored.
“I’m looking forward to it, it’s a new season in the national team. Maybe we are waiting for opponents who are not so successful. We are a better team on paper, but we have to prove it on the pitch. That’s our goal,” said midfielder László Bénes.
Shortly after the championship, the Slovak representative changed Hamburger SV for the first league Union Berlin. He entered the matches twice as a substitute player, in the opening round of the Bundesliga he scored a consolation goal in a 1:1 draw at Mainz.
While the Slovaks were not among the favorites at the European Championship 2024, in their group of the League of Nations, together with the Swedes, they are clear aspirants to move up a level. Only the winner of the group can do that.
“Expectations are still high as we have a good team. Since the arrival of the new coach, we have started to play nice football, and we showed it at the Euros. We all came here in a good mood and prepared,” added Bénes.
The representatives met the Estonians only twice in the era of independence – in the qualification for the World Cup 2006. They won 2:1 away thanks to goals from Marek Mintál and Ľubomír Reiter, 1:0 at Tehelno polí after a precise strike by Petr Hlinka.
“It’s hard to find an easy opponent these days. I believe that we will make it and I will also get a chance,” added Leo Sauer, at eighteen the youngest member of the national team.
A greater chance at the WC
He also changed his place of work – Feyenoord Rotterdam sent him on loan to Breda – and the approaching World Cup 2026 also brings news. The whole battle for promotion to the B-division of the League of Nations will be concluded in November this year, and after that the World Cup qualifying groups will be drawn.
The most fundamental change is that the tournament will feature up to 48 teams, twelve more than two years ago in Qatar. In addition, three of the places went to UEFA, and thus the Slovak team’s chances for further participation in the WC (the first and last time in 2010 in the Republic of South Africa) increased.
The qualification format will also be different. For the previous world championship in Qatar, the teams were divided into ten groups of five or six. As the meeting calendar is inflated, there will be twelve groups with only four or five teams.
Their winners advance directly to the championship. They will be supplemented by the best four teams from the playoffs. Twelve national teams from the second places will enter it.
And also the four highest-placed teams from the 2024/2025 Nations League, but only if they were not placed in the best pair in the qualifying groups.
Tense atmosphere
In almost two years under the leadership of Calzon, the Slovaks have improved significantly – both in terms of playing and results. At the beginning of his career, the Italian caught criticism from different sides and for several things. However, he asked for time and wanted to unite the football movement. He succeeded only partially.
The fifty-five-year-old coach cemented the cabin, the leadership of the football association is also behind him, and during the European championships, this also applied to most experts. However, at the end of the press conference after returning from Euro 2024, he did not move them unnecessarily.
In an eight-minute fiery monologue, he criticized former national team stars Róbert Vittek, Martin Škrtel, expert Ladislav Borbély and also mentioned the most famous Slovak football family. Probably the Weiss.
“There are about 10 people in this country who do not wish well for the national team. The worst thing is that they started criticizing from the first day since I arrived. Mr. Borbély is considered a football expert and pretends to be the director above everyone. However, in my opinion, he understands little football.
Skrtel started very badly. He sided with the ten people. It froze me as I didn’t expect it from him. The team understands these things and this only gives us more energy to work in the future.
I do not accept only personal attacks or aggressive expressions. But it’s not a problem, for me the team comes first,” said Calzona.
The Slovak team has the quality to be successful in the next two-year cycle. However, this time it will be more difficult.
He will go into the matches without a moment of surprise, as the opponents will already pay more attention to the aggressive style of Calzon’s charges. And nothing but wins is expected in the upcoming matches with Estonia and Azerbaijan. If they don’t come, the critics will (rightfully) speak again.
Source: sportweb.pravda.sk
