Thatâs especially true after a surprising 1-0 win against Belgium, the Group E favourites, in their opening game of the tournament. After the match, Slovakiaâs players danced and sang along to a popular folk song Macejko, Macejko with a huge group of travelling supporters in Frankfurt, among which sat former internationals Martin Skrtel and Jan Durica.
Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka praised the fans, calling them âfantasticâ and said he heard them in the second half even though he was in front of the Belgian stand. Slovakia have managed to get supporters on their side again â and they will see thereâs another struggling giant out there for the taking.
Head coach Francesco Calzona joked that ânobody would bet a euro on us before the tournamentâ, but the team fulfilled their expectations and are playing in an interesting way. After the 1-1 draw against Romania, Stanislav Lobotka was asked by Slovak media what reaching the knockout stages meant? âThat we will be here for three more days, so we will have a vacation shorter by three days,â he jokingly replied.
However, Slovakia believe they can do more than that.
Similar to England, Slovakia fans are usually not easy to satisfy. Even though the country qualified for a third Euros in a row, there were still doubters of Calzonaâs methods.
He always had a tough job on his hands. In the summer of 2022, Slovakia fired the national team coach Stefan Tarkovic and started looking for his successor. The Slovak Football Association didnât have enough money to attract an established name, so they ended up picking the Italian, who became the first foreign coach in the history of the country.
ãã®èšäºã¯ The Independent ã® June 29, 2024 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ The Independent ã® June 29, 2024 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã9,000 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
Russell gifted Austrian win after Verstappen collision
Mercedesâ George Russell celebrated a surprise Austrian Grand Prix win yesterday after Red Bullâs triple world champion Max Verstappen and McLarenâs Lando Norris collided late in the race while fighting for the lead.
Questions to answer over Djokovic's form and fitness
Alexander Zverev may have been missing something when he declared Wimbledon as the âmost open Championships that weâve had in 20 yearsâ.
Spain turn on the style as Germany challenge awaits
Two sides who could scarcely have more different tactical ideas and playing styles. Two sides who have polar opposite histories, in international footballing terms, too.
Southgate gets lastminute lifeline to redeem himself
There was a minute left to run on Gareth Southgateâs reign, the clock ticking down on a dismal tournament that seemed a demoralising end to the second-finest tenure of any England manager.
Bellingham heroics saves England from sorry defeat
The sort of moment that makes it all worth it, and maybe helps England find their true worth as a team.
Crowe's shockingly good set adds the feelgood factor
The Gladiatorâ star charged enthusiastically through covers of Dire Straits and Johnny Cash, along with some original songs, on the Acoustic Stage. Louis Chilton was charmed
ACES OF SPADES
Adele Cardani takes us on a tour of six of the loveliest green spaces you can visit, from the garden of England to up North
THE EGO HAS LANDED
In a world of social media and selfies, it can be tempting to diagnose everyone with narcissistic traits. Helen Coffey asks experts about the reality of narcissism in its different forms
'We can't let ourselves feel hopeless about the climate'
As the general election looms, Mark Beaumont talks climate activism with Simon Pegg, Sophie Duker and Will McCallum on location in the Greenpeace Field at Glastonbury Festival
US to remove $320m Gaza aid pier until aid flows again
The pier built by the US military to bring aid to Gaza, at a cost of $320m, is being removed to protect it from the weather â and officials say they are considering not reinstalling it unless aid begins flowing out into the population again.