After reaching the final 16 on the European Championship 5 years in the past, Slovakia’s hopes for success at this yr’s event might be pinned on the identical participant as final time.
Five completely different coaches have been in cost and a handful of regulars have retired since Euro 2016, however captain Marek Hamšík stays the crew’s figurehead.
Now with out the likes of Martin Škrtel, Stanislav Šesták, Adam Nemec and Ján Ďurica, Milan Škriniar leads the protection whereas the crew depends on Hamšík’s creativity and vison for its attacking sport.
No one has performed extra video games (126) or scored extra targets (26) for Slovakia than Hamšík, who made his worldwide debut in 2007.
The massive query for Slovakia coach Štefan Tarkovič, nevertheless, is whether or not Hamšík can nonetheless produce on the largest levels.
The attacking midfielder, who turns 34 in July, disappeared from the highlight after ending his 11-year stint at Napoli in early 2019 to be part of Chinese membership Dalian.
Travel points amid the coronavirus pandemic and his goal to get taking part in time forward of Euro 2020 prompted him to return to European soccer this yr.
He joined IFK Gothenburg in March on a half-year contract. Gothenburg hoped Hamšík would deliver the membership nearer to its first home title since 2007, however a calf harm compelled him to sit out the beginning of the Swedish league season in April.
Slovakia will face Poland and Sweden in St. Petersburg and Spain in Sevilla in Group E.
Euro 2020 marks Slovakia’s third look at a serious event since changing into an impartial nation in 1993. It superior from its group on each earlier events, and Hamšík was an important a part of the crew’s success every time.
At the 2010 World Cup, Hamšík and ahead Róbert Vittek helped Slovakia to an important 3-2 win over Italy, which despatched the defending champions house after the group part. Slovakia ended up dropping to eventual finalist Netherlands within the final 16.
At Euro 2016, Slovakia upset Russia 2-1, with Hamšík scoring the second purpose, earlier than holding England to a 0-0 draw. Slovakia superior as the most effective third-place groups however misplaced to Germany within the first knockout spherical.
Slovakia has been struggling since. The crew failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, completed final in its Nations League group final yr, and solely made it to Euro 2020 by beating Ireland on penalties and Northern Ireland in additional time within the qualifying playoffs.
Without Hamšík, Slovakia acquired off to a poor begin in its 2022 World Cup qualifying marketing campaign in March when it failed to beat Cyprus and Malta. The crew recovered a bit with a 2-1 win over Russia.
In search for extra consistency on the European Championship, Tarkovič, who was an assistant to Ján Kozák at Euro 2016 and changed Pavel Hapal in October, will flip to Hamšík — once more.
EURO 2020: SLOVAKIA FACTFILE
Honours: None
Previous Euro efficiency: One participation — Euro 2016, eradicated in group stage
FIFA rating: 36
Nickname: Repre
Coach: Stefan Tarkovic
Star gamers: Marek Hamsik, Milan Skriniar
Main golf equipment: Slovan Bratislava, MSK Zilina
How did they qualify: Play-off winner
Euro 2020: Fixtures
vs Poland – 14 June, 9:30 pm
vs Sweden – 18 June, 6:30 pm
vs Spain – 23 June, 9:30 pm
26-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Martin Dubravka (Newcastle/ENG), Dusan Kuciak (Gdansk/POL), Marek Rodak (Fulham/ENG)
Defenders: David Hancko (Sparta Prague/CZE), Tomas Hubocan (Omonia Nicosia/CYP), Martin Koscelnik (Slovan Liberec/CZE), Peter Pekarik (Hertha Berlin/GER), Lubomir Satka (Lech Poznan/POL), Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan/ITA), Martin Valjent (Mallorca/ESP), Denis Vavro (Huesca/ESP)
Midfielders: Laszlo Benes (Augsburg/GER), Ondrej Duda (Cologne/GER), Jan Gregus (Minnesota United/USA), Marek Hamsik (IFK Gothenburg/SWE), Lukas Haraslin (Sassuolo/ITA), Jakub Hromada (Slavia Prague/CZE), Patrik Hrosovsky (Genk/BEL), Juraj Kucka (Parma/ITA), Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli/ITA), Robert Mak (Ferencvaros/HUN), Tomas Suslov (Groningen/NED), Vladimir Weiss (Slovan Bratislava)
Forwards: Robert Bozenik (Feyenoord/NED), Michal Duris (Omonia Nicosia/CYP), Ivan Schranz (Jablonec/CZE)
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