Each day between May 10 and the day before the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on June 11, FoxSoccer.com analyst Jamie Trecker will preview each of the 32 teams playing in South Africa and tell you everything you need to know about each nation represented at the world's greatest sporting event.
Country: Slovakia
Nickname: Repre
Part of the former Czechoslovakia, Slovakia became an independent state after the Velvet Revolution and the fall of the Soviet bloc. A landlocked Slavic state, Slovakia has had a somewhat tortured history, first as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and then under Communist rule, but is today one of the main trade corridors between east and west in Europe.
While largely ignored by Americans, Slovakia is a major central European nation with a highly developed economy and a thriving arts scene. And the region has been settled since the Early Paleolithic era (that’s about 270,000 BC) so it’s not like Slovakia just popped up out of nowhere.
Why don’t Americans know about it?
Well, tourism is not yet a major international moneymaker for the nation and, because things are mercifully quiet, Slovakia has tended to slip off the radar. But, Slovakia does attract people from Western Europe to its mountains for skiing and, while its capital Bratislava won’t be mistaken for Prague anytime soon, it offers much of the same cuisine and culture, albeit with less recognition outside the country.
PAST WORLD CUP SUCCESS: None. This is their first appearance as an independent nation. That said, it would be wrong to overlook the fact that the Slovaks were an integral part of the great Czechoslovakian teams that finished second in the 1962 World Cup and won the European Championships in 1976.
REGIONAL SUCCESS: None: They have never qualified for the Euros as an independent nation, but having said that, see above.
DOMESTIC LEAGUE: The Corgon Liga is small and poor. Only 12 teams compete in it; the best-known sides might be Artmedia (MFK Petrzalka) and all-time leaders MSK Zilina.
MANAGER: Vladimir Weiss. A former World Cup player with Czechoslovakia (1990), Weiss made his name as a player with Inter Bratislava. As a coach, he’s best known for his tenure at Artmedia, where he transitioned from player to coach at the end of his career. Family gatherings must be confusing: His father is also named Vladimir Weiss ... as is his son, who currently plays for Bolton. The youngest Weiss is also part of the national team pool.
KEY PLAYERS: Marek Hamsik (Napoli) is Slovakia’s young captain and playmaker. Just 22 years old, he’s already scored 8 times for the national team and 30 times in his three-year stint in Italy. Central defender Martin Skrtel (Liverpool) and aging striker Marek Mintal (Nuremberg) are also key members of the squad.
FIFA RANKING: 33rd. Highest was 17th (1997); lowest was 150 (1993).
FIRST ROUND OPPONENTS: Italy, New Zealand and Paraguay.
HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST ITALY: This is the team Slovakia is most familiar with, having played 27 matches against the four-time World champs over the years, counting the games played as part of Czechoslovakia. Slovakia is 8-9-10 overall against Italy, which isn’t horrible.
HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST NEW ZEALAND: Slovakia has never faced New Zealand.
HEAD TO HEAD AGAINST PARAGUAY: Slovakia has never faced Paraguay.
HOW THEY QUALIFIED: Methodically. Yeah, they got spanked 4-0 by England, but that was a friendly. In qualifying they beat and drew with the Czechs, took care of the games they were supposed to win (San Marino, Northern Ireland, Poland) and lost only twice -- to a clearly better Slovenia side that nonetheless finished behind them in Group 3. This is a fairly rugged Eastern European side that can give you headaches.
PERCENTAGE CHANCE TO PROGRESS: 50%. The Slovaks can and should get out of this group. The Italians won’t underestimate them, but Slovakia should beat the Kiwis and Paraguay ain’t great shakes. This is not a great team, but frankly, if they don’t advance, it’ll be a disappointment to them.
TO WATCH: If defense can make up for a lack of offense. These guys ain’t Inter Milan, and the fact that they have no one who can really be a target up front hurts them.
ROSTER
Goalkeepers: Jan Mucha (Legia Warsaw), Dusan Kuciak (Vaslui), Lubos Kamenar (Nantes), Dusan Pernis (Dundee United)
Defenders: Peter Pekarik (Wolfsburg), Martin Petras (Cesena), Martin Skrtel (Liverpool), Lubomir Michalik (Leeds), Jan Durica (Hannover), Radoslav Zabavnik (Mainz), Marek Cech (West Bromwich Albion), Tomas Lubocan (Zenit St. Petersburg), Kornel Salate (Slovan Bratislava)
Midfielders: Kamil Kopunek (Spartak Trnava), Jan Kozak (Timisoara), Juraj Kucka (Sparta Prague), Miroslav Karhan (Mainz), Marek Sapara (Ankaragucu), Mario Pecalka (Zilina), Stanislav Sestak (Bochum), Marek Hamsik (Neapol), Vladimir Weiss (Manchester City), Miroslav Stoch (Chelsea), Dusan Svento (Salzburg), Zdeno Strba (Xanthi)
Forwards: Erik Jendrisek (Schalke), Robert Vittek (Ankaragucu), Martin Jakubko (FC Moscow), Filip Holosko (Besiktas)
TOMORROW'S TEAM: Honduras
