Robert Čak on Slovakia’s Shock Win Over Belgium: I Love Being Underdogs

In the first round of Group E at the European Championship, Romelu Lukaku’s two goals were disallowed, and Škranz scored the match’s only goal, securing a surprising 1-0 victory for Slovakia over Belgium. After the game, standout player Robert Čak, goal scorer Škranz, and Coach Kálczona spoke to the media.

Čak said, “It’s an indescribable feeling. This is the result of our hard work and trust in the coach, proving we’re on the right path. When everyone contributes, beautiful things happen. Nobody believed in us before the match, but I love that feeling. I want to share this Player of the Match trophy with my teammates. Without them, I couldn’t have won it. As they all prepared for this match and the tournament, each of them deserves a trophy.”

Škranz commented, “We showed great discipline. We swam against the current, and that was crucial. This win was well-deserved against top opponents; it’s commendable. This goal is definitely one of the most important in my life. It makes me even happier, and I’m very grateful to the fans. I’m glad we inspired them, and they’ll push us for points in the upcoming matches. I don’t think we can consider advancing yet; three points aren’t enough, but it’s fantastic. We have two more games to fight for more points, and we approach them humbly.”

Kálczona remarked, “They put in a tremendous effort, and we defeated a strong opponent, securing three points. Before the game, I told the boys they needed to have the mindset that we could beat big teams or compete with them. Today, they did just that. It’s a great victory, but we must keep working and focus on the next matches to achieve our goal, which is to advance from the group stage.”