David Brekalo still remembers everything about 18 November 2009. Joined on the couch by his brother and father, Brekalo watched in amazement as Slovenia defied the odds to beat Russia 1-0 in their play-off second leg to earn a trip to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. Just ten years old at the time, Brekalo celebrated Zlatko Dedic’s 44th-minute, game-winning goal as if his nation had just won the tournament.
Fifteen years after Slovenia’s ‘golden generation’ participated in their second World Cup, Brekalo and a new batch of players are hoping to carve out their own legacy. The 26-year-old was part of the squad that reached the knockout stage at the UEFA EURO 2024 and will begin UEFA qualifying for FIFA World Cup 26™ in September in Group B against Kosovo, Sweden and Switzerland.
North America is already familiar territory to the central defender, who plays his club football in Major League Soccer (MLS) for Orlando City SC. Brekalo has taken a shine to central Florida, with its dizzying array of entertainment and food options that will surely entice visitors during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ when Orlando’s Inter&CO Stadium and Camping World Stadium host a combined six matches.
In an interview with FIFA, Brekalo talked about the motivation to return Slovenia to the World Cup, his life in Orlando and his surprise at the growth and popularity of football in the USA.
You’ve just started your second season in MLS. How do you feel things are going for you in Orlando?
I feel very optimistic about this season, because the first season I had to deal with so much stuff, like whether my transfer would go through. I was just off my surgery and still in my rehab period. As soon as the season started, we played every three days and it was just too much for my body to handle at that time. The whole season I felt like I couldn’t catch a rhythm. I’m happy now that I did a full preseason and I feel awesome.
What’s your perspective on the level of MLS?
I’m super impressed by it. I think that most of Europe may look down slightly upon MLS, but it’s super competitive. And I’m just happy that I’m in a league that always keeps trying to improve and is growing year by year. It’s a healthy environment in all aspects.
What are your thoughts on the footballing culture in the USA?
I’m surprised by it. I just saw on Instagram a post about the attendance in the league and it’s awesome numbers, maybe an average of like 20,000 people per game. Those are huge numbers that compare to the best leagues in the world. MLS should not be looked down upon, and it’s also awesome to play in front of full or almost-full stadiums.
Do you sense a lot of excitement about the Club World Cup there in Orlando and what can you tell visiting fans about the city?
There is [excitement] and everybody’s happy that the soccer is going to be here in Orlando. First is Disney World, for which the whole world comes to Orlando. And then also the amazing food. There is a wide spread of cultures in Orlando, so you can eat food from all parts of the world. The people are nice as well. Whatever you want to go and see, there is an opportunity to do that in Orlando.
Switching gears to the Slovenia national team, what are your thoughts on the team right now?
I think about 80 or 90% of the team is going to be the same. The coach [Matjaz Kek] has been building a sort of platform for three or four years now, and he knows that he’s getting results out of it. I think there won’t be huge changes as far as the roster goes. We know what we are and everybody knows that we fight. In the EURO the team showed that we can play against the biggest teams like, England, Portugal and Denmark, so I don’t think we are going to big underdogs in the upcoming qualifiers.
Tell me about your experience at the EURO. What did it mean to you?
It meant the world to me, but it sucks that I didn’t start. That’s why I hope there will be more opportunities like that. It’s World Cup now, and then again, the EURO after that. I want to be part of the squad that qualifies and plays in the big tournaments. First, it’s important for me and my family, and second, it goes down in the history books. We are a small country and it doesn’t happen often that we qualify to these kind of tournaments.
What are your thoughts on your World Cup qualifying group opponents?
I would say Kosovo is most likely going to be viewed as a big underdog, but they’re not going to be as easy as everybody may think. It’s going to be a tough competitive group. Of course, Sweden and Switzerland, their qualities go without saying. But we know our strength and we won’t give up until somebody takes the points away from us.
What are the keys to Slovenia qualifying for the World Cup?
First, everybody needs to be in a good form and be playing in their clubs, so they come ready to the national team for these important games. Second is obviously you also need some luck, but you don’t deserve luck without giving 100% effort.
What is it like in Slovenia when the national team is in a major tournament?
As a country, even if we we have problems, but at that point, everybody just goes in the same direction, watches the game and cheers for the national team. It’s a big thing. I think it unites the country.
Slovenia’s ‘golden generation’ from the 2002 and 2010 World Cups was very special, so what would it mean to you to be part of a team that brings new memories to fans?
It would mean everything. That’s why we play football. These kinds of moments are the moments you can’t buy. You can only work for it on the field. All of those boys that were part of that South Africa 2010 squad, they’re still big names and nobody’s ever going to forget them. The thought of being in the same league as them would be a huge thing for every single player in the squad right now.
What does NBA superstar Luka Doncic represent for all Slovenian sportsmen?
It’s awesome to have this kind of representative of our country on the biggest stage in his sport. Everybody in Slovenia is cheering for him and wishing him the best. For everybody in our country, he’s the greatest. He’s also a huge fan of us. He wished us luck in the EURO and was proud of us for how we were playing. I’m sure that he will come watch the games if we make it to the World Cup here in the US.
