Vanja Drkušić is living his dreams today, but once… “I was tired of football. At twenty, I even contemplated ending my career”(VIDEO)
Photo: Grega Valančič / Sportida
After an almost three-month-long winter break, the second part of the season will continue in Russia, where Slovenian national team footballer Vanja Drkušić earns his bread. The central defender took time for readers of the website Football.si before the spring premiere (Sochi will visit Baltika on Sunday, a match of significant importance as they are battling for survival, so there’s no need to emphasize the importance of the game).
“In the interview with our journalist Niko Brumn, Vanja Drkušić expectedly looked a lot into the future, which could bring him many unforgettable moments (Euro 2024, a million-dollar transfer), while also recalling moments when his life was far less pleasant.”
Vanja Drkušić is one of those Slovenian footballers who ventured abroad at a young age. After excellent performances for Krško, he caught the eye of Heerenveen, which took the promising Slovenian to the Netherlands in 2016. Born in Novo Mesto, Vanja Drkušić diligently trained and regularly played in the land of windmills (85 matches for the under-19 and under-21 teams), but it wasn’t all smooth sailing at Heerenveen. He experienced firsthand how difficult it is to go abroad at such a young age.
“It was very difficult, especially in the first six months, I remember there was a lot of homesickness. But in the end, you always have a bigger goal in mind. I started playing football at the age of five, and at that time, I wanted to become a professional footballer someday. When it came to the transfer, I probably would have preferred to stay home with my family, girlfriend, and friends. But I knew that this was a step I had to take for ultimate success. No one guarantees it, but sometimes you just have to sacrifice some things. It was tough, but after about six months, everything calmed down. I was also lucky that there were quite a few Slovenians in Heerenveen at that time. Over time, I accepted this small town in the Netherlands as my second home. I learned the language and met a lot of people from different nationalities. It was definitely a very good experience.”
Vanja Drkušić: “My father convinced me
“Today I am very grateful for that period. I learned that I can take something good from every bad thing or negative situation. But it was very difficult… I was in southern Italy, where no one speaks English. Fortunately, there was also an Estonian who spoke English, so we spent more time together. Otherwise, it was a really bad period. When I saw that things in my career were not coming together at all, I was a bit tired of football. It’s a bit funny when you’re 20 years old… At that time, I remember having a conversation with my father, telling him that I was thinking of quitting football. Fortunately, my father encouraged me enough at that time and reassured me with words that quality always comes to the fore. Thank God he was right, and his words actually came true,” explained Vanja Drkušić, who then experienced a true rebirth at Bravo.
The club from Šiška, which celebrated its 18th birthday this week, propelled him among the best individuals in the Prva liga Telemach and actually among the best Slovenian footballers. It is needless to emphasize that he will be eternally grateful to the people of Ljubljana for the opportunity when few believed in him.
“Bravo will truly always remain in very fond memories for me. It is a club that gave me the opportunity to showcase myself at the highest level of Slovenian football. They believed in me. Even when there were some bad matches, they still believed in me. Everyone says Bravo is a kind of family club, and it really is. I can say that we were so connected with teammates that we were really like a family. I have very beautiful memories attached to Bravo,” admits Vanja Drkušić, who, through his performances for Bravo, sent a clear message to all young footballers: never give up, always trust yourself, and believe in the path you walk.
“Advice for the young? It’s very difficult to give some wise advice. I went abroad very young and then returned to Slovenia. We know that everyone immediately said I was just one of many who went this way and got burned. I can say that everyone kind of gave up on me. They also said back then that it’s better to stay in Slovenia and play in the first Slovenian league to build a career. Personally, I think it depends on each individual. Young people need to realize that a lot of luck is needed to succeed in the end. But the most important thing, I think, is to believe in yourself and your qualities when difficult moments come. Confidence in your abilities is the most important,” emphasizes Vanja Drkušić, born at the turn of the millennium, who has been earning his bread in the Russian tourist gem since January 2022.
Possibly even for the first time in his career
In recent times, there has been much talk that he will leave Soči for a million-dollar amount, but the transfer did not happen. Crvena zvezda wanted him; Olympiakos was interested, clubs from Italy looked at him; he was the target of the biggest Russian Premier League clubs. But Soči doesn’t let him go. Vanja Drkušić is their captain, their leader, and the person around whom they build the team. Everything is fine, but when others offer you millions and your club persistently rejects offers even from Champions League teams, it’s not easy to keep your thoughts just on the field.
“At one point, it was really tough,” Vanja Drkušić admitted bluntly about everything that happened regarding transfer rumors, adding: “Maybe it was even the first time in my career that there was some serious interest, and a lot was written about me. Already in the summer and now in winter, there were really a lot of things in the media. Consequently, it was very difficult to stay focused during this period, but I think this will also help me in continuing my career. I think there will be many more such situations, and all this will help me react more easily when it happens.”
In a conversation lasting more than 20 minutes, Vanja Drkušić also touched on many other topics, including the Slovenian national team and the upcoming highlight of the summer – the European Championship in Germany. For all this and much more, watch the video interview below with one of the hottest Slovenian footballers at the moment.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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