Slovak footballer crowned champion abroad, attracting interest from Italy

Defensive midfielder Július Szöke from Shakhtyor Soligorsk is celebrating the Belarusian championship title. The 25-year-old Slovak has confirmed that he rightfully ranks among the most valuable players in the entire league.

Slovak football has a new champion abroad. One of the key players for the best football team in Belarus is Július Szöke, a native of Hnúšťa. The mining club Shakhtyor Soligorsk has won the domestic championship for only the second time in its history. With an estimated market value of 950,000 euros, the Slovak midfielder is currently the fifth most valuable player in the Vysshaya Liga, as the top Belarusian league is called. Thanks to this major success and his ideal age, it is quite likely that Szöke's value will soon reach the one-million-euro mark. His outstanding performances in Soligorsk have also opened the door to more lucrative opportunities.

Interest from Italy
"Julo plays regularly in Soligorsk and consistently delivers very good performances. His statistical indicators are excellent, and several foreign clubs have shown interest based solely on his impressive match data," said the player's agent, Jozef Tokos, for the Economic Daily (HN). In addition to teams from Eastern Europe, an Italian club has also shown interest in Szöke. He is still under contract with his current club for another year. However, it remains uncertain whether he will stay for the next season. The player himself has indicated he would be open to a transfer.

"I would like to move up a level. For example, Russian clubs closely follow the Belarusian league," Szöke told the Economic Daily from Belarus in mid-July. However, if he were to leave Shakhtyor, it would have to be for an attractive offer. The draw of next season's Champions League qualifiers and the club’s excellent conditions make staying appealing. "The Belarusian league is often overlooked in our region, but Julo has excellent conditions there. And the league itself is of good quality," Tokos pointed out.

Mission accomplished
For many years, BATE Borisov had been the dominant force in Belarusian football, holding the championship title from 2006 until 2018 without interruption. It was only last year that Dynamo Brest surprisingly won the title, giving hope and confidence to other top teams.

"When I came here in 2018, our goal was to win the championship. The club's ambitions have always been high. We finished second once and third last year. I believed this year we could do it. We had what it takes," Szöke said. That goal has now been achieved, and the city of Soligorsk, with its 100,000 residents, erupted in celebration on Saturday evening.

Dramatic conclusion
Before the final round, it seemed that Szöke and his teammates would once again fall just short. BATE was one point ahead, and a win at Dinamo Minsk would have secured them the title. However, a surprising goalless draw gave Soligorsk a chance. The "miners," with Szöke in the starting lineup, struggled for much of the match at home against FK Minsk and were still trailing 1-2 with just 18 minutes to go. The title seemed to be slipping away again. But a spectacular final 20 minutes saw them turn the game around to a 4-2 victory, and the championship celebrations began right there on the field. The year 2020 will be recorded in golden letters in Shakhtyor Soligorsk’s club history, with a significant contribution from a representative of the Slovak football school.