It’s hard to believe that American goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, who started his professional career between the sticks with the Chicago Fire in 2021 and made 34 appearances over two seasons, is still in his teens.
In August 2022 Chelsea FC came calling and signed the youngster, but as part of the contract he would stay in the Windy City for the remainder of the MLS season before heading across the Atlantic.
Having already played for the USA at youth level, he was called up in 2022 to the senior team of his ancestral home, Poland, to represent them in the UEFA Nations League qualifiers, where he would have played against Belgium, the Netherlands and Belgium. However, he turned down the offer, stating that he wished to represent the country of his birth.
Not long after, he received his first USA cap against Serbia in a friendly in January 2023.
At the end of the 2022 MLS season, he joined up with the London side before being loaned out to his current club, KAS Eupen in the Belgian Pro League on a season-long loan. This is where Yanks Abroad caught up with the 6’3″ Illinois native, after the Pandas’ defeat against Sporting Charleroi in the relegation play-offs.
Unlike some of the other Americans who move across the ocean, and take a bit of time adapting to a new country and a new culture, his transition was without difficulty.
“For me honestly it was no problem,” the 19 year-old told Yanks Abroad. “From day one I felt like the team welcomed me in. And it wasn’t the best start either; I lost five nil to (Club) Brugge my first game, but the team and the coach that was here then still believed in me; they showed me that in training every day.”
“So I think they made it easy for me to adapt to the lifestyle here. Credit to them because they did a really good job in helping me.”
With just a few games left before his Belgian adventure comes to an end, Slonina was asked about his future; life after Eupen.
“I’m not sure,” the keeper insisted. “I’m just going to focus on the last two games.”
“The purpose of this loan was to get game minutes and that’s what I’m doing, so I felt like I learned a lot coming here this season. So I’ll continue doing that and try to help my team as much as possible.”
Things are not looking good for his team, with just two games left and a narrowing possibility of avoiding relegation to the Challenger League next season. A slip-up against Kortrijk or Molenbeek will seal their fate. On a positive note, it is highly doubtful that Slonina will be pulling on the Eupen shirt next season, regardless of how the final few weeks of the current season go.
This summer however will be a busy one for the American, with the Copa America starting in late June in the USA where they’ll play Bolivia, Panama and Uruguay. A month later the Olympics get underway in Paris. This will be the first Olympic Games for the Yanks since 2008 and they will face the hosts France, New Zealand and the winner of the CAF-AFC play-off winner.
Asked about the tournaments and his preference, Slonina stated, “Hopefully [I’ll play in] both. I’m gonna push for both.”
“Its an honor to represent the US so I’m gonna push (for both),” he continued. “Obviously I have to do my best here to get called up to those camps, so I’m just going to do my best. I want to hopefully go for both but its up to the coach, and you have to respect that decision.”
For the player known amongst fans as Gaga, making the Olympic roster is a no brainer. He will most likely be the man between the posts for the Stars and Stripes and he is optimistic about the team’s chances.
“Can we win a medal? 100%,” he stated. “I don’t think any player that thinks that we don’t [have a chance] should be going to the Olympics. So yes, I think the whole team believes that we have a chance for a medal. We definitely have a very good team.”
Coming to Europe has made him a more competitive player because, even in Belgium, the game is different. Faster. Dare one say, better?
“To be honest, I feel that everything here is at a much higher speed. It’s a little bit more do or die, especially in these moments now, the relegation battle.”
“You have to be perfect. You can’t make mistakes otherwise they’re going to capitalize on them. So for me its been getting to know the game speed, and playing day in and day out in a European league; I think its been really good for me.”
Although he wasn’t loaned out to one of the bigger teams in Belgium, but to one that often struggles, he has done himself proud. Soon to be 20 years old, it is perhaps a bit early to join up with his parent club on a permanent basis this summer.
However, the keeper who names Chelsea legend Petr Cech as one of his idols, is willing to bide his time and pay his dues.
“To be honest with you, it doesn’t matter [where I go next] but obviously at some point I want to be the number one for Chelsea. If that takes a couple of loan spells for me to have that experience for them to trust me in the games, then I’m going to just put my head down and work. That’s all I can do for myself.”
“If I’m mad about a loan or anything that’s not going to help me and that’s going to take me further away from my goal, so I’m just going to keep pushing because obviously the goal for me is to play for Chelsea one day and to be the number one. So its just about being here [with Eupen] in this moment and continuing to get better in each game.”
Gaga Slonina will next put on the gloves for the Pandas on Sunday night in the Province of West Flanders in this crunch game against Kortrijk.
