Matej Deković

Matej was not happy with what was being thrown his way playing soccer in Croatia so he decided to take things into his own hands. He worked to get recruited, made it to the Major League Soccer in the U.S., and currently plays professionally in Norway. Here he tells us all about this and his journey to playing pro.

Please tell us which part of Croatia you hail from and which sport you play?

I was born and raised in Zagreb, but most of my family is from Zadar on the coast. I come from a sports family; my uncle played professional handball for the Croatian national team and club handball, my mother and father both played handball and soccer, and my grandfather played as well, so I was always around sports. I bounced around a little bit with sports growing up, playing soccer, basketball, and handball, but I ended up sticking with soccer because I loved it so much. I started playing for my hometown team, NK Rudeš, and played there until I was in my late teens, after which I went to NK Slaven Belupo in the first division, and then to NK HAŠK before going off to college.

At which University did you play?

I went to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte majoring in international studies from 2013 to 2016, but was not able to graduate in 2016 as I was drafted into the MLS and decided to follow that path.

How did you begin your college recruitment process?

Growing up I had seen people going abroad to play sports so it was always in the back of my mind that this could be an option for me as well. When I was around twelve years old my father was offered a job in Houston, Texas so I looked into playing at a college there and it was almost a done deal but then when I played my final season in Croatia things didn’t go to plan and I wanted to try something different. At one point my father attended a conference in Charlotte, North Carolina and learned about UNC Charlotte which he suggested I look into so of course I went straight to Google. I found out that their team were in the finals, the coaches were English so I presumed they were used to recruiting internationally, especially in Europe, and I started to see myself there. By the time I made the decision to try my luck there, it was already March and I wanted to go to school that same fall. I emailed the coach, sending him my CV and my highlights and I applied to the school. Not quite knowing the process, I had made a mistake. I applied independently as a student and not through the coach or the soccer program. I was accepted to the school which was good, but the coach notified me that I hadn’t completed the required procedures for the NCAA through the soccer program. It was not possible to get the necessary paperwork submitted before the fall so I had to sit out my first year there. That fall I was able to train with the team, but couldn’t play any games, so I used that time to complete all the necessary paperwork with my coaches.

How did you decide that college in the U.S. was the best option for you?

For me personally in Croatia I never really experienced people who acknowledged my full potential and my worth, I felt as though I was being overlooked. I knew I deserved more and because of reasons that were out of my control I wasn’t treated the way I would have liked. My last season before college I played in the Croatian second division and while I was playing well my team wasn’t so I wasn’t getting noticed by the right people. I had different agents promising me different things and I felt I would end up in a cycle of wanting to do something but never accomplishing it. So instead of blaming either other people, injuries, my circumstances, etc. I wanted to take control, not blame anyone, and go do something on my own. Growing up I had a coach who kept encouraging me to look into college in the U.S. as an option, then potentially going into the MLS, and I thought this might be a great opportunity. I think that the U.S. has a perfect system where you can get an education and play your sport at a high level, which other countries don’t have.

What was it like going from Croatia to the U.S.; a totally new country and culture? What was the transition like?

I went in pretty blindly. I arrived at the dorms on my first day and had no clue what was going on. I didn’t even bring sheets for my bed, I thought they would have them. I thought I spoke pretty good English but once I got there people said it was hard to understand what I was saying because I had such a strong Eastern European accent. I understood everything, could speak, read, and write but at first it was challenging in school and my papers would be graded poorly because my grammar construction was not great. I picked up the language pretty quickly though being around my teammates and others who helped me. Besides the language, my coaches also helped me sort out things like getting a phone, opening a bank account, figuring out class schedules, etc. We had a couple of international players on the team from Europe besides myself so it was comforting to know there were other people experiencing the same things I was.

Did your university supply you with sufficient resources academically?

Yes, I was lucky to be in the South because everyone was so welcoming. After only a few months of knowing me, one of my friends invited me to his house for Thanksgiving because he didn't want me to be alone as I was not travelling home for the break. Playing soccer you recieve more resources from the school because you are an athlete, but even without sports the school was very helpful in general. They had international groups and would check up on me, ask how everything was going, ask if I needed tutors, etc. I think it was a very well supported environment.

What do you think of the level of competition in the U.S. compared to Croatia?

My coach valued fitness and hard work which I am very grateful for because it was the first time I focused a lot on my physical body rather than just my ability to play and skill. When I started playing with the team I was ahead of other guys skill-wise because in Croatia you learn so much about tactics and technique, but I was lacking in speed and athleticism where others excelled. I think playing with this coach really advanced my game because I got into better physical condition. The first difference that struck me was the amount of running, I think at the college level there is sometimes more running than in the first division in Croatia. It is also very physical but it of course varies depending on the teams you are playing against. This was definitely the biggest difference for me, the style of play; in Croatia it is very tactical and technical, but in college it was based more on athleticism.

Do you continue to have contact with your former college teammates, friends, coaches, etc. and have good relationships with them?

Yes, I do keep in touch, believe it or not I even have daily contact with some people. The first people I met were actually not on the soccer team, I met them in my dorm, and I have great relationships with them. Once I joined the team I think I spread my roots more widely and now I have friends from the team that I speak with very often which has been great.

Your team made it to the NCAA tournament many times, what was that experience like?

We went to the NCAA tournament every year I played at UNC Charlotte and were knocked out in the second round every year.To this day I think our losses in that second round were really unlucky. It was like a curse. We did not win the actual conference tournament while I was there, we would instead be top of the conference at the end of the regular season and in the conference tournament lose in the finals. This was frustrating but we still made it to the NCAA tournament every year because we had a great record during the regular season. I wish I could have left a legacy there by winning the conference and/or NCAA tournaments, but I am still grateful I was able to play in them. It was a great experience.

How was your family supportive to you during this time?

My family actually never had the chance to see me play in person while I played at UNC Charlotte because of their work schedules and their commitments back home. Fortunately, I would go home for Christmas and summer so I was able to see them twice a year. My games at UNC Charlotte were livestreamed and had live stats which is how they watched every game. I remember I would go home after a game at around 9 PM in Charlotte and it would be around 3 in the morning in Croatia and I would have a message from them about the game.

You now play professionally, how was that transition from college to pro?

I always approached my game with confidence as if I were a professional, it didn’t matter where I was, in my eyes I am always playing my top game. The risks are higher in pro so if you underperform one game you may not play for the next few weeks or months, there are always other players waiting to take your spot. Before turning pro I did play in the top leagues in Croatia so I was prepared for that kind of mentality. Going into my fourth year of college it was my third year of playing on the team but I switched my soccer status from junior to senior to match my academic status in order to be eligible for the MLS combine. After the combine I was drafted right away to the Chicago Fire. I was in Chicago for one season, then went to Norway and played for one team, and I now play for Egersund which is also in Norway. I like where I am now and every country and their leagues have their own strengths and weaknesses. I am happy here and think this is a good league for me.

Do you have any tips for young athletes from Croatia looking to go to college in the U.S. to continue in their sport?

I think a lot of people are afraid that they would be going away to play but are not playing professionally while others back home are pros. It is important to understand that this is okay and you may not have the same path as others. You could be playing pro in two years after you leave or graduate while others may have stopped playing altogether. I have friends who went pro while I was in college and now they don’t even play anymore because they were not superior at the professional level at a young age. I have three years of college under my belt and these years elevated my game. I now play professionally and received a great contract straight out of college with Chicago. Everyone has their own path and things can change quickly so if you are not satisfied with the situation you are in, don’t be afraid to try something new. I recommend college in the U.S. because you get an education and are still playing at a high level with high quality conditions. I played in the first division in Croatia and never anywhere near the same level of facilities, treatment, gear, conditions, etc. as I did at UNC Charlotte. At division one programs you have absolutely everything you need and more which makes you feel much like a pro. You just have to take some classes and do your homework. Now as a pro, I am doing the same thing as I was in college - training, playing in games, while also studying. I love Croatia and would do anything for my country, but sometimes you have to realize that it might be better to go create a future for yourself somewhere else. Some people may try it and not like it, but I think if you go and stay the course it is a really good path to take for anyone who really wants it and I always encourage people to try it.

Finally, would you share with us your favorite sport as a spectator and who is your favorite athlete?

I love to watch the NBA and my favorite team is the Miami Heat because I started to watch Dwayne Wade and loved the way he played. I find role models in athletes based on their mentalities, not necessarily their physical game. For example Kobe Bryant and his work ethic, Conor McGregor because of his belief in himself, Muhammed Ali is also a great example of someone who trusts himself and his abilities. A player that I just love to watch is Sergio Ramos from Real Madrid because we play the same position; center back, and I think he is a great player.

Thank you Matej, for speaking with us and sharing your experience. We wish you all the best with your current team and look forward to watching you further your professional career. We are sure your story will encourage other young athletes in Croatia to take a chance and get out of their comfort zone.