Patrik Hrošovský ends international career with Slovakia national team

Retirement Decision and Family Priorities

Hrošovský debuted for the Slovakia national team in November 2014 under manager Ján Kozák senior during a 2-1 friendly win against Finland. He earned 62 caps and featured at three European Championships. Hrošovský discussed his departure with national team coach Vladimír Weiss, who respected the choice. The midfielder also cited the presence of adequate squad depth on his position as a factor in his timing.

“Boli sme v kontakte, keďže sa bol pozrieť aj na naše zápasy,” Hrošovský said regarding his talks with Weiss. “Rozprávali sme sa, no moje rozhodnutie rešpektoval. Myslím si, že pre reprezentačný tím je to správna voľba a budem im aj naďalej držať palce.”

Legacy and Squad Succession

Hrošovský pointed to teammate Stanislav Lobotka as a successor in the defensive midfield role. He expressed confidence that younger players will benefit from learning alongside Lobotka as the national team pursues promotion in the Nations League.

“Pomohlo mi rozhodnúť sa aj to, že na mojej pozícii hrá Stano Lobotka. Patrí k najlepším aj vo svetovom meradle,” noted Hrošovský. “Verím, že mladí chlapci sa od neho môžu učiť, čo bude pre budúcnosť slovenského futbalu prospešné.”

During Saturday’s ceremony in Prešov—hosting a national team fixture after 24 years—Hrošovský received a special jersey bearing his number 13, surrounded by his wife and children on the pitch.

Future in Club Football

While international duties are finished, Hrošovský intends to continue playing at the club level with Czech side Viktoria Plzeň, where he is a three-time league champion. He admitted that walking away from the national team previewed how difficult his eventual total retirement from the sport will be.

“Emócie sú to príjemné. Dnes som si však uvedomil, že celkový koniec bude ďaleko horší,” stated Hrošovský. “Verím, že zdravie bude držať a ešte nejaké roky pridám.”