Bratislava Slovenian: I Have Two Little Slovaks at Home

Kenan Bajrić, a familiar face in the Slovenian national football team, has found a true home away from home in Bratislava, Slovakia. Since joining the country's most prominent club, Slovan Bratislava, in the autumn of 2018, Bajrić has become a beloved figure, even after a stint with Pafos in Cyprus between 2021 and 2023. His return to the land under the Tatras was met with enthusiasm, as he revealed in the Šprtcast ta3 podcast that he feels completely at ease there.

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If I speak only for myself, I feel wonderful here. And I have two little Slovaks at home.

With an impressive 248 appearances for Slovan, Bajrić holds a distinguished third place on the club's all-time list. He trails only the legendary Czechoslovakian international Marian Masny and former teammate Aleksandar Čavrić. Bajrić often spends his free time with his family and fellow Slovenian players, including Andraž Šporar, whom he has known since their school days. Their shared journey has led them to Slovan, where they continue to compete, both on and off the field.

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When I came here, the language sounded similar to Slovenian. At first, we had a Slovak teacher, and later I started learning on my own. I listened to locals in cafes, and new words just stuck to me.

What truly highlights Bajrić's integration is his family life. He proudly states, "I have two little Slovaks at home." His children attend kindergarten in Bratislava, hold Slovak citizenship, and often converse in Slovak amongst themselves, much to the amusement of their parents. This deep connection to Slovakia extends to Bajrić's own language acquisition. Initially finding Slovak similar to Slovenian, he immersed himself in learning the language, aided by a teacher and by actively listening to locals in cafes. He cherishes his life in Bratislava, finding it similar to Ljubljana in its manageable size and enjoying excursions to the surrounding countryside and the High Tatras with his children.

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I like it very much. It's similar to Ljubljana, there are no long distances. When we have free time, we go with the children to the countryside around the city to a farm with domestic animals, and we also like to go to the High Tatras.