Marko Stamenic is still at the beginning of his journey but his trajectory is very impressive. Photo / Photosport
Marko Stamenic is still at the beginning of his journey but his trajectory is very impressive. Photo / Photosport
When Marko Stamenic was eight years old, he decided he wanted to be a professional footballer.
It's a common dream for millions of kids across the globe but few make the cut, especially from this part of the world.
But Stamenic has – in an unlikely journey from Stokes Valleyto Copenhagen - and the 20-year-old midfielder will be a key figure for the All Whites in their Fifa World Cup qualifying quest, which begins on Saturday in Qatar.
It will be particularly special for Stamenic, whose original footballing fantasies were sparked by New Zealand's unforgettable journey in South Africa twelve years ago.
"I remember watching the 2010 World Cup with my dad and saying that I want to be there one day and play at that level," Stamenic tells the Herald.
Like most of the country, Stamenic was glued to the television, watching the exploits of Ricki Herbert's team, as well as being riveted by Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands and other teams in that tournament.
"I watched most of the games," says Stamenic. "Even though there was some crazy hours, I still woke up – and woke my dad up as well."
At that stage football was just a fun hobby with his mates, but Stamenic's vision had already began formulating, even in a small way.
"I always thought about making it to the pro level," says Stamenic. "That's what I was working day by day to get to and my family have always told me that if you really want something in life and you really do it - you'll get there."
Marko Stamenic wins the ball for the All Whites. Photo / Photosport
Stamenic is still at the beginning of his journey but his trajectory is impressive.
He has been based in Europe since he was 18 – moving to FC Copenhagen in September 2020 – and has made 12 appearances for loan club HB Koge in the Danish second tier since graduating from youth team football last year.
But it's his time in the silver fern that has turned heads. One of the youngest Oly Whites in Japan, Stamenic was particularly impressive in the 0-0 draw with Romania which sealed progress from the group and has played every minute for the All Whites since, looking remarkably assured and comfortable for someone so young (he turned 20 last month).
"I would look at [2021] as a big success but also a small stepping stone to my final goal," says Stamenic. "To play for my country and sing the anthem was surreal. And a busy year in Copenhagen, another step up and I'm just hoping to continue that momentum."
Life is good in Denmark. After initially being with a homestay, then in a small apartment by himself, he moved into an apartment with his Danish girlfriend in January, after the pair had made a quick trip back to New Zealand over Christmas.
"It's awesome to have someone that I am very close with," says Stamenic. "And her family as well, since I don't have my own family with me. The city is beautiful, the culture is amazing and the people are really cool; 99 per cent are able to speak English that's also a huge plus."
Stamenic, whose father Nikola is Serbian and mother Kalala is of Samoan descent, was a standout on the local scene for Western Suburbs, after coming through the Ole Academy under the tutelage of Declan Edge.
But he faced a huge adjustment when he first arrived in Europe, with the pace, competitiveness and intensity in training.
"It's a different mentality you have to have, especially as a young player because coming from New Zealand, they don't know what to expect and you have to prove yourself and build that reputation that you want," says Stamenic.
"There are ups and downs and you have to deal with the downs and appreciate the ups. As soon as you let your guard down and get complacent, that's where things start to crumble."
Marko Stamenic brings a calm presence to the All Whites midfield. Photo / Photosport
Denmark is a football hub, with their national men's team ranked ninth in the world by Fifa. It's a big task to break through at FC Copenhagen - arguably Denmark's biggest club - but he has made good progress on loan at HB Koge, managed by former Liverpool defender Daniel Agger.
A typical day starts at 9am with breakfast at the club and team meetings, before training from 10.30am. There's usually a gym session after that, before another team meal in the afternoon.
"It's a pretty full week but it's good," says Stamenic. "You feel like they're training you to become a machine almost but you feel really good when it comes to games."
Since coming into the All Whites, Stamenic has stood out for his composure and steady demeanour, rarely hurried in possession and often making the right decision.
"I try to be calm on the ball and then out of position it's just natural for us Kiwis to get a bit aggressive and go into tackles," explains Stamenic. "So in that way, I don't see myself being calm but off the field I'm pretty laid back."
In the All Whites' recent games against Curacao, Bahrain, Gambia and Jordan, almost all of the starting XI were in their early 20s, aside from a smattering of veterans like Winston Reid (33), Chris Wood (30) and Stefan Marinovic (30).
If they get through the upcoming Oceania tournament – which would involve five matches in the space of 13 days and little margin for error – they will then face a one-game playoff in June to reach the World Cup, the first time in 40 years an All Whites team has faced such a scenario. Will their relative lack of experience be a factor?
"A lot of us have come into Europe quite young," says Stamenic. "And it really depends on how the team works; there's a lot of successful teams in this world that are very young and are doing well.
"It's a matter of the mindset and the coach and the tactics have a big play in it. In the last four games we've played together, we've really doubled down on knowing each other, not only on the field but off the field. I think that reflects in our game, just how close we are and that's really crucial in football. So I'm hoping for all of us to just improve and build on that."
