Team USA assistant coach Luka Slabe described the FIVB Men's World Championship Round of 16 win over his home country, Slovenia, as an emotional but satisfying moment.
The 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship Round of 16 clash between Team USA and Slovenia carried an extra layer of emotion for assistant coach Luka Slabe, who once wore the Slovenian jersey in leading his home country's national team before joining the American bench.
It was a rare moment for Slabe as the country he once represented on the world stage now stood across the net from him, with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
The emotions ran high. But when the whistle blew, Slabe knew there was no room for sentiment.
“There’s one special moment when you play your home country and that’s the national anthem,” Slabe told One Sports after Team USA’s four-set victory, 19-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-20.
“You sing loud and proud, and then the war starts. Then nothing matters — friendships, where you’re from, it’s put to the side for the next three hours and you have to beat them. And that’s what we did today, and I’m very happy about our success.”
Slovenia roots, American duty
Slabe’s ties to Slovenia run deep. He once played for the national team and even served as its head coach from 2012 to 2015.
It was only in 2018 that Slabe joined head coach Karch Kiraly in the women's national volleyball team, bringing home multiple VNL golds and even an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo 2020.
Fast forward to 2025, Kiraly was appointed to spearhead the men’s squad, bringing Slabe alongside him.
“I played in Slovenia. I coached that team. They’ve always been very competitive, very disciplined, and they just keep getting better over the last 10-plus years,” Slabe said. “I’m very proud of what they’ve achieved so far, but I’m very happy that we got away with the win today.”
[ALSO READ: Coach Kiraly banks on depth as Team USA enter FIVB Worlds Round of 16 with perfect record]
Eyes on Bulgaria
Now, the focus for Team USA shifts to the next challenge: an unbeaten Bulgaria side in the quarterfinals.
For now, Slabe isn’t one to make predictions, but he expects his team to take care of business on Thursday, September 25.
“Any kind of predictions are very hard and I don’t want to predict anything,” he said. “We just gotta make sure we take care of the things we can absolutely control. It starts with rest, sleep, recovery, preparation for our next opponent, and just take it step by step.”
“Bulgaria is a great opponent. They’ve had a great tournament so far. It’s gonna be a really tough quarterfinal.”
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.