American goalkeeper Luke Kleinpeter. (source: Luke Kleinpeter)
Luke Ryan Kleinpeter, a young American goalkeeper, has etched his name into Slovakia’s footballing history.
Playing for Lokomotíva Devínska Nová Ves, a Bratislava-based club recently promoted to Slovakia’s fourth-tier league, Kleinpeter stood tall as his team achieved the unthinkable last October: they triumphed over AS Trenčín, one of Slovakia’s top-tier teams. Additionally, the 22-year-old Texan helped lead the club, which was founded in 1923, to a stunning victory in the fifth-tier league during the season, earning them a coveted promotion to the higher division.
Luke Kleinpeter during match against AS Trenčín (source: Luke Kleinpeter)
‘‘As a kid, I would dress up as a football player for a school career day, and people were like, ‘Oh, you’re never going to be a football player,” he tells The Slovak Spectator.
But Kleinpeter did not give up. The determined athlete joined the FC Force youth football club outside Dallas, Texas. Under the guidance of Tony Bily Jr., a retired footballer and the son of Czechoslovak footballing legend Anton Bíly, Kleinpeter and other young amateur American footballers spent several summers honing their skills all over Europe. During a trip in 2022, scouts from Lokomotíva Devínska Nová Ves spotted Kleinpeter’s talent.
“That’s pretty much it,” Kleinpeter remarks, emphasising Bily Jr.’s crucial role in helping him to secure his first overseas contract.
And so it came to be that the little boy from the USA is now living his dream, playing semi-professional football in the fourth-tier league and improving his game with each passing day, despite his modest salary.
Play, work, self-advertise
Kleinpeter expresses his gratitude for the chance to play football in Slovakia during our conversation, recognising it as an opportunity to increase his value as a player. He candidly admits, however, that the initially modest salary caught him off guard.
“Not everything’s about the money,” he emphasises, adding: “A lot of it is about experience.”
In the world of fourth-tier football in Slovakia, many players, including the American goalkeeper, juggle their passion with side jobs to make ends meet. Today, Kleinpeter channels his dedication into training young goalkeepers in Devínska Nová Ves. Outside of coaching, he diligently promotes himself, sharing highlights from his matches during the season. Aware of the crucial need to stand out to clubs in higher leagues, whether Slovak or foreign, he reflects on how he wishes he had embraced this strategy sooner.
“Even now, I’m still just a ‘nobody’,” the goalkeeper says, remaining humble despite his recent accomplishments. He attributes his success to rigorous training and the cohesive spirit of his team, which was pivotal in their victory over AS Trenčín on October 25, 2023. “If we hadn’t come together as a team the way we did, that match wouldn’t have happened the way it did.”
Historic result
In the 2023/2024 season, a record-breaking 280 Slovak teams threw their hats into the ring, battling for the Slovak Cup and a top prize of €50,000. This popular competition has borne the name of its sponsor, the Bratislava refinery Slovnaft, since 2011. From July 2023 to May 2024, clubs from the elite Niké Liga and the second-tier MONACObet Liga, along with ambitious teams from the lower leagues, vied for the trophy, whose legacy dates back to 1969.
‘‘It’s like the Champions League of Slovakia. Any team can play in it. As long as you win matches, you keep progressing,” the American explains.
The new season has just kicked off, with the prize of representing Slovakia in the prestigious UEFA Europa League at stake. Among the 260 clubs vying for glory is Lokomotíva Devínska Nová Ves. Its fans will be eagerly watching to see if their team can once again defy the odds, topple another top contender, and make it into the Slovak Cup’s round of 16 – and beyond.
Last season, in the fourth round of the cup, the then fifth-tier Bratislava club pulled off its stunning upset, leaving AS Trenčín, the second-place team in the Niké Liga at the time of the match, reeling as they were sent home in disbelief.
“When it was announced that we’d be playing against AS Trenčín, the entire team lit up,” recalls Kleinpeter. “We wanted to fight.”
Emotions played a big role during the historic match last October. (source: Luke Kleinpeter )
The match ended in a 1-1 draw in regular time, with Lokomotíva Devínska Nová Ves succeeding in the penalty shootout 6-5. It was a historic result: never before had a top-league team been defeated by a fifth-tier team.
Sadly, the plucky Bratislava team were knocked out in the following round, losing 0-3 to Niké Liga side Michalovce.
Penalty king
It was at 14:30 on a Wednesday afternoon that the team’s attractive tree-lined ground in Devínska Nová Ves, which was built in 1964 and has stands on just one side, buzzed with anticipation. Most players had taken the day off from their regular jobs, as football was not their primary livelihood.
For the young American, the stakes were high: the match was broadcast on television, offering a rare opportunity to showcase his talent to a broader audience.
‘’The exposure from that game was going to be everything,” he says. “If I could perform at my best in that game, it would mean the world to me, no matter if we won or lost.”
The underdog club, featuring Kleinpeter in its starting lineup, ignited the match with a blistering start as Brazilian Thiago Jantsch put them ahead 1–0 just 27 minutes in. The Trenčín squad, which was brimming with star power, managed to level the score before halftime. Kleinpeter rose to the occasion with a series of stunning saves. His heroics in the penalty shootout were pivotal, with his performance in goal helping to seal a remarkable victory for his team.
One of the crucial saves Luke Kleinpeter had during the match (source: Luke Kleinpeter )
“My main goal has always been to play in the highest leagues of football, and this match against AS Trenčín really proved to me that I can play at that level.
“It drives me forward,’’ he says.
What’s next for the goalkeeper?
Kleinpeter is proud to be part of Lokomotíva Devínska Nová Ves, calling the team “a family”. That said, he is eager to take the next big opportunity in football. Progress matters to him.
“As a player, you want to go up all the time,” the American says.
No matter where life leads him, he is already full of ambitious plans for the future. He is contemplating enrolling in a trade school, recognising the soaring demand for skilled trades, or diving into marine biology, a passion he has always cherished.
Today, after two years exploring Slovakia and venturing far from his home, he has no regrets about his decision to relocate to Bratislava.
“I’m happy I’m here. It’s been awesome.”
