SLOVAKIA’S Euro 2024 stars hope to be inspired to victory over England by working with a former beauty queen.
Francesco Calzona’s side set up a last-16 clash with the Three Lions on Sunday by finishing third in Group E.
And Falcons players will conduct interviews with ex-Miss Slovakia contender Simona Leskovska ahead of the game in Gelsenkirchen.
Brunette Simona has worked with her home country’s FA since 2021, producing media content.
The former model and influencer has almost 200,000 followers on Instagram.
Simona was also a finalist in the 2015 Miss Slovakia contest.
READ MORE ON EURO 2024
She said: “I have been working for the Slovak Football Federation for three years, and I started with the Under-21 team.
“They were a good side, I got used to them, and last September I moved on to working with the first team.
“Some people told me that a woman from a modelling background would not make it in football.
“But several years have since passed, and those people who laughed at me now want to take pictures with me.
Most read in Euro 2024
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
“We post more on social networks now, and make videos on the pitch.
“This concept has become very popular.
“We didn’t know until last December that we would be going to Euro 2024, so we only began preparing in the new year.”
Simona is now set to be pitchside on Sunday as England bid to reach the quarter-finals.
She added: “You may just see a pretty face, but I’ve been through a lot of hard times to get where I am now.
EURO 2024 LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM GERMANY
“There are still a lot of goals I want to achieve.
“I learned a lot about football, despite the fact that people thought I wasn’t good enough.
“When you work hard and follow your dreams, anything is possible.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
