As back-handed compliments go, Slovakian coach Pavel Hapal served up a real doozy some years back when talking about defender Milan Škriniar.
"All players should work like Milan. Football is not just about talent."
Ouch, except of course Hapal did not intend his words to be any sort of insult, and furthermore, when retracing the early days of the PSG star’s career it’s easy to see what he was referring to.
| Per year | €5,604,508 | £4,733,673 |
| Per month | €467,042 | £394,472 |
| Per week | €107,779 | £91,032 |
| Per day | €15,354 | £12,968 |
| Per hour | €639 | £539 |
| Per minute | €10 | £8 |
Aged 19, Škriniar was on loan at ViOn Zlate Moravce in the second tier of Slovakian football after failing to make an impact at MSK Zilina. To casual onlookers he resembled an awkward, agricultural centre-back, the kind not overly fussed whether they get leg or ball.
The notion that this player in seasons to come would win league titles in two countries, be regarded as one of the best centre-backs in Europe and be crowned Slovak Footballer of the Year on four occasions would have been farcical to local armchair critics.
That he would be deemed ‘elegant’ in various articles about him would have blown their minds.
Except the coaches knew this whole time. They noted that his long clearances always seemed to land at the feet of a team-mate. They appreciated his innate sense of positioning that rarely left him exposed or stretched. They could see beyond his awkward gait.
Škriniar’s application and ferocious drive routinely translated to committed displays on the pitch but that’s not the only reason why he is PSG’s principle stopper, or why he is heading to the Euros this summer so widely feted.
Talent has played a big part too.
How Much Is Milan Škriniar Worth?
Interestingly, the defender’s wages in Paris match what he received in Milan, that being a lofty £91,000 per week. That equates to £4.7m a year. There are hefty bonuses to consider too.
What isn’t included in the figures above however is his signing-on fee, joining PSG as a free agent in 2023. Reports that the Slovakian star was handed €12m is wide of the mark, but not by much. It certainly trebled his net worth at a stroke.
Slovakia - Stage Of Elimination - Round of 16
A long-standing association with Puma is a reliable income-stream while Škriniar also recently profited by selling his luxurious property in Milan for more than what he paid for it.
His net worth is conservatively pitched at £16m.
Italy and Respect
Sampdoria took a punt on Škriniar when they signed him in 2016.
By then he was a Slovakia Under 21 regular and had returned to Zilina, establishing himself as a first-choice centre-back. Indeed, such was his development there was even talk of the young defender being the natural heir to Martin Skrtel in the international set-up.
But still, he was far from the finished article. It was a gamble.
Thankfully, for Il Doria it was one that paid off, and handsomely, with Italian football suiting Škriniar’s attributes to a tee.
In his short 18-month spell in Genoa he was an ever-present, putting in performances that made people sit up and take notice.
Inter Milan certainly did, committing to a €20m transfer and a five-year contract in 2017 and the player wasted no time in becoming a defensive lynchpin for the Nerazzurri. He was composed in possession and commanding off it, a natural leader.
Off the pitch, team-mates were impressed with how down-to-earth he was, modest. The player nicknamed ‘Skrinka’ (meaning ‘locker’) had found a home at the San Siro.
There he stayed for six years, leading his side to a Scudetto in 2021 and to a Champions League final two years later. But by then, alas, things had soured on the peninsula, with contract negotiations breaking down and PSG seeking to sign him on a free.
Consigned to the bench in that final as punishment was a regrettable end to a high-achieving period for both player and club.
On the plus side, PSG was hardly a down-turn in his career trajectory while benefiting from a bumper signing-on fee will have boosted an already burgeoning bank balance.
Family Life
In 2014, while still a teenager, Škriniar began dating Barbora Hroncekova, at the time an aspiring model.
Since then, she has made inroads into the modelling world, promoting Slovakian brands while building up an Instagram following that tops 60,000. In 2019, Barbora won the hearts of all Inter fans by publicly stating that she hates Juventus.
In 2023, daughter Charlotta was born and the small clan presently live contentedly in a spacious Parisian apartment.
Škriniar is also close to his bother Radoslav.
He may not be a Euro 2024 winner this summer but Milan Škriniar is a winner in life.
Slovakia
To date the no-nonsense centre-back has made 68 appearances for his country and this summer he captains them into their third successive Euros.
Minus their brilliant, now retired, talisman Marek Hamsik, it is no surprise that the Falcons are distantly priced in the Euro 2024 odds but don’t discount them progressing from a fairly ordinary Group E.
Ranked 48th in the world reaching the knock-outs will be a feat in itself.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*
