Wigan Athletic mistake underlined by player's Euro 2024 inclusion as England await: View | OneFootball

Jan Mlakar's inclusion in Slovenia's Euro 2024 squad shows Wigan Athletic's mistake

Highlights

Former Wigan Athletic man Jan Mlakar has been included in Slovenia's Euro 2024 squad, and played for his nation during their opening group game against Denmark on Sunday.

The 25-year-old had only played for his country on 11 occasions prior to this summer's major international tournament, while he is set to face England on Tuesday 25th June, with the Three Lions in action on Thursday against Denmark before that and Slovenia facing Serbia.

Mlakar has played for some big clubs in his career, such as Serie A outfit Fiorentina, while a return of three goals and two assists in 24 appearances for Italian Serie B side Pisa last campaign earned him a spot in Slovenia's Euro squad.

But during the 2019/20 season, Wigan only allowed Mlakar to make one league appearance during his loan spell from Premier League side Brighton.

Mlakar's inclusion in Slovenia squad shows Latics mistake

The Latics were relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2019/20 season, courtesy of a 12-point deduction imposed upon the club by the English Football League due to the fact they were in administration.

This is not a fate which Mlakar could have fought off, but perhaps the Latics would have been a better team with him in it, than the one they were without him.

After an uninspiring time in Greater Manchester, the 25-year-old went on to score 15 goals in 35 appearances for Slovenian side Maribor, who he represented in the Europa League.

Mlakar also played for Maribor from 2017-2019 before his big move to the Premier League.

By the summer of 2021, he will join Croatian giants Hadjuk Split, where he would gain more experience in European competitions, making appearances in the Europa Conference league.

The forward's 2022/23 season with Split was particularly impressive as he scored 11 goals in 33 league appearances while also bagging three goals in five cup outings.

The Latics should now look at Mlakar's career progression, epitomised by his involvement in Euro 2024, with regret due to the lack of playing opportunities they offered the ace.

It seems bizarre that a player who wasn't deemed good enough for a Latics side in the bottom half of the Championship has gone on to score double figures in top-flight leagues elsewhere in Europe.

A Mlakar goal vs England would be a double whammy

Mlakar has boasted a decent goalscoring record over the last few years, so there could be every chance that he is in contention to start for Slovenia against England next week.

Every Three Lions fan will be hoping that Gareth Southgate's men can overcome Matjaz Kek's side, and will also want to see another clean-sheet following England's 1-0 win over Serbia.

But if Mlakar scores for Slovenia, it could be a moment which would be a particularly tough pill for Latics fans to swallow, as they will be left with a sense of wondering what could have been if the Brick Community Stadium side had offered him more playing opportunities.

Regardless of what happens in Cologne next week, the Latics' judgement of the former QPR man has proven to be erroneous given his rise to prominence in the form of Euro 2024 appearances.