"Playing for the national team was my biggest goal, and my whole family is as happy as I am. When they first called me, I couldn't believe it was true, although in a way I expected the call. I knew that if I played well in the youth team and my club, that I would probably get the opportunity. Now I'll do everything I can to remain here for a longer period," Kampl told us when he first arrived at the national team camp in Brdo pri Kranju.
"The public likes how I play"
After the end of the U-21 Euro 2013 qualifications, in which Slovenia was very close in qualifying for the U-21 European championship, Kampl started to shine in his new club Salzburg and in the Slovenian national football team, which was then led by Slaviša Stojanović. Kampl had his debut for the national team on the 12th of October 2012, at the Ljudski Vrt stadium. Slovenia beat Cyprus 2:1.
Kampl first played under coach Srečko Katanec in a friendly against Turkey in Bielefeld in May 2013. On the 6th of September at the Stožice Stadium he scored his first goal in his sixth appearance for Slovenia. He scored the winner against Albania (1:0).
"The team has to grow together"
He scored his second goal for Slovenia in March 2015 when Slovenia beat San Marino with 6:0. In September the same year Slovenia squandered a 2:0 lead and direct qualification for the Euro 2016 tournament in the last 15 minutes of the match in Bern. Kampl played when one his best matches in the Slovenian jersey in the second play-off match against Ukraine in Maribor. "Kevin Kampl, self-employed," was how one journalist described the tireless midfielder with the biggest ball possession. But in the last three years, in which Slovenia played 22 matches, we only saw Kampl play seven times.
He didn't play in Cyprus because of an ankle injury and did not play for the national team last month because of illness. "See you again in November," he then wrote on Instagram. However, in the meantime Slovenia's head coach was replaced, and after the naming of Igor Benedejčič last week Kampl informed the national team that he no longer plans to play for Slovenia.
