atej Trusa will continue to wear the yellow-and-blue colours! The 25-year-old striker, who has already scored six goals in the current Niké Liga season, has extended his contract with DAC until 30 June 2029. His previous contract was due to expire in the summer of 2027.

Trusa is currently the leading scorer in the Niké Liga, and his performances have also earned him a place in Slovakia head coach Vladimír Weiss´s wider squad for the upcoming national team matches.

He has so far made 67 league appearances for DAC, scoring 28 goals and providing 9 assists. He is ninth in the club´s all-time scoring charts, level with two club legends, Tibor Mičinec and Július Simon. Overall, he has made 85 competitive appearances for DAC, scoring 39 goals and providing 12 assists.

Trusa has plenty of fond memories from his time in Dunajská Streda. “The most memorable moment was definitely the home game against Slovan, when I managed to score a hat-trick. It was a really important victory for the whole club, and that´s probably the one that stands out most in my mind,” he recalls.

When asked to pick one goal he will never forget, he goes back to the end of the 2023/24 season. In the final round in Trenčín against Žilina, DAC were fighting for second place and Trusa completed his hat-trick in the match by converting a penalty. He then celebrated in front of the travelling DAC supporters.

It was during his long spell on the sidelines through injury, however, that the fans and football itself took on an even greater meaning for Trusa. The experience showed him just how important football is in his life and how much he missed it. “My motivation during the injury was my love for football and the fact that it is a privilege to be able to do what I love and consider it my job. I knew I still had some dreams I wanted to fulfil, and that I also owed it to Dunajská Streda and to football to come back. Football is a big part of my personality, so it was difficult to be without what I love doing for such a long time.”

As part of his comeback, he and his mental coach set a plan to get him back to his best form by the beginning of September. Even during the more difficult moments, he did not want to deviate from that plan. “There were moments when I often didn´t believe it would happen, but I kept coming back to the thought that this was the plan and that I needed to stick to it. I´m happy that it worked out.”

“We always had the confidence that Matej would come back in his best shape. We knew from the beginning what the steps would have to be: first the two surgeries, and then gradually rebuilding his match fitness and confidence. Throughout the past year, during both injury setbacks, we kept talking about this process and remained convinced that he would return to his best,” said DAC sporting director Jan-Pieter Martens, and added: “In his mind, there was also a strong feeling that he wanted to give something back to the club. We lost him for almost a year, but even during that time we were confident that he would come back in the best possible shape. Today, he is back at a level where he is close to the national team again, which is a great sign of Matej’s perseverance and mentality.”

Today, he is once again among the league´s leading scorers, and his performances have also earned him a place in the wider national team squad. After extending his contract, however, he does not want to look too far ahead. His goal remains simple: to do his work every day and take things step by step. “When I arrived here, I said in one interview that one day I would like to win a trophy with Dunajská. That still stands, of course. But I know it´s not that simple, and rather than focusing on that goal, it´s better to concentrate on the daily work. I use the example of laying one brick at a time. Focus on what needs to be done today.”

After what he experienced with his injury, he also appreciates the value of every training session and every match much more. “I don´t want to let my mind run too far into the future. I want to be here and really enjoy it. After the injury, I know that being able to step onto the pitch, whether in training or in a match, is not something to take for granted. The pitch is my home.”

Matej Trusa will therefore continue writing his story at DAC. At least until 30 June 2029. And hopefully, in golden letters too.