Today, Gabriel ‘Gaga’ Slonina is a dependable option for the USMNT U-23 Olympic squad to guard their goal. However, there was a point when the US team could have lost the 20-year-old goalkeeper’s services to the Poland national team. Thanks to his parents, who migrated to the US from Poland, Slonina holds Polish citizenship and is also eligible to play for the country. Anyhow, he chose to be loyal to his birth country, but not without crediting his Polish parents’ awe-inspiring journey to success as immigrants on the other side of the Atlantic.

Not only did Slonina’s parents find success, but they also raised two soccer stars. Let’s find out more about the Polish-American family as we go ahead.

Gabriel Slonina is proud of his parents, who ‘figured out’ life in the US, despite not knowing the language

Gabriel Slonina was a transfer market favorite when he was 18. The biggest names in soccer, such as Real Madrid and Chelsea, were in a tug-of-war to poach the goalkeeper from the MLS’s Chicago Fire. Chelsea beat Madrid at the end of 2022. When asked about his early success story in an interview, the US goalie stated that he finds motivation from his parent’s life story. “If they can figure it out in a country where they don’t know anything or even the language, then whatever I am going through, I will get through it as well. They inspired me with their hard work,” said Slonina.

Gaga Slonina has never mentioned his parents’ names in any interviews. Besides, there’s no information about the Polish duo’s profession and educational background. They migrated to Addison, Illinois, Chicago, and Slonina’s father reportedly worked throughout the night to fund his US Sports subscriptions.

Similarly, Slonina’s mom had to work three jobs to fund his and his brother’s soccer aspirations. “Happy Mother’s Day Mama. when I was younger I didn’t understand all the early mornings and extra training, but I do now. You sacrificed everything for me,” Slonina wrote in an Instagram post.

Now, let’s meet Gabriel’s brother and ex-teammate Nicholas Slonina.

Meet Gabriel’s brother and MLS defender Nicolas Slonina

Similar to Gabriel, his elder brother Nicholas ‘Nick’ Slonina also rose through the ranks of Chicago Fire’s youth academy and joined the MLS side as its center-back in 2020. Typical of a big brother, Nicholas donned a Sensei’s hat to make sure that his younger brother’s soccer career blossomed. “No one else in the world has taught me more things in life than you, thank you for always showing me that tough moments create tough people,” Gabriel Slonina wrote in a post on Nicholas’ birthday.

Unlike Gaga Slonina, Nicholas did not continue with his soccer career. He left the Chicago team in 2022 and became a full-time realtor. He founded the real estate company named Slonina Estates and also owns NGS Logistics.

To sum up, this was all about the 20-year-old goalie’s family. There’s no information about his relationships and dating history, as he has always kept that part of his life away from the public eye. The Slonina family’s story is a testament to hard work, dedication, and the pursuit of dreams against all odds. What are your thoughts on the Slonina family’s inspirational story? Tell us in the comments.