List of Slovenia international footballers

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A dark-haired white man wearing a training bib, holding a ball and smiling.
Robert Koren, captain of Slovenia at their most recent World Cup appearance in 2010.

The Slovenia national football team (Slovene: Slovenska nogometna reprezentanca) represents the nation of Slovenia in international association football. The team is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia (NZS), the nation's governing body for football, and is a member of both the European football federation, UEFA, and the world football association, FIFA.

Prior to Slovenian independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in June 1991, the unofficial Slovenian national team played a total of five friendly matches.[1] A year after gaining independence, on 3 July 1992,[2] Slovenia was admitted to FIFA and played its first officially recognised match on 3 June 1992, a friendly against Estonia in Tallinn.[3] In the game, ending in a 1–1 draw, Igor Benedejčič became the first goalscorer for Slovenia after equalizing in the second half.[4] Their first competitive match was a UEFA Euro 1996 qualifier against Italy in September 1994.[3] Slovenia have qualified for a major tournament four times, twice for the FIFA World Cup (2002 and 2010) and twice for the UEFA European Championship (2000 and 2024),[5] but have never progressed beyond the group stage of a finals tournament.[6] Slovenia is also one of the smallest countries by population to ever qualify for the World Cup.[7][8] As of 26 March 2024, Slovenia have played a total of 289 official matches, winning 107, drawing 73 and losing 109.[3]

Since 1992, 236 players have represented the national team in official matches.[9] The most capped player is Boštjan Cesar, who has made 101 appearances between 2003 and 2018.[10] The most capped goalkeeper is Samir Handanović with 81 appearances between 2004 and 2015.[11] Zlatko Zahovič is the all-time top goalscorer with 35 goals in his international career, which spanned 13 years between 1992 and 2004.[12] The player with the most appearances as the team captain is Boštjan Cesar, who captained Slovenia in 39 matches.[13] Benjamin Šeško is the youngest player to appear for the national team; he was 18 years and 1 day old at the time of his debut in June 2021.[14]

Key[edit]

  • The list is initially ordered by alphabetical order of surname.
  • Only players with at least ten appearances in official matches are listed.
  • Statistics are correct as of the match played on 26 March 2024.
Positions key[a]
GK Goalkeeper
DF Defender
MF Midfielder
FW Forward
Position
Playing positions are listed according to the player profiles on the Football Association of Slovenia official website.
Total appearances and goals
Appearances and goals are composed of FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship and UEFA Nations League matches and each competition's associated qualification matches, as well as numerous international friendly tournaments and matches.
Key
Symbol Meaning
* National team record

Players[edit]

A dark-haired white man, wearing an all white football kit with number 5 imprinted on it.
Boštjan Cesar is the all-time most capped player for Slovenia with 101 appearances between 2003 and 2018.
A white man, wearing the red and white football kit, kicking the ball.
Milivoje Novaković (80 appearances, 32 goals) is the most capped forward for Slovenia and the second best goalscorer behind Zlatko Zahovič.
A dark-haired white man, wearing an all red football kit and black goalkeeping gloves.
Samir Handanović is the most capped goalkeeper for Slovenia.
A white man in a black suit, watching a football match and giving orders to the players.
Prior to debuting for Slovenia in 1992, Darko Milanič earned five appearances for the Yugoslavia national team.[15]
A young white man, wearing a red football kit.
Benjamin Šeško, the youngest player to appear for Slovenia.
Table of Slovenia players, with appearance details and statistics
Player Position First match Last match Appearances Goals Notes
Milenko Ačimovič MF 1998 2007 74 13
Armin Bačinović MF 2009 2013 13 0
Jure Balkovec DF 2018 2024 32 0
Vid Belec GK 2014 2024 20 0
Robert Berić FW 2012 2019 25 2
Roman Bezjak FW 2013 2019 33 5
Jaka Bijol DF 2018 2024 47 1
Peter Binkovski MF 1994 1996 16 1
Valter Birsa MF 2006 2018 90 7
Miha Blažič DF 2018 2024 32 0
Damjan Bohar MF 2014 2021 16 1
Boško Boškovič GK 1993 1998 27 0
Mišo Brečko DF 2004 2015 77 0
David Brekalo DF 2022 2024 12 1
Spasoje Bulajič DF 1998 2004 26 1
Aleš Čeh MF 1992 2002 74 1 [b]
Nastja Čeh MF 2001 2007 46 6
Boštjan Cesar DF 2003 2018 101* 10 [b]
Sebastjan Cimirotič FW 1998 2005 33 6
Fabijan Cipot DF 1999 2007 26 0
Domen Črnigoj MF 2018 2022 26 3
Mladen Dabanovič GK 1998 2003 25 0
Zlatko Dedić FW 2004 2013 49 8
Timi Max Elšnik MF 2021 2024 13 1
Robert Englaro DF 1992 1999 36 0
Suad Fileković DF 2002 2009 14 0
Matjaž Florijančič FW 1992 1999 20 1
Damjan Gajser MF 1995 1997 11 0
Saša Gajser MF 1999 2003 27 1
Marinko Galič DF 1994 2002 66 0
Primož Gliha FW 1992 1998 28 10
Adam Gnezda Čerin MF 2020 2024 29 4
Jon Gorenc Stanković MF 2020 2024 22 1
Samir Handanović GK 2004 2015 81 0
Branko Ilić DF 2004 2015 63 1
Josip Iličić FW 2010 2021 79 16
Rudi Istenič MF 1997 2000 17 0
Alfred Jermaniš MF 1992 1998 29 1
Bojan Jokić DF 2006 2019 100 1 [b]
Kevin Kampl MF 2012 2018 28 2
Amir Karić MF 1996 2004 64 1
Žan Karničnik DF 2021 2024 26 1
Andraž Kirm MF 2007 2016 71 6
Aleksander Knavs DF 1998 2006 65 3 [b]
Vladimir Kokol MF 1994 1997 12 1
Aleš Kokot DF 2004 2008 10 0
Andrej Komac MF 2004 2010 43 0
Robert Koren MF 2003 2011 61 5 [b]
Rene Krhin MF 2009 2019 48 2
Aleš Križan DF 1992 1998 25 0
Jasmin Kurtić MF 2012 2024 90 2
Klemen Lavrič FW 2004 2008 25 6
Dejan Lazarević MF 2011 2015 20 1
Zlatan Ljubijankić FW 2006 2015 48 6
Sandi Lovrić MF 2020 2024 33 4
Tim Matavž FW 2010 2020 39 11
Darijan Matić MF 2006 2012 10 0
Borut Mavrič GK 2004 2006 18 0
Matej Mavrič DF 2002 2011 37 1
Aleš Mertelj MF 2012 2015 16 0
Miha Mevlja DF 2016 2022 50 2
Darko Milanič DF 1992 2000 42 0 [b][c]
Željko Milinovič DF 1997 2002 38 3
Jan Mlakar FW 2021 2024 15 2
Mitja Mörec DF 2007 2009 14 0
Džoni Novak MF 1992 2002 71 3 [c]
Milivoje Novaković FW 2006 2017 80 32
Jan Oblak GK 2012 2024 64 0 [b]
Milan Osterc FW 1997 2002 44 8
Miran Pavlin MF 1994 2004 63 5 [b]
Zoran Pavlović MF 1998 2002 21 0
Nejc Pečnik MF 2009 2015 32 6
Jalen Pokorn MF 2004 2005 12 0
Andrej Poljšak DF 1993 1998 15 1
Aleksandar Radosavljević MF 2002 2013 39 1
Ermin Rakovič FW 2001 2007 15 1
Rajko Rotman MF 2014 2018 15 0
Mladen Rudonja MF 1994 2003 65 1
Miral Samardžić DF 2013 2017 15 0
Benjamin Šeško FW 2021 2024 28 11
Simon Sešlar MF 1997 2005 19 0
Gregor Sikošek DF 2016 2022 11 0
Ermin Šiljak FW 1994 2005 48 14
Marko Simeunovič GK 1992 2004 57 0
Mirnes Šišić MF 2008 2012 15 2
Nejc Skubic DF 2016 2021 23 1
Andraž Šporar FW 2016 2024 51 11
Dalibor Stevanović MF 2006 2015 22 1
Petar Stojanović DF 2014 2024 52 2
Aljaž Struna DF 2016 2019 21 1
Andraž Struna DF 2012 2018 27 1
Goran Šukalo MF 2002 2011 34 2
Marko Šuler DF 2008 2013 39 3
Sašo Udovič FW 1993 2000 42 16
Benjamin Verbič MF 2015 2024 58 6
Amedej Vetrih MF 2017 2021 13 0
Dare Vršič MF 2007 2012 13 3
Haris Vučkić MF 2012 2021 12 5
Muamer Vugdalić DF 1999 2004 27 0
Luka Zahović FW 2018 2023 15 0
Zlatko Zahovič MF 1992 2004 80 35*
Miha Zajc MF 2016 2023 39 8
Gregor Židan MF 1992 1996 19 0 [d]
Anton Žlogar MF 1998 2009 37 1

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ For more information, see formation.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Captained Slovenia in at least ten games.[13]
  3. ^ a b Represented Yugoslavia prior to Slovenian independence.[16]
  4. ^ Played one match for Croatia in 1990.[17]

References[edit]

General
  • "Slovenia – Record International Players". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
Specific
  1. ^ "Vsi izidi (1992–2022)" [All results (1992–2022)] (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  2. ^ "Pravilnik o priznanjih Nogometne zveze Slovenije" (PDF) (in Slovenian). Football Association of Slovenia. 23 October 2018. p. 7. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Slovenia Football Results". eu-football.info. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  4. ^ Plestenjak, Rok; Viškovič, Rok (11 October 2010). "Estonija zgodovinska za Slovenijo in tudi Keka" (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  5. ^ "STA: Pregled - šport, 20. 11. (ponedeljek)". sta.si (in Slovenian). Slovenian Press Agency. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023. Slovenija, ki je v desetih tekmah sedemkrat zmagala, bo četrtič nastopila na velikem tekmovanju. Doslej je po vodstvom Srečka Katanca igrala na evropskem prvenstvu 2000 in svetovnem prvenstvu 2002, pod Kekovim vodstvom Keka pa še na SP 2010.
  6. ^ Plestenjak, Rok (24 June 2021). "Zadnja slovenska pravljica pod afriškim soncem" (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  7. ^ "World Cup's smallest nations: Iceland eclipse Trinidad & Tobago for record". ESPN. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  8. ^ "Iceland are smallest nation to qualify for World Cup – taking over from ..." The Irish Times. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Slovenia Footballers". eu-football.info. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Most Slovenia Caps". eu-football.info. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Samir Handanović, international footballer". eu-football.info. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Top Slovenia Goal Scorers". eu-football.info. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Kapetani" [Captains]. RTV Slovenija (in Slovenian). Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  14. ^ "Slovenia footballers by debut age". eu-football.info. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Players Appearing for Two or More Countries". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  16. ^ Plestenjak, Rok (7 June 2016). "Milanič in Novak brez Eura, Danci šokirali svet" [Milanic and Novak without Euro, Denmark shocked the world] (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  17. ^ "Gregor Židan". national-football-teams.com. National Football Teams. Retrieved 10 November 2017.