FIFA World Cup 2010
Slovenia
 SloveniaFootball Association of Slovenia (Nogometna zveza Slovenije) Confederation: UEFA Head coach: Matjaž Kek Captain: Robert Koren Top scorer: Zlatko Zahovič FIFA ranking: 23 World Cup Appearances: 1 Team Colors: Best Results
World Cup Round 1, 2002 African Nations Cup Round 1, 2000 |
The Slovenian national team had a great performance in the qualifiers stage for this World Cup.
Slovenia was for several years linked to the former Yugoslavia; it wasn’t until 1991, after independence, that the team began to play on behalf of the newly formed independent nation.
The small country, with a population of under 2 million people, managed nonetheless to form an excellent football team, defeating countries with much more football experience, including Poland, the Czech Republic and Russia.
The 2010 South African World Cup will mark Slovenia’s second participation in the highest world soccer tournament. The squad is now presented in Group C, ready to defy the unfavorable predictions that have plagued the team throughout.
Qualifying Stage
When Slovenia was drafted to Group 3 of the European qualifications, there was speculation among the media that the Czech Republic and Poland would dominate the group. However, as evidenced, it was an impressive match between Slovenia and Slovakia. At the end, in the playoff draw, the Slovenes faced the Russian team.
The Russians felt pretty confident with the draw. They assumed that a small country like Slovenia would not represent any threat for their interests. In the home game, the Russians took the lead with a 2-1. But in the final match, the Slovenes, playing in their own field, redoubled their efforts and did what seemed impossible. With a decisive shot, Zlatko Dedic changed the story of the classification and thus sealed one of the best surprises in recent years.
Players
The Slovenian team's success lies in its teamwork and its players’ strong skills. Probably the best-known Slovenian player is striker Milivoje Novakovic. However, it’s not for its offense that the team has gotten to where it is now. With the exception of perhaps the Netherlands, Slovenia has the most unbeatable defense in the entire European continent. If the team managed to balance this defense with a successful transition in the attack, the team could continue giving surprises in the World Cup.
Head Coach
Coach Matjaz Kek, 48 years old, began his career as coach of Slovenia when he took over the youth teams. His good performance in the minor leagues led the Slovenian Federation to give him the chance to lead the senior national team. The new coach has fit well in the team and his players have responded to his tactical scheme, which is focused on defense. We'll see what luck runs for such a dedicated team on the African continent.