The Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. They played their first match in 1992 after the split of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1991. Before that, Slovenian players played for the Yugoslavia national football team. Slovenia were surprise qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2000 when they beat Ukraine in a playoff.
Slovenia was a surprise qualifier for UEFA Euro 2000 when they beat Ukraine in a playoff. The team then drew with Yugoslavia and Norway and lost to Spain 2–1. Slovenia achieved another major success two years later, qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, this time defeating Romania in a playoff. They did not lose a match in their whole qualifying campaign, recording six wins and six draws. However, they did not score any points in the group stage of the finals. Slovenian football fans are rapturous again as the national football team is back on track to qualify for the 2012 European Championship in Poland and Ukraine.
Slovenia Football Ranking
In October, Slovenia faced two lower-ranked opponents. The match against the Faroe Islands, which Slovenia won 5-0 with young talent Tim Matavž scoring a classical hat-trick, was really just good training for next game against Estonia in Tallinn. The Estonians surprised many in Belgrade, where they beat the Serbian team 1-3; they were full of confidence before a match against Slovenia. The confrontation in Tallinn was played in tough weather conditions and the performance was great. Slovenia won by luck, with Estonia scoring an own goal.
On 12th August 2011, Slovenia and Belgium played to a scoreless draw in a friendly on Wednesday. The two teams started slowly and the first half passed almost uneventfully. Slovenia’s Milivoje Novakovic attempted a header in the eighth minute and Dries Mertens.
The NZS.si is the official internet portal of the Football Association of Slovenia (NZS – Nogometna Zveza Slovenije) – the governing body of football in Slovenia. In the first place, it is responsible for the national football teams including the A national Team which is currently participating in the qualifications for the FIFA World Cup 2010.
Slovenia Squad
Goalkeepers:
Samir Handanovic (Udinese/ITA), Jasmin Handanovic (Mantova/ITA), Aleksander Seliga (Sparta Rotterdam/NED).
Defenders:
Bojan Jokic (Chievo/ITA), Marko Suler (Ghent/BEL), Bostjan Cesar (Grenoble/FRA), Branko Ilic (Locomotiv Moscow/RUS), Matej Mavric Rozic (Coblenz/GER), Dejan Kelhar (CS Bruges/BEL), Elvedin Dzinic (Maribor), Miso Brecko (Cologne/GER), Suad Filekovic (Maribor).
Midfielders:
Andraz Kirm (Wisla/POL), Andrej Komac (Maccabi Tel Aviv/ISR), Rene Krhin (Inter Milan/ITA), Mirnes Sisic (PAS Giannina/GRE), Darjan Matic (Rapid Bucharest/ROM), Dalibor Stevanovic (Vitesse Arnhem/NED), Robert Koren (West Bromwich/ENG), Aleksander Radosavljevic (Larissa/GRE), Valter Birsa (Auxerre/FRA).
Strikers:
Milivoje Novakovic (Cologne/GER), Zlatko Dedic (Bochum/GER), Zlatan Ljubijankic (Ghent/BEL), Nejc Pecnik (Nacional/POR), Tim Matavz (FC Groningen/NED).