:Slovenia at the UEFA European Championship

{{Short description|Overview of Slovenia at the UEFA European Championship}}

The Slovenia national football team have appeared at the UEFA European Championship twice, in 2000 and 2024.

During the 2000 qualifiers, Slovenia finished second in their group, behind Norway but ahead of Greece, Latvia, Albania and Georgia. In the play-offs, they defeated Ukraine 3–2 on aggregate to qualify for their first major tournament. At the finals, held in Belgium and the Netherlands, Slovenia were drawn into Group C together with Spain, Yugoslavia and Norway. In their inaugural match, Slovenia were leading 3–0 against Yugoslavia, but the match ended in a 3–3 draw. In the second match, Slovenia narrowly lost to Spain. Their last game against Norway ended in a goalless draw, leaving Slovenia bottom of their group with two points. Zlatko Zahovič was one of the country's key players, scoring three of the team's four goals in the tournament.

Slovenia would not qualify for the tournament again for another 24 years, until finally doing so in 2024; during the qualifiers, they finished second in their group, behind Denmark but ahead of Finland, Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland and San Marino. At the final tournament, Slovenia advanced to the knockout stage after drawing all three matches in their group, before being eliminated in the last 16 on penalties by Portugal.

Overall record

colspan="9"\|UEFA European Championship record !rowspan="14"\| !colspan="7"\|Qualification record
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;font-size:100%;"
Year !Round !{{Tooltip\|Pld\|Matches played}} !{{Tooltip\|W\|Matches won}} !{{Tooltip\|D\|Matches drawn, including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks}} !{{Tooltip\|L\|Matches lost}} !{{Tooltip\|GF\|Goals for}} !{{Tooltip\|GA\|Goals against}} !Squad !{{Tooltip\|Pos.\|Position in qualification group stage}} !{{Tooltip\|Pld\|Matches played}} !{{Tooltip\|W\|Matches won}} !{{Tooltip\|D\|Matches drawn}} !{{Tooltip\|L\|Matches lost}} !{{Tooltip\|GF\|Goals for}} !{{Tooltip\|GA\|Goals against}}
1960 to 1992	colspan="8"\| Part of {{fb\|Yugoslavia}}	colspan="7"\| Part of {{fb\|Yugoslavia}}
{{flagicon\|England}} 1996	colspan="8"\| Did not qualify	5th	10	3	2	5	13	13
{{flagicon\|Belgium}} {{flagicon\|Netherlands}} 2000	Group stage	3	0	2	1	4	5	Squad	2nd (PO)	12	6	3	3	15	16
{{flagicon\|Portugal}} 2004	colspan="8" rowspan="5"\| Did not qualify	2nd (PO)	10	4	3	3	16	14
{{flagicon\|Austria}} {{flagicon\|Switzerland}} 2008	6th	12	3	2	7	9	16
{{flagicon\|Poland}} {{flagicon\|Ukraine}} 2012	4th	10	4	2	4	11	7
{{flagicon\|France\|1974}} 2016	3rd (PO)	12	5	2	5	19	14
{{flagicon\|Europe}} 2020	4th	10	4	2	4	16	11
{{flagicon\|Germany}} 2024	Round of 16	4	0	4	0	2	2	Squad	2nd	10	7	1	2	20	9
{{flagicon\|United Kingdom}} {{flagicon\|Republic of Ireland}} 2028	colspan="8" rowspan="2"\| To be determined	colspan="7" rowspan="2"\| To be determined
{{flagicon\|Italy}} {{flagicon\|Turkey}} 2032
Total !{{Tooltip\|Round of 16\|Highest finish}} !7	0	6	1	6	7 !— !{{Tooltip\|2/8\|Number of tournaments qualified for}} !86	36	17	33	119	100

Euro 2000

=Group stage=

In their first major tournament match, Slovenia stunned FR Yugoslavia and took a 3–0 lead after one hour of play, with Zlatko Zahovič scoring twice and Miran Pavlin once. After Siniša Mihajlović's red card, it seemed that the team would win the first match, but then, despite being down to ten players, Yugoslavia made a comeback as they scored three goals in the span of six minutes.{{cite web |last1=Plestenjak |first1=Rok |title=Najbolj infarktna tekma v zgodovini Slovenije |url=https://siol.net/sportal/nogomet/najbolj-infarktna-tekma-v-zgodovini-slovenije-434447 |publisher=Siol |access-date=22 November 2023 |language=sl |date=29 January 2017}} In the second game, Spain took the 1–0 lead quickly as Raúl scored in the fourth minute. Slovenia equalised after one hour of play as Zahovič scored his third goal of the tournament. Only one minute later, Spain took the lead again as Joseba Etxeberria scored the game-winning goal. Around 10,000 Slovenian fans gathered at the Amsterdam Arena, which was, at the time, the record for the number of Slovenian spectators at a football match outside Slovenia, until the record was broken 24 years later at Euro 2024.{{cite web |last1=Golob |first1=Aleš |title=Video: 20 let od nepozabnega rajanja slovenskih navijačev v Amsterdamu |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/video-20-let-od-nepozabnega-rajanja-slovenskih-navijacev-v-amsterdamu/526868 |publisher=RTV Slovenija |access-date=21 June 2021 |language=sl |date=18 June 2020}}{{cite web |title=Danes je dan za zgodovinsko navijaško romanje! Noro, koliko Slovencev bo v Nemčiji! |url=https://ekipa.svet24.si/clanek/nogomet/reprezentancni-nogomet/6673b2dfb7511/danes-je-dan-za-zgodovinsko-navijasko-romanje-noro-koliko-slovencev-bo-v-nemciji |website=Ekipa24.si |access-date=20 June 2024 |language=sl |date=20 June 2024}} In the last round of the group stage, Slovenia played against Norway and still had a chance to advance to the quarter-finals. However, the match ended in a goalless draw and Slovenia won its second point of the tournament, but was still eliminated.

{{:UEFA Euro 2000 Group C|transcludesection=standings|showteam=SVN}}

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Euro 2024

=Group stage=

24 years after their first European Championship appearance, Slovenia qualified for Euro 2024 by finishing second in their qualifying group.{{cite web |title=Slovenija po 24 letih znova na evropskem prvenstvu! |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/evropsko-prvenstvo-v-nogometu/slovenija-po-24-letih-znova-na-evropskem-prvenstvu/688910 |publisher=RTV Slovenija |access-date=25 June 2024 |language=sl |date=20 November 2023}}{{cite web|title=Slovenia qualify for Euro 2024 after victory over Kazakhstan |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/slovenia-qualify-euro-2024-after-victory-over-kazakhstan-2023-11-20/ |website=Reuters|access-date=25 June 2024 |date=20 November 2023}} Led by manager Matjaž Kek, who previously led the national team in its last major tournament appearance (2010 World Cup), Slovenia was drawn into a group with England, Denmark and Serbia.{{cite web |last1=Plestenjak |first1=Rok |title=Noro, kakšen žreb desetletja za Slovenijo |url=https://siol.net/sportal/nogomet/euro-2024-zreb-skupinskega-dela-nagrade-2-621386 |publisher=Siol|access-date=25 June 2024 |language=sl |date=2 December 2023}} In the opening game against Denmark, Slovenia drew 1–1 after Erik Janža cancelled Christian Eriksen's first-half strike.{{cite web |title=Slovenia 1–1 Denmark: Janza salvages share of the spoils in Group C opener |url=https://www.beinsports.com/en-us/soccer/uefa-european-championship-3/articles/slovenia-1-1-denmark-janza-salvages-share-of-the-spoils-in-group-c-opener-2024-06-16 |website=beIN SPORTS |access-date=25 June 2024 |date=16 June 2024}} In the second match, a repeat of the match from Euro 2000, Slovenia played Serbia and came close to its first-ever victory at the European Championship. Žan Karničnik opened the score after 69 minutes, but Luka Jović scored a 95th-minute equaliser as Serbia grabbed a last-gasp draw.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Emma |title=Slovenia 1–1 Serbia LIVE: Euro 2024 football score, report and updates |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/c888n0e9jyyt |website=BBC Sport |access-date=25 June 2024 |date=20 June 2024}} The match at Allianz Arena was attended by a record 20,170 Slovenian fans, which is the largest number of Slovenian fans at any football match outside Slovenia.{{cite web |last1=Dajčman |first1=Miha |title=(REPORTAŽA Z EURA) Navijaška Slovenija: Športna evforija združi razdeljeni narod, skupnih barv pa še nismo izbrali |url=https://vecer.com/v-soboto/reportaza-z-eura-navijaska-slovenija-sportna-evforija-zdruzi-razdeljeni-narod-skupnih-barv-pa-se-nismo-izbrali-10359592 |website=Večer |access-date=25 June 2024 |language=sl |date=22 June 2024}} In the last match of the group stage, Slovenia and England contested a goalless draw. Despite finishing third in the group behind Denmark because of disciplinary points,{{cite web |title=Denmark officially finished ahead of Slovenia due to bizarre unknown rule |url=https://talksport.com/football/1938461/denmark-slovenia-euro-2024-england-group-c/ |website=talkSPORT|first=Connor|last=Andrews|access-date=26 June 2024 |language=en-gb |date=26 June 2024}} Slovenia advanced to the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time in history as one of the best third-place teams.{{cite web |last1=Golob |first1=Aleš |title=Kek: Za številne popolni avtsajderji so opravili izpit |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/ep-v-nogometu-2024/kek-za-stevilne-popolni-avtsajderji-so-opravili-izpit/712949 |publisher=RTV Slovenija |access-date=26 June 2024 |language=sl |date=26 June 2024}}

{{:UEFA Euro 2024 Group C|transcludesection=Standings|only_pld_pts=no_hide_class_rules|showteam=SVN}}

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=Knockout stage=

In the round of 16, Slovenia faced Portugal, the winner of Group F.{{cite web |title=Dramatičen razplet v skupini F Sloveniji namenil Portugalce v osmini finala |url=https://www.24ur.com/sport/nogomet/euro2024/dramaticen-razplet-v-skupini-f-sloveniji-namenil-portugalce-v-osmini-finala.html |website=24ur.com |access-date=28 June 2024 |language=sl |date=26 June 2024}} The two sides previously met in a friendly match just three months before the European Championship, where Slovenia won 2–0.{{cite web |author1=A. G. |title="Če bo kdo živel od tistih marčevskih 2:0, bomo v velikih težavah" |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/ep-v-nogometu-2024/ce-bo-kdo-zivel-od-tistih-marcevskih-2-0-bomo-v-velikih-tezavah/713173 |publisher=RTV Slovenija |access-date=28 June 2024 |language=sl |date=27 June 2024}} The match went to extra time after a goalless draw in the regular time. In the last seconds of the first-half in extra time, Slovenian captain Jan Oblak saved Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty kick and the match ended 0–0 after 120 minutes. However, in the penalty shoot-out, Portuguese goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved all three penalties as Portugal won 3–0 and advanced to the quarter-finals.{{cite web |author1=T. O. |title=120 minut so živele slovenske sanje, kruto jih je razcefral Diogo Costa |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/nogomet/ep-v-nogometu-2024/120-minut-so-zivele-slovenske-sanje-kruto-jih-je-razcefral-diogo-costa/713431 |publisher=RTV Slovenija |access-date=3 July 2024 |language=sl |date=1 July 2024}}

;Round of 16

Player records

=Goalscorers=

Four Slovenian players have scored at least one goal at the UEFA European Championship final tournament.{{cite web |title=Slovenia: All their EURO records and stats |url=https://www.uefa.com/euro2024/news/0289-1a01d83594ef-3e82df03d9d2-1000--slovenia-all-their-euro-records-and-stats/ |website=UEFA.com |publisher=Union of European Football Associations |access-date=25 June 2024}}

Rank !Player !Goals !Years
class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;"
align=center\|1	Zlatko Zahovič	align=center\|3	2000
rowspan=3 align=center\|2	Erik Janža	rowspan=3 align=center\|1	2024
Žan Karničnik	2024
Miran Pavlin	2000

References

Category:Countries at the UEFA European Championship

European Championship

:Slovenia at the UEFA European Championship

Overall record

Euro 2000

=Group stage=

Euro 2024

=Group stage=

=Knockout stage=

Player records

=Goalscorers=

See also

References