Benjamin Sesko is the great hope of the Slovenian national team.
imago
After their 4:0 win against Kosovo, Switzerland will be looking to double their tally against Slovenia in the World Cup qualifiers on Monday. But beware: the Slovenians could be uncomfortable. The Nati opponent in the check.
Slovenian fans have had to wait a long time for footballing highlights. The euphoria was correspondingly great when the nation was able to take part in a major tournament in 2024 for the first time since the 2010 World Cup. And Slovenia certainly caused a sensation in Germany, qualifying for the round of 16 with three draws in a difficult group with England, Denmark and Serbia.
The Slovenians also held their own against Portugal over 120 minutes and brought Cristiano Ronaldo’s star ensemble to the brink of defeat. In the end, however, the Portuguese prevailed on penalties.
Despite the disappointment, Slovenia were able to take the momentum with them and also performed well in the Nations League (League B). The only two defeats were against Norway. These were Slovenia’s only two defeats in their last 20 games, or since the start of 2024. During this period, their victories included a 2-0 win over Portugal and two draws against Austria.
Celebrities at the front and at the back
The start to the World Cup qualifiers gave the Slovenians hope that they could make it to their first World Cup in 16 years. Matjaz Kek’s team held the favored Swedes to a 2-2 draw in the opening match.
When looking at the squad, two names in particular stand out: Jan Oblak and Benjam Sesko. Oblak, the Atlético goalkeeper, has been one of the world’s best goalkeepers for years. Sesko moved from RB Leipzig to Manchester United this summer for 76.5 million euros. The center forward has scored 16 goals in 42 international matches to date.
Otherwise, the team is made up of rather less prominent names. Former Super League players Sandi Lovric (formerly of Lugano) and Andraz Sporar (formerly of Basel) are among the top performers, as is central defender Jaka Bijol from Leeds United.
Advantage for Switzerland
According to Transfermarkt, the Slovenia squad has a total market value of 156 million euros. By comparison, the Swiss national team has a value of 244.4 million euros.
The record also clearly speaks in Switzerland’s favor. They have won six of their nine encounters to date, with the last meeting being ten years ago. That match in qualifying for the 2016 European Championship was extremely close: after trailing 2-0, the Nati were able to turn the game around thanks to three goals in the closing stages.
The national team is therefore the favorite going into the clash in Basel (kick-off at 20:45), but Yakin and Co. should be warned. These Slovenians should not be underestimated.
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