Zlatko Zahovič

Date of birth01 February 1971
Place of birthKovinar
NationalitySlovene
Weight76 kg
Height1.80 m
PositionMidfielder

The outstanding figure in the Slovenian squad, Zlatko is a talented midfield playmaker, known for his accurate passing, effective runs and above all a fine goal-scoring record. Zlatko has experienced considerable success at club level, joining Partizan Belgrade in 1994 and featuring in the team that won the Yugoslavian title in 1992-93. He moved to Portugal and Vitoria Guimaraes in 1993 and stayed for three seasons before joining Porto in the 1996 close season. Here he won three successive championship medals before moving to Olympiakos in 1999, winning the Greek title in 1999-2000 before going on to gain a European Champions Cup runner-up medal with Valencia whom he joined in 2000. He joined Benfica in 2001 close season and is back to his best. He won his first international cap against November 1992 against Cyprus and established his status as a star with some fine performances in the 2000 European Championship finals when he scored three goals, including a double in the 3-3 draw with Yugoslavia.

A key member of the team, it was thought that he would have to perform well if Slovenia were to do well in their first World Cup. However, similar to Roy Keane, Zlatko was sent home from the Slovenia camp. He was banished following a dressing room bust-up with coach Srecko Katenec after he had been substituted in their opening game against Spain.

Club history

Team Joined Left Loan / Trialist
Olympiakos 01 Jul 1999 01 Jul 2000
Valencia 01 Jul 2000 21 Jun 2001
Benfica 22 Jun 2001

Club stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
2000-01 Valencia Primera Liga 8
12
3
2
2000-01 Valencia UEFA Champions League 5
5
1
2001-02 Benfica Portuguese First Division 5
2
3
2
2003-04 Benfica UEFA Champions League 2
2003-04 Benfica UEFA Cup 2


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

Club matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
09 Aug 2000 FC Tirol Milch Innsbruck v Valencia D 0-0 UEFA Champions League 3rd round 1st leg
23 Aug 2000 Valencia v FC Tirol Milch Innsbruck W 4-1
Agg: 4-1
UEFA Champions League 3rd round 2nd leg
09 Sep 2000 Real Madrid v Valencia L 2-1 Primera Liga 1
12 Sep 2000 Valencia v Olympiakos W 2-1 UEFA Champions League Group C
16 Sep 2000 Valencia v Real Mallorca W 4-0 Primera Liga 2
24 Sep 2000 Numancia v Valencia W 0-3 Primera Liga 3
27 Sep 2000 Valencia v Olympique Lyonnais W 1-0 UEFA Champions League Group C
01 Oct 2000 Valencia v Las Palmas W 5-1 Primera Liga 4
14 Oct 2000 Villarreal v Valencia D 1-1 Primera Liga 5
17 Oct 2000 Olympique Lyonnais v Valencia W 1-2 UEFA Champions League Group C
21 Oct 2000 Valencia v Real Zaragoza W 1-0 Primera Liga 6
29 Oct 2000 Osasuna v Valencia W 1-2 Primera Liga 7
01 Nov 2000 Valencia v Celta Vigo W 1-0 Primera Liga 8
07 Nov 2000 Valencia v Heerenveen D 1-1 UEFA Champions League Group C
12 Nov 2000 Valencia v Rayo Vallecano D 2-2 Primera Liga 10
07 Jan 2001 Valencia v Racing Santander W 1-0 Primera Liga 17
28 Jan 2001 Valencia v Real Madrid L 0-1 Primera Liga 20
13 Mar 2001 Valencia v Panathinaikos W 2-1 UEFA Champions League Group A
31 Mar 2001 Valencia v Español L 0-1 Primera Liga 28
14 Apr 2001 Valencia v Alavés L 1-2 Primera Liga 30
17 Apr 2001 Valencia v Arsenal W 1-0
Agg: 2-2
UEFA Champions League Quarter-final 2nd leg
22 Apr 2001 Oviedo v Valencia D 0-0 Primera Liga 31
28 Apr 2001 Valencia v Valladolid W 1-0 Primera Liga 32
02 May 2001 Leeds United v Valencia D 0-0 UEFA Champions League Semi-final 1st leg
05 May 2001 Real Sociedad v Valencia W 1-2 Primera Liga 33
13 May 2001 Malaga v Valencia L 3-0 Primera Liga 34
18 May 2001 Valencia v Athletic Bilbao W 1-0 Primera Liga 35
23 May 2001 Bayern München v Valencia D 1-1 UEFA Champions League Final
27 May 2001 Racing Santander v Valencia D 1-1 Primera Liga 36
10 Jun 2001 Valencia v Deportivo La Coruña L 0-1 Primera Liga 37


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
1991-92 Yugoslavia UEFA Under-21 1
1992-93 Slovenia International Friendly 1
1992-93 Slovenia Mediterranean Games 1
1
1993-94 Slovenia International Friendly 2
1993-94 Slovenia Rothmans Tournament 3
1994-95 Slovenia UEFA European Championship 5
3
1995-96 Slovenia FIFA World Cup 1
1995-96 Slovenia Four Team Tournament, Malta 1
1995-96 Slovenia International Friendly 2
1995-96 Slovenia UEFA European Championship 2
1
1996-97 Slovenia FIFA World Cup 3
1
1997-98 Slovenia Cyprus Tournament 3
3
1997-98 Slovenia FIFA World Cup 2
1
1
1997-98 Slovenia International Friendly 2
1998-99 Slovenia International Friendly 3
1
1998-99 Slovenia Tournament Sultan Oman 1
1
1998-99 Slovenia UEFA European Championship 6
6
1999-00 Slovenia International Friendly 2
1
1999-00 Slovenia Oman Tournament 1
1
1999-00 Slovenia Tournoi Oman 1
1999-00 Slovenia UEFA European Championship 8
6
2
2000-01 Slovenia FIFA World Cup 7
4
1
2000-01 Slovenia International Friendly 2
2001-02 Slovenia Carlsberg Cup 1
1
2001-02 Slovenia FIFA World Cup 2
2001-02 Slovenia International Friendly 3
1
2
2002-03 Slovenia International Friendly 2
1
2002-03 Slovenia UEFA European Championship 5
2
1
2003-04 Slovenia International Friendly 4
1
2003-04 Slovenia UEFA European Championship 4


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
12 Nov 1991 Austria v Yugoslavia W 1-2 UEFA U21 Group
18 Nov 1992 Cyprus v Slovenia D 1-1 International Friendly
19 Jun 1993 Italy v Slovenia L 2-1 MEDITERRANEAN GAMES
13 Oct 1993 Slovenia v North Macedonia L 1-4 International Friendly
08 Feb 1994 Slovenia v Georgia W 1-0 ROTHMANS TOURNAMENT
10 Feb 1994 Slovenia v Tunisia D 2-2 ROTHMANS TOURNAMENT
12 Feb 1994 Malta v Slovenia W 0-1 ROTHMANS TOURNAMENT
01 Jun 1994 Romania v Slovenia D 0-0 International Friendly
16 Nov 1994 Slovenia v Lithuania L 1-2 UEFA European Championship Group 4
29 Mar 1995 Slovenia v Estonia W 3-0 UEFA European Championship Group 4
26 Apr 1995 Croatia v Slovenia L 2-0 UEFA European Championship Group 4
07 Jun 1995 Lithuania v Slovenia L 2-1 UEFA European Championship Group 4
11 Jun 1995 Estonia v Slovenia W 1-3 UEFA European Championship Group 4
06 Sep 1995 Italy v Slovenia L 1-0 UEFA European Championship Group 4
11 Oct 1995 Slovenia v Ukraine W 3-2 UEFA European Championship Group 4
07 Feb 1996 Slovenia v Iceland W 7-1 FOUR NATION TOURNAMENT, MALTA
27 Mar 1996 Poland v Slovenia D 0-0 International Friendly
24 Apr 1996 Greece v Slovenia L 2-0 FIFA World Cup Group 1
21 May 1996 Slovenia v United Arab Emirates D 2-2 International Friendly
01 Sep 1996 Slovenia v Denmark L 0-2 FIFA World Cup Group 1
10 Nov 1996 Slovenia v Bosnia and Herzegovina L 1-2 FIFA World Cup Group 1
02 Apr 1997 Croatia v Slovenia D 3-3 FIFA World Cup Group 1
06 Sep 1997 Slovenia v Greece L 0-3 FIFA World Cup Group 1
11 Oct 1997 Slovenia v Croatia L 1-3 FIFA World Cup Group 1
05 Feb 1998 Slovenia v Iceland W 3-2 CYPRUS TOURNAMENT Group B
06 Feb 1998 Slovenia v Slovakia D 1-1 CYPRUS TOURNAMENT Group B
09 Feb 1998 Cyprus v Slovenia L 1-0 CYPRUS TOURNAMENT Group final
25 Mar 1998 Poland v Slovenia L 2-0 International Friendly
22 Apr 1998 Slovenia v Czech Republic L 1-3 International Friendly
19 Aug 1998 Hungary v Slovenia L 2-1 International Friendly
06 Sep 1998 Greece v Slovenia D 2-2 UEFA European Championship Group 2
10 Oct 1998 Slovenia v Norway L 1-2 UEFA European Championship Group 2
14 Oct 1998 Slovenia v Latvia W 1-0 UEFA European Championship Group 2
06 Feb 1999 Switzerland v Slovenia L 2-0 International Friendly
08 Feb 1999 Slovenia v Oman W 7-0 TOURNAMENT SULTAN OMAN
27 Mar 1999 Georgia v Slovenia D 1-1 UEFA European Championship Group 2
28 Apr 1999 Slovenia v Finland D 1-1 International Friendly
05 Jun 1999 Latvia v Slovenia W 1-2 UEFA European Championship Group 2
09 Jun 1999 Albania v Slovenia W 0-1 UEFA European Championship Group 2
18 Aug 1999 Slovenia v Albania W 2-0 UEFA European Championship Group 2
04 Sep 1999 Slovenia v Georgia W 2-1 UEFA European Championship Group 2
08 Sep 1999 Norway v Slovenia L 4-0 UEFA European Championship Group 2
13 Nov 1999 Slovenia v Ukraine W 2-1 UEFA European Championship Play-off 1st leg
17 Nov 1999 Ukraine v Slovenia D 1-1 UEFA European Championship Play-off 2nd leg
19 Feb 2000 United Arab Emirates v Slovenia D 1-1 TOURNOI OMAN
23 Feb 2000 Oman v Slovenia W 0-4 OMAN TOURN
26 Apr 2000 France v Slovenia L 3-2 International Friendly
03 Jun 2000 Slovenia v Saudi Arabia W 2-0 International Friendly
13 Jun 2000 Yugoslavia v Slovenia D 3-3 UEFA European Championship Finals Group C
18 Jun 2000 Slovenia v Spain L 1-2 UEFA European Championship Finals Group C
21 Jun 2000 Slovenia v Norway D 0-0 UEFA European Championship Finals Group C
03 Sep 2000 Faroe Islands v Slovenia D 2-2 FIFA World Cup Europe group 1
07 Oct 2000 Luxembourg v Slovenia W 1-2 FIFA World Cup Europe group 1
11 Oct 2000 Slovenia v Switzerland D 2-2 FIFA World Cup Europe group 1
28 Feb 2001 Slovenia v Uruguay L 0-2 International Friendly
24 Mar 2001 Russia v Slovenia D 1-1 FIFA World Cup Europe group 1
28 Mar 2001 Slovenia v Yugoslavia D 1-1 FIFA World Cup Europe group 1
25 Apr 2001 Denmark v Slovenia L 3-0 International Friendly
02 Jun 2001 Slovenia v Luxembourg W 2-0 FIFA World Cup Europe group 1
06 Jun 2001 Switzerland v Slovenia W 0-1 FIFA World Cup Europe group 1
15 Aug 2001 Slovenia v Romania D 2-2 International Friendly
05 Sep 2001 Yugoslavia v Slovenia D 1-1 FIFA World Cup Europe group 1
12 Feb 2002 Slovenia v Honduras L 1-5 CARLSBERG CUP
27 Mar 2002 Croatia v Slovenia D 0-0 International Friendly
17 Apr 2002 Slovenia v Tunisia W 1-0 International Friendly
17 May 2002 Slovenia v Ghana W 2-0 International Friendly
02 Jun 2002 Spain v Slovenia L 3-1 FIFA World Cup Finals Group B
21 Aug 2002 Italy v Slovenia W 0-1 International Friendly
07 Sep 2002 Slovenia v Malta W 3-0 UEFA European Championship Group 1
12 Oct 2002 France v Slovenia L 5-0 UEFA European Championship Group 1
12 Feb 2003 Slovenia v Switzerland L 1-5 International Friendly
02 Apr 2003 Slovenia v Cyprus W 4-1 UEFA European Championship Group 1
30 Apr 2003 Malta v Slovenia W 1-3 UEFA European Championship Group 1
07 Jun 2003 Israel v Slovenia D 0-0 UEFA European Championship Group 1
20 Aug 2003 Slovenia v Hungary W 2-1 International Friendly
06 Sep 2003 Slovenia v Israel W 3-1 UEFA European Championship Group 1
10 Sep 2003 Slovenia v France L 0-2 UEFA European Championship Group 1
15 Nov 2003 Croatia v Slovenia D 1-1 UEFA European Championship Play-off 1st leg
19 Nov 2003 Slovenia v Croatia L 0-1 UEFA European Championship Play-off 2nd leg
18 Feb 2004 Poland v Slovenia L 2-0 International Friendly
31 Mar 2004 Slovenia v Latvia L 0-1 International Friendly
28 Apr 2004 Switzerland v Slovenia L 2-1 International Friendly


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.