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Zlatko Zahovič (listen (help·info) ; born February 1, 1971) was a very gifted former Slovenian football player.
Arguably the most illustrious Slovenian football player, Zahovič was born in Maribor, Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia. He started his career at the youth team of Kovinar Maribor. In 1989 he was noticed by a well known Yugoslav football player Milko Đurovski (who at that time was doing military service in Maribor). He then played for Partizan Belgrade, (1989-1993), including a loan at Proleter, Zrenjanin (1990-1991); Vitória Guimarães (1993-1996), FC Porto (1996-1999), Olympiacos (1999-2000), Valencia (2000-2001) and Benfica (2001-2005).
In 2001 his team Valencia were very strong and reached the competition finals, but lost after a penalty shootout against the German champions Bayern Munich. Zahovič was one of the unfortunate penalty takers to miss; to be more precise, Oliver Kahn superbly saved his very well aimed shot.
His first match for the Slovenian national team was on November 7, 1992 at a friendly match against Cyprus. The Slovenian national team qualified for the 2000 European Championship in Belgium and the Netherlands, where Zahovič played very well, scoring three of Slovenia's four goals.
Slovenia also managed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan but Zahovič had a very serious argument with the Slovenian national coach Srečko Katanec and he was sent home immediately after the first match against Spain. Katanec resigned immediately after the World Cup, so Zahovič returned to the national team. He played what was probably his last national team match on April 28, 2004 against Switzerland. Altogether he played 80 matches (a record) for the national team and scored 35 goals (also a record), thus making him the most successful Slovenian football player since their independence in 1991 and the inception of the country's football association into FIFA in 1992.
Zahovič is infamous for his numerous arguments, the one with Srečko Katanec being just the most infamous. Soon after at Olympiacos he had an argument with the management and he left the club before the season was over. He also had an argument with Valencia coach Héctor Cúper, believing that he was not being given enough opportunities. Nevertheless, he played for Valencia till the end of the 2001 season when he moved to Benfica, who he left in the middle of the 2004/2005 season, retiring shortly afterwards.
[edit] Honours
FC Porto:
1990-1991
1991-1993
1993-1996
1996-1999
1999-2000
2000-2001
2001-2005 FK Partizan
→Proleter Zrenjanin (loan)
FK Partizan
Vitória de Guimarães
F.C. Porto
Olympiacos
Valencia CF
S.L. Benfica
Total 9 (1)
25 (0)
28 (5)
73 (13)
74 (27)
14 (7)
20 (3)
80 (14)
323 (70) National team 1992-2004
Slovenia 80 (35)
Zlatko war der beste Slowene den unser Team je hatte.
Arguably the most illustrious Slovenian football player, Zahovič was born in Maribor, Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia. He started his career at the youth team of Kovinar Maribor. In 1989 he was noticed by a well known Yugoslav football player Milko Đurovski (who at that time was doing military service in Maribor). He then played for Partizan Belgrade, (1989-1993), including a loan at Proleter, Zrenjanin (1990-1991); Vitória Guimarães (1993-1996), FC Porto (1996-1999), Olympiacos (1999-2000), Valencia (2000-2001) and Benfica (2001-2005).
In 2001 his team Valencia were very strong and reached the competition finals, but lost after a penalty shootout against the German champions Bayern Munich. Zahovič was one of the unfortunate penalty takers to miss; to be more precise, Oliver Kahn superbly saved his very well aimed shot.
His first match for the Slovenian national team was on November 7, 1992 at a friendly match against Cyprus. The Slovenian national team qualified for the 2000 European Championship in Belgium and the Netherlands, where Zahovič played very well, scoring three of Slovenia's four goals.
Slovenia also managed to qualify for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan but Zahovič had a very serious argument with the Slovenian national coach Srečko Katanec and he was sent home immediately after the first match against Spain. Katanec resigned immediately after the World Cup, so Zahovič returned to the national team. He played what was probably his last national team match on April 28, 2004 against Switzerland. Altogether he played 80 matches (a record) for the national team and scored 35 goals (also a record), thus making him the most successful Slovenian football player since their independence in 1991 and the inception of the country's football association into FIFA in 1992.
Zahovič is infamous for his numerous arguments, the one with Srečko Katanec being just the most infamous. Soon after at Olympiacos he had an argument with the management and he left the club before the season was over. He also had an argument with Valencia coach Héctor Cúper, believing that he was not being given enough opportunities. Nevertheless, he played for Valencia till the end of the 2001 season when he moved to Benfica, who he left in the middle of the 2004/2005 season, retiring shortly afterwards.
[edit] Honours
FC Porto:
- Portuguese Liga 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99
- Portuguese Cup 1997-98
- SuperCup Cândido de Oliveira 1997-98, 1998-99
- Greek Championship 1999-2000
- Portuguese Liga 2004-05
- Portuguese Cup 2003-04
- UEFA Champions League Losing finalist 2000-01
1990-1991
1991-1993
1993-1996
1996-1999
1999-2000
2000-2001
2001-2005 FK Partizan
→Proleter Zrenjanin (loan)
FK Partizan
Vitória de Guimarães
F.C. Porto
Olympiacos
Valencia CF
S.L. Benfica
Total 9 (1)
25 (0)
28 (5)
73 (13)
74 (27)
14 (7)
20 (3)
80 (14)
323 (70) National team 1992-2004
Slovenia 80 (35)Zlatko war der beste Slowene den unser Team je hatte.