Zlatko Zahovič

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Zlatko Zahovič ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; born 1 February 1971) is a Slovenian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

After making a name for himself in Portugal, most notably with Porto and Benfica where he amassed Primeira Liga totals of 246 matches and 54 goals over one full decade,<ref name=Love>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> he went on to have brief stints in Spain and Greece. He was known for dribbling and goal-scoring ability alike.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Although primarily a midfielder, he scored 11 goals in 32 Champions League appearances<ref name=Siol>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and 35 in 80 for the Slovenian national team.

The all-time record holder in goals for Slovenia, Zahovič was an essential member of the squad as they qualified for the first time ever to a European Championship and a World Cup, in the early 2000s.

Club career

Partizan

Zahovič was born in Maribor, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1989, the 18-year-old Kovinar Maribor player was noticed by Partizan's Milko Ǵurovski, at the time doing his mandatory military service in the town, who recommended the youngster to the club.

With the Belgrade team, he was relatively used over the course of three seasons, and also played on loan for Mladost Petrinja<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Proleter Zrenjanin. For Partizan, he made 15 appearances and scored three goals during the 1992–93 league season as they won the national championship.

Portugal

In the summer of 1993, aged 22, Zahovič moved to Portugal and joined Vitória de Guimarães. On matchday 32 of the 1995–96 campaign, he scored the winning goal in a 3–2 away win over FC Porto.<ref name=TFT>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This performance convinced the former to sign him that summer, after an acrimonious transfer saga;<ref name=TFT/> he led his side to two UEFA Cup qualifications during his three-year spell.

Zahovič was equally important while at Porto, forming a formidable attacking partnership with Capucho, Ljubinko Drulović and Mário Jardel and winning three consecutive league titles whilst rarely missing a match.<ref name=TFT/> In his last year he netted a career-best goals, and 22 across all competitions.<ref name=Love/> He added seven during the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League, thus finishing third in the competition's scoring charts behind FC Dynamo Kyiv's Andriy Shevchenko and Dwight Yorke of Manchester United, who both scored eight – the northerners, however, did not make it past the group stage.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Olympiacos

In 1999, Zahovič signed for Olympiacos F.C. for a transfer fee of €13.5 million, at the time the highest sum ever paid for a Slovenian footballer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, his season in Greece was marred by fines and suspension. Zahovič first fell out with the club's head coach, Dušan Bajević, for returning late from a holiday.<ref name="bbc2000">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Quote box

In November 1999, as Olympiacos failed to progress out of the UEFA Champions League group stage, head coach Bajević was sacked and replaced with Alberto Bigon. Zahovič's relationship with the incoming head coach was similarly fraught, as the player questioned the coach's tactics.<ref name="bbc2000"/>

Years later, Zahovič claimed in interviews that the real reason for his contentious season at Olympiacos was the club's continual refusal to properly set up his legal and administrative status in Greece as a professional athlete. He further accused the club of using the administrative matters as leverage when trying to avoid honouring his contract terms pertaining to income tax on his salary.<ref name="stanic-zahovic">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Valencia

After only one season, Zahovič moved to Spain's Valencia CF for a fee of £5.5 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His new team reached the final of the 2000–01 Champions League, lost after a penalty shootout against FC Bayern Munich where he had his attempt saved by Oliver Kahn.<ref name=CL>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Again Zahovič clashed with his manager, Héctor Cúper, claiming he was not being given enough opportunities.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Additionally, in October 2000, he was not picked up for a game at his former club for fear of reprisals from its supporters.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Benfica

In June 2001, Zahovič returned to Portugal and joined S.L. Benfica, as Carlos Marchena moved to Valencia.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> He was an important first-team member in his first three seasons, but lost his importance when manager Giovanni Trapattoni arrived at the Estádio da Luz,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> a situation which was aggravated in January 2005 with the purchase of Nuno Assis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This in part resulted in a mutual termination of his contract, five months before it was due to expire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

International career

Zahovič's first match for Slovenia was on 7 November 1992, a friendly match with Cyprus. The national team qualified for UEFA Euro 2000 in Belgium and the Netherlands, with Zahovič scoring nine goals in 15 games. In the finals he continued to excel, netting three of the side's four goals in an eventual group stage exit where his performances earned him comparisons to David Beckham.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Slovenia also managed to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, another first. However, after being replaced by manager Srečko Katanec in the 63rd minute of the first group fixture against Spain (1–3 loss), Zahovič insulted the coach, who immediately sent him home following the match.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Zahovič retired from the national team in December 2003,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but reversed his decision two months later.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> He made his last appearance for the national team on 28 April 2004 against Switzerland, totaling 80 caps and 35 goals (at the time both records),<ref name=RSSSF>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which made him the most successful Slovenian footballer since the country's independence in 1991 and the inception of its football association into FIFA the following year; his international appearances total was surpassed by Boštjan Cesar on 15 November 2014.

Administrative career

Immediately after his retirement from professional football, in June 2005 at the age of 34, according to an interview with Pozareport.si, Zahovič was offered a head coach position of the Benfica juniors,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but opted for a return to his homeland where, in 2007, he became the director of football at NK Maribor.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He remained in that position until March 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Under his guidance, the club won eight Slovenian PrvaLiga titles, reached the UEFA Champions League group stages twice (2014–15 and 2017–18) and the knockout phase of the UEFA Europa League in 2013–14.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

Zahovič's son, Luka, is also a footballer. A striker, he too represented Slovenia at international level.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> When Luka scored a late equaliser in a Champions League group stage match between Maribor and Sporting CP, on 17 September 2014, the two became only the second father and son pair – first among Europeans – to have both scored in the competition since 1992 when the competition was established in its current format.<ref name=Siol/>

In his young years, Zahovič played chess and practised ski jumping.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career statistics

Club

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Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Partizan 1989–90 Yugoslav First League 0 0 — 0 0
Mladost Petrinja (loan) 1989–90 Yugoslav Inter-Republic League — —
Proleter Zrenjanin (loan) 1990–91 Yugoslav First League 25 0 — — 25 0
Partizan 1991–92 Yugoslav First League 22 2 4 1 1 0 — 27 3
1992–93 First League of FR Yugoslavia 15 3 4 1 — — 19 4
Total 37 5 8 2 1 0 — 46 7
Vitória Guimarães 1993–94 Primeira Divisão 27 1 2 1 — — 29 2
1994–95 23 4 1 0 — — 24 4
1995–96 29 8 2 0 2 0 — 33 8
Total 79 13 5 1 2 0 — 86 14
Porto 1996–97 Primeira Divisão 27 7 4 1 7 1 1 0 39 9
1997–98 29 6 5 5 5 0 1 0 40 11
1998–99 31 14 0 0 6 7 2 1 39 22
Total 87 27 9 6 18 8 4 1 118 42
Olympiacos 1999–2000 Alpha Ethniki 14 7 4 0 6 2 — 24 9
Valencia 2000–01 La Liga 20 3 1 2 10 1 — 31 6
Benfica 2001–02 Primeira Liga 21 6 2 1 — — 23 7
2002–03 28 6 1 0 — — 29 6
2003–04 21 2 2 0 8 1 — 31 3
2004–05 10 0 1 0 6 4 1 0 18 4
Total 80 14 6 1 14 5 1 0 101 20
Limbuš-Pekre 2008–09 1. MNZ Maribor 8 6 — — — 8 6
2009–10 3 6 — — — 3 6
Total 11 12 — — — 11 12
Career total 353 81 33 12 51 16 5 1 442 110

International

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National team Year Apps Goals
Slovenia 1992 1 0
1993 1 0
1994 5 1
1995 6 3
1996 6 1
1997 3 1
1998 9 6
1999 11 8
2000 10 6
2001 8 4
2002 8 2
2003 9 2
2004 3 1
Total 80 35
Scores and results list Slovenia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zahovič goal.
List of international goals scored by Zlatko Zahovič<ref name=RSSSF/><ref name=EU/>
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 Template:Dts Ljudski vrt, Maribor, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–0 1–2 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
2 Template:Dts Ljudski vrt, Maribor, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
3 Template:Dts Kadriorg Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia Template:Fb 3–1 3–1 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
4 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 2–2 3–2 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
5 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–2 1–2 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
6 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–3 1–3 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
7 Template:Dts Tsirio Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus Template:Fb 1–0 3–2 Cyprus International Football Tournament
8 2–1
9 Template:Dts Tsirio Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus Template:Fb 1–0 1–1 Cyprus International Football Tournament
10 Template:Dts Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece Template:Fb 1–0 2–2 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
11 2–2
12 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–0 1–2 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
13 Template:Dts Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat, Oman Template:Fb 5–0 7–0 Oman International Tournament
14 Template:Dts Ljubljana Sports Park, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–1 1–1 Friendly
15 Template:Dts Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia Template:Fb 1–1 2–1 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
16 2–1
17 Template:Dts Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania Template:Fb 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
18 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
19 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 2–1 2–1 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
20 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–1 2–1 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
21 Template:Dts Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat, Oman Template:Fb 2–0 4–0 Oman International Tournament
22 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–0 2–0 Friendly
23 Template:Dts Stade du Pays de Charleroi, Charleroi, Belgium Template:Fb 1–0 3–3 UEFA Euro 2000
24 3–0
25 Template:Dts Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam, Netherlands Template:Fb 1–1 1–2 UEFA Euro 2000
26 Template:Dts Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg Template:Fb 1–0 2–1 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
27 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–1 1–1 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
28 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 2–0 2–0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
29 2–0
30 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 2–2 2–2 Friendly
31 Template:Dts Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong Template:Fb 1–1 1–5 2002 Lunar New Year Cup
32 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 1–0 2–0 Friendly
33 Template:Dts Bežigrad Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia Template:Fb 3–1 4–1 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
34 Template:Dts Ta' Qali National Stadium, Attard, Malta Template:Fb 1–0 3–1 UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
35 Template:Dts Stade de Genève, Lancy, Switzerland Template:Fb 1–0 1–2 Friendly

Honours

Partizan

Porto<ref name=Love/>

Olympiacos

Valencia

Benfica

Limbuš-Pekre

References

Template:Reflist

Template:Slovenia Squad 2000 UEFA Euro Template:Slovenia Squad 2002 World Cup Template:Authority control

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