When we play Slovenia

11 October 2008 - Slovenia (a)

1 April 2009 - Slovenia (h)

SLOVENIA

Home Stadium - Arena Petrol

Capacity - 12,350

The Slovenia v Northern Ireland FIFA 2010 World Cup qualifier on Saturday October 11 will be played at the Ljudski Vrt Stadium, Maribor, kick-off time to be confirmed.

The Slovenia national football team played their first match in 1991 after the split of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Before that, Slovenian players played for the Yugoslavia national football team.

Slovenia were surprise qualifiers for Euro 2000 when they beat Ukraine in a playoff. They turned some heads during the tournament, drawing with Yugoslavia and Norway, and only losing to Spain 2-1. Slovenia achieved another major success two years later, qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, this time defeating Romania in a playoff. They did not lose a match in their whole qualifying campaign, recording 7 wins and 7 draws. However, they did not do as well in the finals, as they went home pointless.

Despite failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, they were the only team to beat Italy on their way to winning the tournament with a shocking 1-0 victory on home turf. It wasn't the only time they avoided defeat against the team- in 1995 they held them to 1-1 draw in the qualifying campaign for Euro 96, and also took the lead.

SLOVENIA

Head coach Matjaž Kek

Captain Klemen Lavrič

Most caps Zlatko Zahovič (80)

Top scorer Zlatko Zahovič (35)

Home stadium Arena Petrol

FIFA code SVN

FIFA ranking 83

Highest FIFA ranking 25 (December 2001)

Lowest FIFA ranking 134 (December 1993

World Cup record

1930 to 1990 - Did not enter, was part of Yugoslavia

1994 - Did not enter

1998 - Did not qualify

2002 - Round 1

2006 - Did not qualify

European Championship record

1960 to 1992 - Did not enter, was part of Yugoslavia

1996 - Did not qualify

2000 - Round 1

2004 - Did not qualify

2008 - Did not qualify

Famous players

Srečko Katanec

Branko Oblak

Aleksander Knavs

Ermin Šiljak

Sašo Udovič

Zlatko Zahovič

Beer

Beer (pivo) is the most popular tipple and the main brands are Laško and Union.

Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovenian: Republika Slovenija), is a country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north. The capital of Slovenia is Ljubljana.

Currency - The currency in Slovenia is the Euro.

Capital City is Ljubjlana

A city by the river is thecapital of Slovenia is a political, cultural, scientific, educational, business, and transportation center that in its own way combines the characteristics of Slovenia’s eastern and western, northern and southern regions. The city nestling below the hill with Ljubljana Castle has a lively cultural life created by numerous theatres, museums, and galleries, one of the oldest Philharmonics in the world, cinemas, more than ten thousand cultural events each year, as many as ten international festivals, including the Ljubljana Summer Festival, the Ljubljana Graphics Biennial, the Ljubljana Jazz Festival, the LIFFE Film Festival, and the Druga godba Festival of Alternative Music, and much more.

As Slovenia’s business and commerce center, Ljubljana hosts numerous trade fairs, and like any capital city it also offers numerous shopping temptations, from smaller shops and boutiques in old city core to large shopping centers on the outskirts. At every step, there are friendly cafes, pastry shops, and restaurants, as many serving distinctly Slovene cuisine as those with the offer of foreign horizons. During a visit to Ljubljana, which is linked to the world by road, railway, and Brnik Airport, visitors can chose among accommodations at a hotel, motel, or pension, in private apartments and rooms, at a campground, and at a youth hostel.

Because of the University of Ljubljana, daily life in the city is marked by a challenging and lively youthful character but also by the charm of enjoying a tranquil and relaxing boat ride on the Ljubljanica River, a stroll in Tivoli Park close to the very center of the city, a visit to the Botanical Garden with more than 4,500 plant species, a walk in the Ljubljana Zoo, a guided tour of Plečnik’s Ljubljana, or the trails to nearby Rožnik Hill, Šmarna gora, or many of the other friendly peaks in the city surroundings.

Among the nearby places that invite visitors into the surroundings of the city are Iški Vintgar, a gorge with picturesque river pools; the climatic health resort on Rakitna, a plateau with a lake and an attractive walking circuit; Pekel Gorge and its waterfalls near Borovnica.

Ljubljana nightlife

Night lounge bar AS

The dancing bar gets usually crowded late with well dressed people, but really preferred on Friday and Saturday night.

Gostilna As, Copova ulica 5/A (passage "Knafljev prehod")

www.gostilnaas.si

Orto bar Ljubljana

Rock bar with a table football. A bit outside of the centre, which makes it really authentic and popular with locals, a short walk from the alternative Metelkova town. For agenda of live concerts check the homepage.

Address: Grabloviceva 1

www.orto-bar.com

Bar Skeleton

Is a popular bar with tourist situated downstairs in the street just off the river side. It also has a terrace on the river side. The best thing is that you will get every cocktail twice for a price of one. Challenge yourself to find the toilet.

Krakovski vogal

This is a bar just out of tourist track, if bit further walk from the city center along the river, you have to cross the traffic lights. They offer various tapas, olives and beer.

Address: Krakovsi napis 12

Vinoteka Movia

Romantic and expensive, take your chic girlfriend here, if you can afford it. A glass of wine comes to some 5 euros, and I can bet you will not stop drinsssking one or two.

Address: Mestni trg 2, Ljubljana

Phone: +386-(0)1-4255448

KMS

Read [K-M-SH], this is a club of Maribor students, as well as a renowned place to pick up girls. This a dancing club is much like for local students only, so please take this into consideration.

Alternative night life

Metelkova town

Previously a prison area, the area has been squatted and the town of Metelkova has it's own authentic atmosfere and maybe the own rules too. It is situated in the area adjacent to popular hostel Celica. The "town" is comprised of several stages that hosts concerts and DJ's. You can be sure to find a party every day, but guaranteed on weekends. For agenda info please visit: www.metelkova.org

Some more tourist stuff..

Ljubljana night clubs

There are several strip clubs in Ljubljana offering night entertainment with an erotic atmosphere. We do not endorse adult entertainment, nor would like to promote Ljubljana as a sex tourism destination. The article is our response to a number of frequently asked questions: Where to find an club escort Ljubljana or Ljubljana sex club? Bar hotel Ljubljana, Ljubljana strip club, etc.

Ljubljana After Dark

Looking for a cool, young, city in Europe in which to let your hair down for an evening or two of partying? Then look no further, Ljubljana is your place.

Over the past two years or so, this once peaceful little capital has manifested itself into a real hotspot for those looking for the great night out. Why? It could have something to do with the outside beauty and openness of the locals, particularly the females of the species. Unlike at home, the chances of some goon in an open Ben Sherman shirt deciding that he'd like to see how soft his beer bottle is by cracking it on your head are extremely unlikely. We don't like to use the word 'impossible' here at Ljubljana Life, but actually it's pretty much impossible!

What you will run into instead, is friendly, English-speaking bar staff, fellow revellers wanting to show you a real night out in the hope that you'll go back to wherever it is that you came from with only good things to say about their so-often-overlooked country, young women wearing very little as they try to let out some of the stress caused by the week studying in the university, and probably most important of all, very cheap drinking compared to back home.

Ljubljana in the warmer months is a completely different city by night than in the colder months. But that doesn't mean that either period is any better or worse. In the summer, the chances are you'll find yourself sitting outside one of the bars along the river, watching the beautiful people pass you by on roller-blades, until about midnight, maybe even later, before slowly moving yourself off to one of the clubs. In the winter however, it's a whole different story, a much more intimate feeling takes over as you step in from the cold, hang your coat on one of the pegs, rub your hands together to try and get some feeling back into your fingers, and then find an available seat in the corner of one of the packed, buzzing-with-atmosphere, pubs or bars dotted all along the smaller side streets always close to the river. It's at this time of year that it seems everyone under the age of 35 (including the young at heart) has been waiting all week in the cold mundaneness of the 9-5 life for this chance to escape the shackles and just have a good time. Laughter, cheers, and of course drinking songs can be heard coming out of every crack in every doorway of these watering holes, and we wouldn't be telling the truth here at Ljubljana Life if we said that it wasn't a truly great feeling.

The clubs get going a bit earlier too at this time of year, and there are even more to choose from as those that moved their summer residences to the sea-side are now back where they belong and in full flow.

If you're looking to enjoy your drink in the company of too many to count beautiful young ladies who are more than a little interested in having a dance and a laugh with some good humoured foreign lads, then Global is definitely the place for you. Stuck up on the roof of the Nama department store, right in the dead centre of town, with an amazing view of the castle at night, lit-up by the seemingly festive lights, this place is miles ahead of anywhere you've ever been to or even dreamed of in terms of a good night. If you're here, be sure to look out for some big name DJs, as they usually keep it quiet until the last minute.

If you're looking for more of the classic club atmosphere, then get yourself into Bachus. Named after the ancient god of wine, this place is a laid-back wine bar by day, and a top-quality club by night, set on three floors. The crowd is young, the music is house, and the bar is stocked!

Or maybe you're looking for that place that hasn't yet become filled with stag groups and ex-pats. If so, then As is the place for you. The name of the place simply means Ace, and they couldn't have named it more aptly. The music is cutting-edge house, the girls are gorgeous, the staff are quick to make sure that there is always a beverage in your hand, and you don't have to pay to get in the door!

So, what are you waiting for? If you haven't been persuaded yet, then there's no helping you! Get yourself here, and remember if you need any more help picking the right place, just ask us and we'll make sure you have the best night.