Slovenia will be making their second appearance in the FIFA World Cup, June 11, after they knocked out high profile countries like Poland, Czech Republic and Russia. Can this tiny country continue defying the odds when they square up to the world’s best? World Cup oddsmakers at BODOG.com have Slovenia listed as 200/1 odds underdogs to win FIFA World Cup 2010 . Be sure to get your World Cup Predictions in at BODOG.com . Here is your FIFA World Cup 2010 Odds: Slovenia Preview
Slovenia made it here after they dominated the Czech Republic and Poland, two teams who had successfully qualified for both Germany 2006 and UEFA EURO 2008. As it was, the predicted favorite’s faltered as the group became a two-way battle between Slovenia and Slovakia. Their success was based on a defense that was arguably the meanest in the entire European Zone.
Arguably the best known player is Cologne striker Milivoje Novakovic, who scored five times during qualifying and, at 30, is approaching this FIFA World Cup at the peak of his powers. The Ljubljana-born striker describes himself as making up one third of Slovenia’s “backbone”, with goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and captain Robert Koren, a talented attacking midfielder, identified by Novakovic as comprising this key triumvirate. “For a small country like ours, it’s an incredible achievement to qualify for a World Cup. Before this qualification series started, nobody was giving this young team a hope. But now, the players and the whole country are proud of our success. We want to show that, small as we are, we can compete with the best,” Milivoje Novakovic, Slovenia striker.
They’ll be coached by Matjaz Kek who won a Slovenia cap in 1992. He won three successive titles in the twilight of his playing career with Maribor. After a moderately successful six-year stint, Kek moved on to Football Association of Slovenia in 2006, initially taking charge of the national U-15 and U-16 teams. By January 2007, however, he had been promoted to the position of senior coach, and has since gone on to exceed all expectations by leading his unfancied team back to the game’s greatest stage. As Kek himself said after seeing off the Russians: “Slovenia has realised a dream.”
Point-Spreads.com FIFA World Cup 2010 Odds: Slovenia Preview
The Bottom Line: They have upset big countries and they can do it again. Be sure to get your FIFA World Cup 2010 Odds: Slovenia in early at BODOG.com and receive a 10% sign-up bonus on your initial deposit.
