Jasmin Kurtić will try to set a special milestone at Euro 2024: With his appearance, he would become the oldest Slovenian at major tournaments

Published on 18. May 2024 18. May 2024

Photo: Vid Ponikvar / Sportida

The club season 2023/24 is slowly but steadily coming to an end. In the Prva liga Telemach, the last round will begin on Saturday, and for most footballers in the Italian Serie B, the current competitive year has already concluded. On Friday evening, Petar Stojanović bid farewell to the battle for Serie A, and a few days before that, Jasmin Kurtić also returned home. But for both Stojanović and the veteran from White Carniola, football activity is not over yet. The latter is currently “healing wounds” after a demanding club season, during which he changed countries (before returning to Italy, he played in Romania), but at the same time, he is certainly already preparing for the climax, which we all – both him and us – have been waiting for practically an eternity.

Jasmin Kurtić will join the first group of footballers on Monday, who under the guidance of coach Matjaž Kek will begin preparations for Euro 2024. For now, Maribor has not revealed the list of players he will count on, and although his wider selection (if he decides to make one) could be very interesting, it seems that there should be no doubts about the committed, uncompromising, and above all, Slovenian-national-team-oriented guy from Kanižarica. Jasmin Kurtić will almost certainly travel to Germany. And if that happens, he will already set an interesting milestone: he will become the oldest Slovenian in the squad for a major tournament! But can he also become the oldest Slovenian to play in a major tournament?

Kurtić chasing Simeunović and Čeh

Currently, there are two on the “throne”: Marko Simeunović and Aleš Čeh. Both were already 34 years old during the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. If we also consider the months, then the oldest Slovenian in the squad for a major tournament is Marko Simeunović, a former national team goalkeeper, who is four months older than Aleš Čeh. Both played in Asia, and Marko Simeunović is actually the oldest Slovenian ever to play in a major tournament. The former European champion with Red Star Belgrade was exactly 34 years, 6 months, and 3 days old during the match against South Africa.

If Jasmin Kurtić travels to Germany and – let’s say – plays in Slovenia’s first match against Denmark, Simeunović’s record will fall. The footballer from the Italian second division club Südtirol will be exactly 35 years, 5 months, and 7 days old at the time of the match in Stuttgart. The record will be his. More than the record, Jasmin Kurtić is, of course, looking for the last “recognition” in a career in which he has achieved a lot. Even enormous. Among other things, he shares third place on the list of Slovenian footballers with the most appearances for Slovenia (both with 90) with Valter Birsa. He is also one of only four players in our country to reach the milestone of 90 appearances for the national team.

No record due to … Iličić?!

His numerous equally magnificent achievements at the club level are also remarkable. In the elite Serie A, he has played an impressive 289 matches and scored 29 goals. He has amassed well over 300 appearances in Italy overall. He has also been in Greece, where he scored 18 goals in 32 matches and proved that he can also be a true goalscorer. But there has always seemed to be something missing: success with the national team. Now he has achieved it. Not as the most important part of Kek’s team, that’s true. At least on the field. Outside of that… Jasmin Kurtić is the good, positive spirit of the Slovenian national team. A guy who ensures a cheerful atmosphere; every team needs such a player.

Jasmin Kurtić is therefore on his way to the record. But who knows, maybe he won’t achieve it after all. Perhaps his “thief” in Germany will be none other than… Josip Iličić! Well, but we are convinced that Jasmin Kurtić would be happiest if that were true. After all, we are talking about friends and friendship, which has been one of the more positive stories in Slovenian football in the last decade…

This text was automatically translated using AI.

Author: editorial Football Planet