Sad news from the Coast: Andrej Želko, former player of Izola, Olimpija and Primorje, who played 245 games in the 1st Slovenian National League, dies at the age of 57
Photo: Aleš Cipot / Sportida
When it became more or less clear that Yugoslavia would dissolve, the Football Association of Slovenia (NZS) organized several unofficial friendly matches even before the official independence. One such match was played in December 1990, when Slovenia faced BiH in Izola. The hosts celebrated a 2:0 victory, with goals from Samo Vidovič and Matjaž Cvikl. Among the squad for the match was Andrej Želko, who was regarded as one of the most talented Slovenian footballers of that time. 34 years after the victory over BiH, came the sad news from Obala – Andrej Želko passed away at the age of 57.
Slovenian football lost a player who left a significant mark in the 1. SNL. After scoring 11 goals in 40 matches for Izola in the first season of independent Slovenia, he earned a transfer to what was then the strongest club in the country. With Olimpija, he won the championship title and the cup trophy, scoring once in 23 matches. Interestingly, his only goal for the national team came in the eternal derby against Maribor. In the following season, he returned to Izola, later proving himself in Ajdovščina, where he played for Primorje.
At the end of his career, he played for NK Jadran Hrpelje – Kozina in the 2. SNL, and also with Košana in the 3. SNL. In total, he played an impressive 245 matches in the 1. SNL, scoring 30 goals. He also added 10 goals in 29 second-division matches. He was close to the national team several times, but did not register an official appearance. Planet nogomet expresses its condolences to his family and loved ones for this painful loss for Slovenian football.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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