Sebastjan Cimerotič reveals why he started training football: from judo to boxing, then a legendary coach spotted him at Kodeljev
Photo: Vid Ponikvar / Sportida
Sebastjan Cimerotič, one of the best Slovenian football players of all time, has recently completed his football career. The legendary Ljubljana resident is back where it all began – at Kodeljevo. Later, he experienced many things and played in many iconic stadiums, but his first love never faded. Sebastjan Cimerotič leads Slovan’s cadet team as coach in the new season, in an interview with the club’s social channels. He also revealed some interesting facts from his past with the Ljubljana club.
Sebastjan Cimerotič, today considered a legend at Olimpija, revealed that he trained in many sports in his youth, but chose football mainly thanks to his legendary coach, who influenced many generations of young people in Ljubljana.
View this post on Instagram
“In my youth, I played many sports – from handball and judo to boxing. I put a lot of sports over. I was looking for a sport to find myself in. One day I went with friends to Kodeljevo, where the late Franjo Frančešin was the coach. The Great Coach… It was because of him that I started playing football. I went up to him and asked if it was possible for him to come for some training. After the first practice he stopped me and said: ‘From tomorrow you’re coming to Kodeljevo, that’s it!’ I then told the company waiting for me that I had decided what to train. Football,“, revealed Sebastjan Cimerotič , 49, who has also spent part of his career in Lecce , Italy.
Before he left for the world, he made many unique moves at Slovan, and in those days the rumour spread around Ljubljana that Kodeljev was home to a “dribbler” who was impossible to take the ball away from. Of course, many anecdotes were also born in Slovan, one of which was revealed by the legendary Cime.
“I’m sorry to say that these tournaments, which used to take place at Slovan, are no more. The Max Perc Tournament was one of the most prestigious in Yugoslavia. I remember once we played Admira Wacker in the semi-finals. The Austrians were 1-0 up and when Ermin Rakovic and I were standing in the centre after the goal, he said to me: ‘Look where their goalkeeper is standing. Come on, let’s get him so we can shock them right away.’ Then he pushed the ball to me, I lobbed the goalkeeper and equalised. Then we scored another goal and went to the grand final,“, explained with a smile the 33-time Slovenian international, who scored one of Slovenia’s most famous goals in 2002, when he “broke” Christian Panucci and checked Gigi Buffon at the Nereo Rocco stadium in Trieste.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
News
#3snl
#sebastjancimerotič
#slovan
Share