While most of the U.S. and English media have focused on their opening match, the other two sides in Group C have quietly gone about their business.
Slovenia, who play the Americans on July 18 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, announced their 30-man preliminary roster on Tuesday. Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek has no superstars but a strong core of veterans, such as West Brom’s Robert Koren, Bochum’s Zlatko Dedic, and FC Koln’s Milivoje Novakovic.
Slovenia are making their second World Cup appearance. In 2002, they went 0-3.
They open the tournament in South Africa against Algeria on Sunday, June 13, and close group play on June 23 against England.
Full Preliminary Roster List
Goalkeepers: Jasmin Handanovic (Mantova, Italy), Samir Handanovic (Udinese, Italy), Jan Koprivec (Gallipoli, Turkey), Aleksander Seliga (Sparta Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Defenders: Miso Brecko (Cologne, Germany), Bostjan Cesar (Grenoble, France), Elvedin Dzinic (Maribor), Suad Filekovic (Maribor), Branko Ilic (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Bojan Jokic (Chievo, Italy), Dejan Kelhar (Cercle Brugge, Belgium), Aleksandar Rajcevic (Koper), Matej Mavric-Rozic (Koblenz, Germany), Marko Suler (Ghent, Belgium)
Midfielders: Valter Birsa (Auxerre, France), Andraz Kirm (Wisla Krakow, Poland), Andrej Komac (Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Israel), Robert Koren (West Bromwich Albion, England), Rene Krhin (Inter Milan, Italy), Darjan Matic (Rapid Bucharest, Romania), Aleksander Radosavljevic (Larissa, Greece), Mirnes Sisic (Giannina, Greece), Dalibor Stevanovic (Vitesse Arnhem, Netherlands), Dare Vrsic (Koper)
Forwards: Miran Burgic (AIK, Sweden), Zlatko Dedic (Bochum, Germany), Zlatan Ljubijankic (Ghent, Belgium), Tim Matavz (Groningen, Netherlands), Milivoje Novakovic (Cologne, Germany), Nejc Pecnik (Nacional Funchal)
