Friday 06 May 2016, 20:58

FIFA President Infantino inaugurates national football centre in Slovenia

FIFA President Gianni Infantino participated in the inauguration of the national football centre and headquarters of the Slovenian FA in Brdo, just outside Ljubljana.

Accompanied by 1998 FIFA World Cup France™ bronze medalist Zvonimir Boban, President Infantino saw first-hand the new facilities built with the financial support of FIFA and UEFA. The support provides the Slovenian FA with a modern and spacious building for its administration as well as top class infrastructure for the national teams and the organisation of courses.

“Slovenia is a perfect example of what even a small country can achieve on the international football stage with vision, hard work, leadership and passion for the game”, Infantino said at a ceremony attended as well by Slovenia Prime Minister Miro Cerar, UEFA Secretary General ad interim Theodore Theodoridis as well as representatives of a number of UEFA member associations.

“This football centre is a role model for all our associations around the world. It provides the best infrastructure for elite players as well as for the youth and showcases perfectly what can be done with the support of international institutions for the development of football".

Despite being an independent country only since 1991 and with just two million people, Slovenia already have great achievements on the international football stage, with two participations at the FIFA World Cup (Korea/Japan in 2002 and South Africa in 2010) and one UEFA EURO in 2000.