List of Slovenian football champions

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PrvaLiga trophy being lifted in celebration of Maribor's ninth league title in 2011 NK Maribor2011.jpg
PrvaLiga trophy being lifted in celebration of Maribor's ninth league title in 2011

The Slovenian football champions are the winners of the highest league of association football in Slovenia, PrvaLiga. Also known by the abbreviation 1. SNL, PrvaLiga is contested on a round-robin basis and the championship is awarded to the club that finishes top of the league at the end of the season. [1] The league was established after the independence of Slovenia in 1991, originally containing 21 clubs. [1] [2] [3] Before that, Maribor, Nafta Lendava and Olimpija were the only Slovenian teams who participated in the Yugoslav top division, Yugoslav First League, between the end of World War II in 1945 and the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991. [3] While being a part of the Yugoslav football system, most of the Slovenian clubs competed for the title of regional champions in the Slovenian Republic Football League. [2] [3] However, the Republic League was officially the third tier of football most of the time and the competition was usually without the top Slovenian clubs, who played in the Yugoslav Second League or the country's top division. [3]

Contents

Matjaz Kek won the PrvaLiga title as a footballer and manager. Matjaz Kek.jpg
Matjaž Kek won the PrvaLiga title as a footballer and manager.

Following the independence of Slovenia, the Football Association of Slovenia separated from the Football Association of Yugoslavia and established its own football competitions. [2] [3] Of the founding clubs in the PrvaLiga, only Celje and Maribor have never been relegated as of the 2023–24 season. [5] The format and the number of clubs in the league has changed over time, ranging from 21 clubs in the first season to 10 clubs in its present form. [1] [3] The top three clubs at the end of the season are awarded a qualifying spot in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa Conference League, with the bottom one being relegated to the Slovenian Second League. [6]

Olimpija won the first title. [1] They had a long tradition of playing in the Yugoslav top division and their squad was still composed of players from that era. [3] Olimpija dominated the league and won a further three championships before Gorica won their first in the 1995–96 season. [1] Following Gorica's success, Maribor won their first championship in 1997. [1] This started a record-breaking streak of seven successive league championships which came to an end when Gorica won their second title in the 2003–04 season. [1] The club from Nova Gorica went on to win an additional two titles, becoming the third club to win three consecutive championships. [1] During the 2006–07 season, Domžale, a club that played in the Slovenian second division four seasons earlier, won their first title, a feat they repeated the next season. [1] Between 2009 and 2019, Maribor became a major force in Slovenian football for the second time, winning eight out of eleven championships in this period. [1] In 2020 and 2021, Celje and Mura won their first titles, respectively. [1]

Maribor is the most successful club; they have won the championship 16 times. [1] Seven of Maribor's titles came during the late 1990s and early 2000s when the club was led alternately by managers Bojan Prašnikar, Ivo Šušak and Matjaž Kek. [7] [8] Between 2009 and 2013, Darko Milanič led the club to four championships. [9] In 2017 and 2019, during his second spell with Maribor, Milanič won additional two titles with the club. [10] Olimpija won four titles, all in successive years between 1992 and 1995. [1] In addition, Olimpija is the only Slovenian football champion no longer in existence, having been dissolved by the end of the 2004–05 season when they filed for bankruptcy. [11] [12] Tied with four championships is Gorica who won their first title in 1996 and an additional three in successive years between 2004 and 2006. [1] Olimpija's phoenix club, Olimpija Ljubljana, have won three titles, followed by Celje and Domžale with two. Koper and Mura have won one title each. [1] Maribor have won the most doubles, winning the league and the Slovenian Cup four times in the course of the same season. [13] The current champions are Celje, who won the 2023–24 edition.

Champions

Correct as of the 2023–24 Slovenian PrvaLiga season. For the information on the season in progress, see 2024–25 Slovenian PrvaLiga.
Key
Champions also won the Slovenian Cup that season
List of year ranges, representing seasons, and displaying the types of accomplishments of awards by the clubs and top players during those timeframes
YearChampions
(number of titles)
Runners-upThird placeLeading goalscorer
(top scorer's club(s))
Goals
1991–92 Olimpija Maribor Izola Zoran Ubavič (Olimpija)29
1992–93 Olimpija (2) Maribor Mura Sašo Udovič (Slovan)25
1993–94 Olimpija (3) Mura Maribor Štefan Škaper (Beltinci)23
1994–95 Olimpija (4) Maribor Gorica Štefan Škaper (Beltinci)25
1995–96 Gorica Olimpija Mura Ermin Šiljak (Olimpija)28
1996–97 Maribor Primorje Gorica Faik Kamberović (Celje)21
1997–98 Maribor (2) Mura Gorica Ismet Ekmečić (Olimpija)21
1998–99 Maribor (3) Gorica Rudar Velenje Novica Nikčević (Gorica)17
1999–2000 Maribor (4) Gorica Rudar Velenje Kliton Bozgo (Maribor)24
2000–01 Maribor (5) Olimpija Primorje Damir Pekič (Celje)23
2001–02 Maribor (6) Primorje Koper Romano Obilinović (Primorje)16
2002–03 Maribor (7) Celje Olimpija Marko Kmetec (Ljubljana/Olimpija)21
2003–04 Gorica (2) Olimpija Maribor Dražen Žeželj (Ljubljana/Primorje)19
2004–05 Gorica (3) Domžale Celje Kliton Bozgo (Maribor)18
2005–06 Gorica (4) Domžale Koper Miran Burgič (Gorica)24
2006–07 Domžale Gorica Maribor Nikola Nikezić (Gorica) [B] 22
2007–08 Domžale (2) Koper Gorica Dario Zahora (Domžale)22
2008–09 Maribor (8) Gorica Rudar Velenje Etien Velikonja (Gorica)17
2009–10 Koper Maribor Gorica Milan Osterc (Koper)23
2010–11 Maribor (9) Domžale Koper Marcos Tavares (Maribor)16
2011–12 Maribor (10) Olimpija Ljubljana Mura 05 Dare Vršič (Olimpija Ljubljana)22
2012–13 Maribor (11) Olimpija Ljubljana Domžale Marcos Tavares (Maribor)17
2013–14 Maribor (12) Koper Rudar Velenje Mate Eterović (Rudar Velenje)19
2014–15 Maribor (13) Celje Domžale Marcos Tavares (Maribor)17
2015–16 Olimpija Ljubljana Maribor Domžale Rok Kronaveter (Olimpija Ljubljana)
Jean-Philippe Mendy (Maribor)
Andraž Šporar (Olimpija Ljubljana)
17
2016–17 Maribor (14) Gorica Olimpija Ljubljana John Mary (Rudar Velenje)17
2017–18 Olimpija Ljubljana (2) Maribor Domžale Luka Zahović (Maribor)18
2018–19 Maribor (15) Olimpija Ljubljana Domžale Luka Zahović (Maribor)18
2019–20 Celje Maribor Olimpija Ljubljana Ante Vukušić (Olimpija Ljubljana)26
2020–21 Mura Maribor Olimpija Ljubljana Jan Mlakar (Maribor)
Nardin Mulahusejnović (Koper)
14
2021–22 Maribor (16) Koper Olimpija Ljubljana Ognjen Mudrinski (Maribor)17
2022–23 Olimpija Ljubljana (3) Celje Maribor Žan Vipotnik (Maribor)20
2023–24 Celje (2) Maribor Olimpija Ljubljana Aljoša Matko (Celje)18

Total titles won

Correct as of the 2023–24 Slovenian PrvaLiga season. As of 2024, a total of eight different clubs have been Slovenian football champions during the 33 PrvaLiga seasons.

List of accomplishments of awards by the clubs and displaying their best seasons
ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning years
Maribor 169 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2021–22
Gorica 45 1995–96, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06
Olimpija [A] 43 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
Olimpija Ljubljana [A] 33 2015–16, 2017–18, 2022–23
Domžale 23 2006–07, 2007–08
Celje 23 2019–20, 2023–24
Koper 13 2009–10
Mura 10 2020–21

Footnotes

  1. ^
    Olimpija was declared bankrupt and dissolved following the 2004–05 season. [14] In March 2005, a new club named Bežigrad (later renamed as Olimpija Ljubljana) was established. Legally, the new club was not entitled to claim the history and honours won by the old club, and the records and statistics are kept separately by the Football Association of Slovenia. [15] [16] [17]
  2. ^
    Nikola Nikezić began the 2006–07 season with Domžale, making one appearance for the club, before transferring to Gorica. His 22 goals were scored playing for Gorica. [18]

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The 2011–12 Slovenian Football Cup was the 21st season of the Slovenian Football Cup, Slovenia's football knockout competition. Domžale were the defending champions, having won their first Slovenian Cup the previous season.

The 2010–11 season was the 51st season in the history of NK Maribor and the club's 20th consecutive season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga since the league's establishment in 1991. The team participated in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, Slovenian Football Cup, and UEFA Europa League. The season covers the period from 1 June 2010 to 31 May 2011. The club started and finished the season with Darko Milanič as head coach and were crowned the league champions for the ninth time. They were also runners-up of the Slovenian cup and supercup.

The 2011–12 season was the 52nd season in the history of NK Maribor and the club's 21st consecutive season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga since the league establishment in 1991. The team participated in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, Slovenian Football Cup, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Europa League. The season covers the period from 1 June 2011 to 31 May 2012. Darko Milanič was a head coach of the club.

The 2012–13 season was the 53rd season in the history of NK Maribor and the club's 22nd consecutive season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga since the league establishment in 1991. The team participated in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, Slovenian Football Cup, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Europa League. The season covers the period from 1 June 2012 to 31 May 2013. Darko Milanič was a head coach of the club.

The 2013–14 season was the 54th season in the history of NK Maribor and the club's 23rd consecutive season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga since the league establishment in 1991. The team participated in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, Slovenian Football Cup, UEFA Champions League, and UEFA Europa League. The season covers the period from 1 June 2013 to 31 May 2014.

The 2014–15 season was Maribor's 55th season of football and the club's 24th consecutive season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga since the league establishment in 1991.

The 2014–15 Slovenian Football Cup was the 24th season of the Slovenian Football Cup, Slovenia's football knockout competition. Gorica were the defending champions, having won their third cup title in the 2013–14 edition.

The 2015–16 season was Celje's 25th season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, Slovenian top division, since the league was created in 1991 with Celje as one of the league's founding members. Celje competed in the PrvaLiga, Cup and Europa League. The season for the club began on 2 July 2015 and ended on 25 May 2016.

The 2015–16 season was Domžale's 18th season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, the Slovenian top division, since the league was created. Domžale competed in the PrvaLiga, Cup and Europa League. The season for the club began on 2 July 2015 and ended on 21 May 2016.

The 2015–16 season was Zavrč's 3rd season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, the top Slovenian division, since the league was created.

The 2015–16 season is Olimpija's 7th season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, Slovenian top division, since the league was created.

The 2016–17 season was Celje's 26th season in the Slovenian top division, Slovenian PrvaLiga, since the league was created in 1991 with Celje as one of the league's founding members. Celje competed in Slovenian PrvaLiga and Slovenian Football Cup.

The 2017–18 season was the 58th season in the history of Nogometni klub Maribor. It began on 1 June 2017 and concluded on 31 May 2018, with competitive matches played between July and May. It was the first season since 2007–08 in which Maribor did not win a single trophy during the season as the team lost the league title to Olimpija Ljubljana due to worse head-to-head record after finishing with the same number of points (80) in 36 rounds. Olimpija also eliminated Maribor in the quarter-finals of the Slovenian Cup. However, Maribor fared better in European competitions as the team reached the group stages of the UEFA Champions League for the third time in club's history.

References

General
Specific
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  13. Lorenčič, Jaša (16 April 2021). "Kako do 16. naslova? Rožman: »Ne bom trpel švercanja!«". maribor24.si (in Slovenian). Retrieved 24 May 2023.
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  18. "Nikola Nikezič – Statistika sezone 2006–07" [Nikola Nikezic – Season statistics 2006–07] (in Slovenian). Slovenian PrvaLiga . Retrieved 18 June 2018.