Josip Iličić (foto: pigac.si)
Josip Iličić is returning to the Slovenian national team after a two-and-a-half-year absence. Will coach Matjaž Kek ultimately take him to Euro 2024?
Matjaž Kek has decided to offer veteran Josip Iličić a chance to bid a dignified farewell to the Slovenian national team. An excellent half-season at Maribor, where he reminded everyone of the golden times of his career, has reopened the door to the national team for Iličić, just before the European Championship in Germany!
Iličić is now on the extended squad list announced by coach Kek, from which four players will be cut before the Euro. It is hard to believe that Iličić will be one of those cut, but he is unlikely to immediately reclaim a spot in Slovenia's starting eleven.
Iličić has made 78 appearances for Slovenia so far. For several years, he was the best player on the team, carrying much of the burden on his shoulders with varying degrees of success. Back then, Slovenia was not at its current level, where it can rely on several good individuals and a well-functioning team.
Iličić's last match for Slovenia was in November 2021, after the first outbreak of the illness that interrupted his then-thriving career. It was a match against Cyprus in the World Cup qualifiers. Iličić has scored 16 goals for Slovenia.
How will Iličić fit into the current Slovenian team, which has a more or less clearly formed starting eleven? Coach Kek might look for answers to this question in the upcoming friendly matches as part of the preparations for the European Championship. Slovenia will face Armenia on June 4 in Stožice and Bulgaria on June 8.