(foto: Nogomania)
The shocking end to the Čeferin-Zahović feud.
It took nearly a decade and a half, but the most influential football official in Slovenian history and the country’s most famous footballer-turned-director have finally buried the hatchet. Aleksander Čeferin and Zlatko Zahović are no longer at war.
As Nogomania recently revealed, Zlatko Zahović has accepted an invitation from the UEFA President to become a Technical Observer for matches under the organization’s umbrella. This role will see the legendary striker traveling, networking, and analyzing top-tier matches to select "Man of the Match" awards and tactical trends. According to reports from EkipaSN, Zahović’s first assignment is expected to be the Europa League clash between Aston Villa and Bologna.
"We should be happy and satisfied that the UEFA President is our citizen. He called me and pushed for this, and I happily accepted. He is the General, and soldiers respond. I want to devote myself and my knowledge to what I will be doing in the coming period," Zahović told Pop TV, confirming the news.
For Slovenian football, which isn't exactly overflowing with globally influential personalities, this reconciliation is massive. It also marks Zahović’s first official step back into the football world since 2020, when he left Maribor amidst personal challenges—a departure from which the club has arguably never fully recovered.
The 2012 Explosion: "Corrupt Swine" and VIP Insults
The rift between the two dates back to 2012, when Aleksander Čeferin was still the President of the Football Association of Slovenia (NZS). During a "Eternal Derby" between Olimpija and Maribor at the Stožice Stadium, Zahović—reportedly in a "merry state" (intoxicated)—crossed a line with a series of vulgar outbursts.
At the time, Čeferin described the incident to Nogomania:
"Zlatko Zahović came to the stands in a 'merry state' and began shouting at General Secretary Aleš Zavrl, insulting his mother and calling his father, Rudi Zavrl, a swine. When I told him to calm down, he screamed at me: 'Be quiet, I’m not talking to you!' We spent the rest of the match listening to profanities like 'F** you' and 'corrupt swine'."*
Bojan Ban, who remains the director of Maribor today, defended Zahović at the time, accusing Čeferin of verbal threats and abusing his business influence. Čeferin dismissed those claims as "pure fiction," a sentiment echoed by Olimpija officials and numerous witnesses in the VIP area.
Time Heals Even the Deepest Rifts
Following that night in 2012, the two were never seen in the same frame again. Zahović was conspicuously absent from the high-profile charity matches Čeferin organized across Slovenia and the world under the UEFA banner.
While Čeferin’s career skyrocketed to the very top of the global game, Zahović continued to find success with Maribor on the pitch, though his tenure was often marred by new controversies and public outbursts. After stepping away from the limelight four years ago, he remained a mere observer of the game.
Ironically, the man who has now opened the door for Zahović’s return to the elite level is the very person he once insulted. By bringing him into the UEFA fold, Aleksander Čeferin has not only ended a personal feud but has helped the greatest figure in Slovenian football history return to the "pitch" where he belongs.