Slovenia, a small nation of just 2 million with a proud footballing history including World Cup appearances in 2002 and 2010, failed to qualify for FIFA 2026 — missing out on what could have been the breakout tournament for emerging star Benjamin Šeško. The RB Leipzig striker is one of Europe's most exciting young talents, and Slovenia's failure to reach the World Cup deprives football of seeing him on the biggest stage.
| Appearances | 2 |
| Best Finish | Group stage (2002, 2010) |
| Last Appearance | 2010 (group stage) |
| 2022 Result | Did not qualify |
Jan Oblak (Atlético Madrid) is arguably the world's best goalkeeper, representing extraordinary individual quality for a nation of 2 million. Benjamin Šeško (RB Leipzig) provides elite goal-scoring potential, making Slovenia potentially the best team relative to population size in European football given these two world-class players.
Slovenia's non-qualification for FIFA 2026 is particularly frustrating given they have arguably the two best players relative to population size in European football — Jan Oblak, widely considered among the world's best goalkeepers, and Benjamin Šeško, one of Europe's most exciting young strikers. Yet with only 2 million people, finding 9 more world-class players to complete a squad capable of winning 8+ competitive UEFA qualifying matches is simply beyond what Slovenia's player pool allows.
Slovenian fans should follow Jan Oblak at Atlético Madrid and Benjamin Šeško at RB Leipzig closely — two players performing at Champions League elite level despite representing a nation that failed to qualify for the World Cup. Group F's Netherlands-vs-Sweden match features comparable top European nations without super-power status.
Follow FIFA 2026 on T Sports and Sony Sports in Bangladesh. Šeško at Leipzig (Group E's Germany features many Bundesliga-connected players) and Oblak at Atlético (facing Group H's Spain opponents in La Liga) provide constant tournament-adjacent viewing.