Ambassadors: Milenko Ačimović and Mile Simeunović
Friday, September 1, 2017
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Former Slovenian internationals Milenko Ačimović (football) and Mile Simeunović (futsal) are the UEFA Futsal EURO 2018 tournament ambassadors in Ljubljana.
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- Milenko Ačimović
Date of birth: 15 February 1977
National team: Slovenia
Playing career: Železničar Ljubljana, Olimpija Ljubljana, Crvena zvezda, Tottenham Hotspur, LOSC Lille, al-Ittihad, Austria Wien
• Born in Ljubljana (then part of Yugoslavia), Ačimović came through the ranks at Železničar, making his debut aged 18.
• The forward-running midfielder's career took him across town to Olimpija before spells at Crvena zvezda (where he lifted two league titles), Tottenham and LOSC, whom he helped into the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League, scoring the only goal in a memorable victory over Manchester United.
• After further stopovers in Saudi Arabia and Austria, Ačimović retired in 2010 due to a knee injury.
• Ačimović was capped 74 times by Slovenia, playing at UEFA EURO 2000 (having scored from halfway in the play-off against Ukraine) and the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where he struck one of his 13 international goals in a game against Paraguay.
• After retirement he had a stint as director of football for Olimpija.
• At his unveiling as UEFA Futsal EURO 2018 ambassador, he said: "To be ambassador for such a big event is a great honour. I thank the Football Association of Slovenia for choosing me."
- Mile Simeunović
Date of birth: 7 February 1976
National team: Slovenia
Playing career: Domžale (football), Vuko Ljubljana, Firenze, Bologna, Norilsky Nikel, GIP Beton, Gospić/Nacional Zagreb, Litija, Dobovec, Proena Maribor
Coaching career: Zavas
• Simeunović started his career in football with Domžale before switching to futsal, where he emerged as perhaps Slovenia's greatest ever player.
• In an active career lasting 20 years, Simeunović starred in Italy, Russia and Croatia as well as Slovenia. In six seasons with Norilsky he won both league and cup once, and he also claimed league championships in Croatia – with Gospić (later renamed Nacional Zagreb) – and in Slovenia, with Litija, Doboveca and Proena.
• He retired in 2016 aged 40, and has gone on to coach Zavas.
• He was capped 60 times by Slovenia, registering 23 goals and appearing at UEFA Futsal EURO 2003.