After making a name for himself in Portugal, most notably with Porto and Benfica where he amassed Primeira Liga totals of 246 matches and 54 goals over one full decade,[6] he went on to have brief stints in Spain and Greece. He was known for dribbling and goal-scoring ability alike.[7] Although primarily a midfielder, he scored 11 goals in 32 Champions League appearances[8] and 35 in 80 for the Slovenian national team.
The all-time record holder in goals for Slovenia, Zahovič was an essential member of the squad as they qualified for the first time ever to a European Championship and a World Cup, in the early 2000s.
In the summer of 1993, aged 22, Zahovič moved to Portugal and joined Vitória de Guimarães. On matchday 32 of the 1995–96 campaign, he scored the winning goal in a 3–2 away win over FC Porto.[9] This performance convinced the former to sign him that summer, after an acrimonious transfer saga;[9] he led his side to two UEFA Cup qualifications during his three-year spell.
In 1999, Zahovič signed for Olympiacos F.C. for a transfer fee of €13.5 million, at the time the highest sum ever paid for a Slovenian footballer.[11] However, his season in Greece was marred by fines and suspension. Zahovič first fell out with the club's head coach, Dušan Bajević, for returning late from a holiday.[12]
"He was a great player. In Portugal, he achieved something that is almost impossible, being loved by both the fans of Benfica and Porto."
In November 1999, as Olympiacos failed to progress out of the UEFA Champions League group stage, head coach Bajević was sacked and replaced with Alberto Bigon. Zahovič's relationship with the incoming head coach was similarly fraught, as the player questioned the coach's tactics.[12]
Years later, Zahovič claimed in interviews that the real reason for his contentious season at Olympiacos was the club's continual refusal to properly set up his legal and administrative status in Greece as a professional athlete. He further accused the club of using the administrative matters as leverage when trying to avoid honouring his contract terms pertaining to income tax on his salary.[13]
Again Zahovič clashed with his manager, Héctor Cúper, claiming he was not being given enough opportunities.[16] Additionally, in October 2000, he was not picked up for a game at his former club for fear of reprisals from its supporters.[17]
Benfica
In June 2001, Zahovič returned to Portugal and joined S.L. Benfica, as Carlos Marchena moved to Valencia.[18] He was an important first-team member in his first three seasons, but lost his importance when manager Giovanni Trapattoni arrived at the Estádio da Luz,[19] a situation which was aggravated in January 2005 with the purchase of Nuno Assis.[20] This in part resulted in a mutual termination of his contract, five months before it was due to expire.[21][22]
International career
Zahovič's first match for Slovenia was on 7 November 1992, a friendly match with Cyprus. The national team qualified for UEFA Euro 2000 in Belgium and the Netherlands, with Zahovič scoring nine goals in 15 games. In the finals he continued to excel, netting three of the side's four goals in an eventual group stage exit where his performances earned him comparisons to David Beckham.[23]
Slovenia also managed to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, another first. However, after being replaced by manager Srečko Katanec in the 63rd minute of the first group fixture against Spain (1–3 loss), Zahovič insulted the coach, who immediately sent him home following the match.[24][25]
Zahovič retired from the national team in December 2003,[26][27] but reversed his decision two months later.[28] He made his last appearance for the national team on 28 April 2004 against Switzerland, totaling 80 caps and 35 goals (at the time both records),[29] which made him the most successful Slovenian footballer since the country's independence in 1991 and the inception of its football association into FIFA the following year; his international appearances total was surpassed by Boštjan Cesar on 15 November 2014.
Zahovič's son, Luka, is also a footballer. A striker, he too represented Slovenia at international level.[34] When Luka scored a late equaliser in a Champions League group stage match between Maribor and Sporting CP, on 17 September 2014, the two became only the second father and son pair – first among Europeans – to have both scored in the competition since 1992 when the competition was established in its current format.[8]
^ abPlestenjak, Rok (18 September 2014). "Zlatko in Luka Zahović kot edina Evropejca" [Zlatko and Luka Zahović as the only Europeans] (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
^Ros, Cayetano (24 October 2000). "Zahovic no viaja por temor a los hinchas" [Zahovic does not travel for fear of supporters]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2015.
