Slovenian media taunt North Macedonia: "If we can't beat the Macedonians, who will we beat?!"
Slovenian headlines have given Goce Sedloski’s players extra motivation ahead of the match in Ljubljana on 29 September 2026.
Skopje, 28 September 2026 — In the run-up to North Macedonia's away fixture in Ljubljana, several Slovenian outlets published a headline that many in Skopje saw as a provocation and a challenge to the national side.
Provocation ahead of the match in Ljubljana
The Macedonian team arrives in Slovenia under pressure after a difficult spell: nine matches without a victory and five consecutive games without scoring. Those results stand in sharp contrast to the side that reached UEFA Euro 2021, earned promotion to Nations League B and twice contested play-offs for World Cup qualification in 2022 and 2026.
One Slovenian portal put the point bluntly in a front‑page line: "If we can't beat the Macedonians, who will we beat?!" — a barb that has become fuel for debate among supporters and pundits in both countries.
Coach Goce Sedloski and his players will face Slovenia in Ljubljana on 29 September 2026, with the squad expected to treat the headline as additional motivation to respond on the pitch and prove they can still produce quality football.
Fans in Skopje are divided between concern over the run of poor results and hope that the team will react positively in Slovenia. The match will be watched closely as an early test of whether the national side can halt its skid and restore some momentum.
Photo: press material from the event
