Žiga Frelih

Žiga Frelih
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-02-06) 6 February 1998
Place of birth Ljubljana, Slovenia
Height 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Spartak Trnava
Number 1
Youth career
Idrija
–2015 Bravo
2016–2017 Domžale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Bravo 19 (0)
2015–2016 → Celje (loan) 0 (0)
2016–2017 Domžale 0 (0)
2017–2019 Krško 17 (0)
2019–2020 Inter Zaprešić 22 (1)
2020–2021 Olimpija Ljubljana 36 (0)
2021–2022 Gil Vicente 19 (0)
2022 → Chaves (loan) 0 (0)
2023 Mirandés 1 (0)
2023–2024 Zemplín Michalovce 18 (0)
2024– Spartak Trnava 31 (0)
International career
2019 Slovenia U21 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 May 2025

Žiga Frelih (born 6 February 1998) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays for Slovak club Spartak Trnava as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Frelih is a youth product of Bravo, and began his senior career in the Slovenian third division in 2015. He was later the reserve goalkeeper at Celje and Domžale. Frelih transferred to Krško in 2017, and made his first senior appearance with them in a 0–0 Slovenian Football Cup tie with Ilirija 1911 on 16 August 2017.[1] He made his top division debut for Krško in a 1–0 loss to Olimpija Ljubljana on 8 April 2018.[2]

In 2019, Frelih moved to Croatian club Inter Zaprešić.[3] There, he scored his first goal of his career in a 2–2 draw with Istra on 4 October 2019 in the 92nd minute of the game.[4] After earning his spot as a starter there, he returned to Slovenia and signed with Olimpija Ljubljana in August 2020.[5] He stayed at the club for one year, before his contract was terminated in July 2021 due to alleged violation of disciplinary rules.[6][7]

In September 2021, Frelih signed a three-year contract with Primeira Liga side Gil Vicente.[8] On 1 August 2022, he was loaned to Chaves,[9] but left the club late in the month due to personal problems,[10] and subsequently rescinded his contract with Gil Vicente.

On 3 February 2023, Frelih moved to Spain and was announced at Segunda División side Mirandés.[11]

On 11 October 2023, Frelih joined Slovak First Football League club Zemplín Michalovce. He made his debut for the club in a 2–0 loss at home against Slovan Bratislava.[12] During the season, Frelih set a league record for the longest time without conceding a goal, with 520 minutes.[13][14]

On 16 June 2024, Frelih joined fellow Slovak First League club Spartak Trnava, signing a two-year contract.[14][15] He made his debut for Spartak in the first round of the Conference League qualifiers against Bosnian club Sarajevo, where he was able to keep a clean sheet.[16][17] Frelih made his league debut in a 0–0 draw against Trenčín.[18]

Frelih won the man of the match award in a 2–1 win over rivals Slovan Bratislava in the semi-finals of the Slovak Cup, making a series of saves and saving two penalties in the penalty shoot-out.[19]

International career

Frelih was a youth international for Slovenia, having represented the Slovenia under-21 team. He was called-up to train with the senior team in March 2021.[20]

Honours

Domžale

Olimpija Ljubljana

Spartak Trnava

References

  1. ^ "Ilirija vs. Krško – 16 August 2017 – Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Krško vs. Olimpija – 8 April 2018 – Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Vratar Krškega bo kariero nadaljeval na Hrvaškem". nogomania.com (in Slovenian). 18 June 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Žiga Frelih zabil gol v 94. minuti in svoji ekipi priigral remi!". nogomania.com (in Slovenian). 5 October 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  5. ^ "V Olimpijo prihaja Žiga Frelih" (in Slovenian). NK Olimpija Ljubljana. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  6. ^ T. O. (27 July 2021). "Olimpija se je razšla z vratarjem Žigo Frelihom" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  7. ^ Grošelj, Matej (29 July 2021). "Žiga Frelih sam predlagal prekinitev pogodbe z Olimpijo". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Žiga Frelih je našel rešitev za svojo kariero, branil bo v tujini" (in Slovenian). Nogomania. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Guarda-redes Ziga Frelih deixa o Gil Vicente, mas continua na Liga Bwin" [Goalkeeper Ziga Frelih leaves Gil Vicente, but remains in the Liga Bwin] (in Portuguese). O Jogo. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Desp. Chaves: Ziga Frelih na porta de saída por problemas pessoais" [Desp. Chaves: Ziga Frelih on his way out due to personal problems] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 20 August 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Ziga Frelih, refuerzo para la portería jabata" (in Spanish). CD Mirandés. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  12. ^ "MFK Zemplín Michalovce – ŠK Slovan Bratislava | Detail zápasu". Niké liga (in Slovak). Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Frelih novým rekordérom ligy". MFK Zemplín (in Slovak). 15 April 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Žiga Frelih posilou Spartaka Trnava- Noviny Zemplína". novinyzemplina.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Spartak spečatil dohodu, na brankársky post prichádza Žiga Frelih". Trnavský Hlas (in Slovak). Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  16. ^ "Spartak neohrozil bránu súpera ani raz. O všetkom sa rozhodne v Trnave". Šport.sk (in Slovak). 25 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  17. ^ "EKL – FK Sarajevo – FC Spartak Trnava 0:0". futbalsfz.sk (in Slovak). 25 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  18. ^ "FC Spartak Trnava – AS Trenčín | Detail zápasu". Niké liga (in Slovak). Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  19. ^ "FC Spartak Trnava – ŠK Slovan Bratislava | Slovnaft Cup finále". sportnet.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Frelih: "Veliko sem se naučil od Jana Oblaka"". sportklub.si (in Slovenian). 3 April 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Slovenia – Ž. Frelih – Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Kar trije slovenski nogometaši na praznik dela do lovorike: Erik Kojzek slavi v Avstriji, Žiga Frelih in Adrian Zeljković na Slovaškem". Planet Nogomet (in Slovenian). 1 May 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
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