Simon Sluga (born 17 September 1993) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ludogorets Razgrad. He is also a member of the Slovenia national team.
Early Career Sluga began his youth career at Slovenian club NK Izola before moving to the youth academy of Italian club Juventus in 2009. He spent two seasons with Juventus's youth teams before returning to Slovenia.
Club Career
HNK Rijeka Sluga joined Croatian club HNK Rijeka in 2011. He spent several seasons on loan to various Slovenian clubs, including ND Gorica, before establishing himself as Rijeka's first-choice goalkeeper. During his time at Rijeka, he became known for his strong performances, helping the club win the Croatian Football Cup in the 2018–19 season. His consistent form also saw him feature in European competitions for Rijeka.
Luton Town On 19 July 2019, Sluga signed for newly-promoted Championship club Luton Town for a then-club-record fee, reported to be in the region of £1.5 million. He quickly established himself as the team's starting goalkeeper. Despite Luton's struggles in their first season back in the Championship, Sluga played a crucial role in their eventual survival, making several key saves throughout the campaign. He remained a key player for Luton for two-and-a-half seasons, making over 90 appearances for the club across all competitions.
Ludogorets Razgrad In January 2022, Sluga moved to Bulgarian First League champions Ludogorets Razgrad. He quickly became a regular starter for the club, contributing to their league title victories and participation in European club competitions, including the UEFA Champions League qualifiers and the UEFA Europa League.
International Career Sluga has represented Slovenia at various youth levels, including the under-17, under-18, under-19, and under-21 teams. He made his senior debut for the Slovenia national team on 4 June 2016 in a friendly against Turkey. Since then, he has regularly been called up to the national squad, serving as both a starter and a reliable backup.
Honours
Club
- HNK Rijeka
- Croatian Football Cup: 2018–19
- Ludogorets Razgrad
- Bulgarian First League: 2021–22, 2022–23
- Bulgarian Supercup: 2022, 2023
- Bulgarian Cup: 2022–23
Playing Style Sluga is known for his agility, good shot-stopping abilities, and command of his penalty area. He is also recognized for his distribution skills, being comfortable with the ball at his feet.