1. Early Life and Background
Aleš Čeh was born on 7 April 1968 in Maribor, a city that was then part of Yugoslavia and is now located in Slovenia. His early life in Maribor laid the foundation for his future career in football.
2. Playing Career
Aleš Čeh's playing career spanned over two decades, during which he became a prominent figure in Slovenian and Austrian football, culminating in significant appearances for his national team at major international tournaments.
2.1. Club Career
Čeh began his football journey in the youth system of ND Slovan. He made his professional debut in 1988 with NK Olimpija Ljubljana, where he played until 1992, appearing in 93 matches and scoring 4 goals.
In 1992, he made a move to Austria, joining second division side Grazer AK (GAK). His consistent performances in midfield were instrumental in helping the team return to the top flight of Austrian football in 1995. During his 11-year tenure with GAK, Čeh played in 287 matches, scoring 3 goals. He also achieved significant success, winning the Austrian Cup in 2000 and 2002, and the Austrian Supercup in the same years. He also participated in international competitions such as the UEFA Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup with GAK. In May 2003, at the age of 35, Čeh decided to leave GAK to continue his playing career, declining an offer to transition into a youth coaching role at the club.
After leaving GAK, Čeh returned to his home country, signing with NK Maribor for the 2003-04 season. During this period, he played in 45 matches, though he did not score any goals. He won the Slovenian Football Cup with Maribor in the 2003-04 season. In the winter of 2004, he moved back to Austria to play for LASK Linz, where he made 42 appearances and scored 1 goal between 2005 and 2006.
Čeh then returned to Olimpija Ljubljana for his final stint as a professional player from 2006 to 2009. He played 37 matches and scored 2 goals before officially retiring from football after the 2008-09 season. Across his club career, he amassed a total of 504 appearances and 10 goals.
2.2. International Career
Čeh made his debut for the Slovenia national football team in a friendly match against Estonia on 3 June 1992. He went on to earn a total of 76 caps for the national team, scoring 1 goal during his international career.
He was a key player in Slovenia's historic qualification for and participation in two major tournaments. In the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifiers, he played in all six matches and served as captain in two of them, contributing to Slovenia's first-ever appearance at a major championship after defeating Ukraine in the play-offs. At the UEFA Euro 2000 tournament, Čeh started and played the full duration of all group stage matches.
He continued to be an integral part of the squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where he notably served as captain. He participated in all of Slovenia's group stage matches during the tournament. His final appearance in a major international tournament was against Paraguay during the 2002 World Cup. He officially retired from the national team on 15 November 2003, following a UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying playoff first leg match against Croatia.
2.3. Career Statistics
Below are summaries of Aleš Čeh's professional playing statistics across his club and international career.
| Club | Years | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olimpija Ljubljana | 1988-1992 | 93 | 4 |
| Grazer AK | 1992-2003 | 287 | 3 |
| Maribor | 2003-2004 | 45 | 0 |
| LASK Linz | 2005-2006 | 42 | 1 |
| Olimpija Ljubljana | 2006-2009 | 37 | 2 |
| Total | 504 | 10 | |
2.3.1. International Goals and Appearances
Aleš Čeh scored one goal for the Slovenia national team.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 December 1995 | Estadio Héroe de Nacozari, Hermosillo, Mexico | Mexico | 1-1 | 2-1 | Friendly |
His year-by-year international appearances are detailed below:
| Year | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 0 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 | 5 | 0 |
| 1995 | 7 | 1 |
| 1996 | 7 | 0 |
| 1997 | 5 | 0 |
| 1998 | 7 | 0 |
| 1999 | 11 | 0 |
| 2000 | 11 | 0 |
| 2001 | 11 | 0 |
| 2002 | 7 | 0 |
| Total | 76 | 1 |
3. Honours
Aleš Čeh collected several major trophies during his playing career:
Olimpija
- Slovenian PrvaLiga: 1991-92
GAK
- ÖFB-Cup: 2000, 2002
- Austrian Supercup: 2000, 2002
Maribor
- Slovenian Cup: 2003-04
4. Managerial Career
After retiring as a player in 2009, Aleš Čeh transitioned into coaching and managerial roles. He initially worked at his former club, Olimpija Ljubljana, first as a youth coach and later as an assistant manager under Dušan Kosič.
His managerial career includes:
- 2009-2010: Slovenia U-16 (Manager)
- 2010-2011: Olimpija Ljubljana (Assistant Manager)
- 2010-2011: Slovenia U-18 (Assistant Manager)
- 2011-2012: Grazer AK (Manager)
- 2012-2013: NK Rudar Velenje (Manager)
- 2013-2017: Slovenia (Assistant Manager)
- 2018: Slovenia U-19 (Manager)
- 2022-present: NK Drava Ptuj (U-19, Manager)
