Slovenians euphoric after reaching World Cup

Slovenians across the country were celebrating Thursday, a day after their national football team's achievement of qualifying for the World Cup and ousting Russia. Slovenia beat Russia 1-0 Wednesday in Maribor and qualified for next year's tournament in South Africa on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate result. "It is a dream coming true, a fairy tale ending from a Hollywood movie," Slovenia coach Matjaz Kek said. "My guys became immortal." After the match, cities and towns around the tiny country of 2 million inhabitants exploded in joy, with people streaming out to squares and bars to celebrate. On Thursday, about 10,000 people gathered at a square in the capital to greet the players and national TV stopped airing the parliament's debate to go live covering the celebration. Slovenia's only previous World Cup appearance was seven years ago, but the team lost all three of its matches in South Korea and Japan. The team has never made the European Championship. Football fever still spread throughout the country, which gained independence 18 years ago, as the team lost only two of 12 matches in World Cup qualifying. The state-run news agency STA said Slovenians were "reveling their newfound football glory." The leading daily Delo said the team "exceeded any expectations," taking "their rightful place in history." Politicians were not immune either. At an ad hoc celebration at the Maribor square after the match, where players and fans sang "We Are The Champions," the otherwise restrained President Danilo Turk took to the stage and chanted "Champions!" Prime Minister Borut Pahor said he fulfilled his promise - to clean players' boots if they qualify. "I didn't do it thoroughly, but enough for a trip to South Africa," Pahor said. Russian President Dmitri Medvedev traveled to Maribor to watch the match, as did billionaire Chelsea owner Roman Abramovic. "Naturally, I am disappointed like all our fans," Medvedev told the Russian ITAR-Tass news agency. "Luck was on the Slovenian side." For Slovenia, the victory meant more than just winning a football match. The small former Yugoslav nation has often complained of not being known enough on the world stage, even though it has been a member of the European Union and NATO since 2004. Its politicians are also chronically divided to the left and right - but were together in cheering for their team. Under the title "Uniting Slovenia and conquering the world," daily Delo said the World Cup achievement "will help young generations build their self-esteem."