Aljaž Ivačič Bio
Aljaž Ivačič is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. Standing at 188 centimeters tall, he has built his career across European and American soccer, competing in Major League Soccer for several seasons. Ivačič first gained widespread recognition with the Portland Timbers before transferring to the New England Revolution in April 2024. Across his time in MLS, he has been recognized as a matchday standout, earning both Player of the Matchday honors and selections to the league’s Team of the Matchday.
Early Life and Background
Aljaž Ivačič was born on 29 December 1993 in Ljubljana, the capital and largest city of Slovenia. Growing up in a country with a strong soccer tradition, he developed an early interest in the sport and trained with local youth programs. His physical build and natural shot-stopping instincts led him toward the goalkeeper position, and he worked his way through Slovenia’s grassroots development system during his teenage years.
Coming of age in a footballing culture that produced several notable international players, Ivačič had access to competitive youth leagues and academies in the Ljubljana area. This environment provided him with regular competitive matches, an important factor for any aspiring goalkeeper. By the time he reached his late teens, he was ready to take his first professional steps in Slovenian club football.
Path to Professional Soccer
Ivačič began his senior career in 2012 with Olimpija Ljubljana, the most prominent club in the Slovenian capital. While with Olimpija, he also gained valuable senior experience on loan at lower-division sides, including a spell at Rudar Trbovlje in 2012 and 2013, followed by a stint at Bela Krajina in 2013. These loans gave him minutes and exposure that helped him grow into a more complete professional.
After returning from his loan moves, Ivačič joined Radomlje in 2015, where he continued to develop his game over two seasons. In 2017, he moved abroad for the first time, signing with Pafos, a Cypriot club. That same year, he made his debut for the Slovenia under-20 national team, appearing in a 4–1 loss to Croatia in April 2013, an experience that offered him a first taste of international football.
Aljaž Ivačič Career
Early Career (2012–2018)
During his formative years in Slovenia and Cyprus, Ivačič established himself as a dependable young goalkeeper. He trained daily with senior professionals at Olimpija Ljubljana, one of the country’s top clubs, while his loan spells at Rudar Trbovlje and Bela Krajina gave him the chance to handle the pressure of regular first-team football. These seasons were essential in sharpening his distribution and command of the penalty area.
His time at Radomlje and then Pafos broadened his tactical understanding of the game. Working under different coaching staffs in two distinct leagues, Ivačič adapted to varied playing styles and built a reputation as a shot-stopper capable of organizing his back line. By the end of 2018, he had earned enough recognition to attract the attention of Major League Soccer scouts.
Portland Timbers Breakthrough (2019–2024)
Ivačič was signed by the Portland Timbers on 18 January 2019, beginning a new chapter in his career in North America. He made his MLS debut in impressive fashion on 19 September 2020, recording three saves in a 6–1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes. That performance signaled his readiness to compete at the highest level in the United States and earned him a regular place in the squad.
Over the following seasons, Ivačič became a reliable presence between the posts for Portland. In September 2023, he filed a complaint with the MLS Players Association alleging abusive conduct and tampering by the club. A few days later, Major League Soccer announced it was suspending him for three matches and fining him an undisclosed amount for using threatening language toward team staff. He left the team in March 2024 after his contract was waived.
New England Revolution Era (2024–2025)
On 23 April 2024, the New England Revolution announced that they had signed Ivačič through the 2025 season. He quickly made an impact in Foxborough, being named MLS Player of the Matchday for week 19 after a 1–0 victory over the New York Red Bulls in which he made five saves. That achievement made him the first goalkeeper to win the Player of the Matchday award since Dayne St. Clair in 2022, and the second Revolution keeper to take the honor, following Matt Turner in 2021.
During the 2025 season, Ivačič continued to perform at a high level, earning selections to the MLS Team of the Matchday for weeks 8 and 10 after posting shutouts against Atlanta United FC and Charlotte FC. His contract with the Revolution ran through 2025, but he was waived by the club on 11 September 2025.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Ivačič’s MLS career came with his Player of the Matchday performance in the 2024 season, when his five-save shutout led the Revolution past the New York Red Bulls. He added to his reputation in 2025 with back-to-back Team of the Matchday selections, becoming a recognizable figure in the league. His career also included an international milestone in June 2023, when he was called up to the Slovenia senior squad by manager Matjaž Kek as a third-choice goalkeeper for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Finland and Denmark.
Aljaž Ivačič Career Wins
Across his time with the Portland Timbers and the New England Revolution, Aljaž Ivačič has earned notable individual recognition in Major League Soccer rather than major team trophies. His selections to the MLS Team of the Matchday and his Player of the Matchday honor stand as the most prominent verified accolades of his MLS career to date.
MLS Highlights
Ivačič’s standout MLS moment arrived in 2024 with the New England Revolution, when he was named Player of the Matchday for week 19 following a five-save shutout of the New York Red Bulls. In 2025, he continued to impress with selections to the MLS Team of the Matchday for weeks 8 and 10, both of which featured clean sheets against Atlanta United FC and Charlotte FC. These performances established him as one of the league’s most dependable shot-stoppers during those stretches.
Aljaž Ivačič Family
Family Background
Public details about Aljaž Ivačič’s parents and family background are not widely documented. His upbringing in Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital, provided him with access to strong youth soccer infrastructure that helped launch his professional career. Beyond that, limited verified information is available about his immediate family.
2025 Season Performance
Aljaž Ivačič opened the 2025 campaign with the New England Revolution as the established first-choice goalkeeper, immediately showing the form that had earned him Player of the Matchday honors the previous season. He was named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for week 8 after a clean sheet against Atlanta United FC, and he repeated the honor in week 10 with another shutout, this time against Charlotte FC.
Despite his strong early-season showings, Ivačič’s 2025 year ended abruptly on 11 September 2025, when the Revolution waived him. His departure marked the close of a productive but brief chapter in New England, where his performances had already cemented a positive reputation among Revolution supporters.