Žan Karničnik

Žan Karničnik was part of the NŠ Mura side that won the club's first Slovenian championship in 2020/21. The right-back played 34 league matches that season, added three appearances in the Europa League, and was named to SPINS' team of the season.

Karničnik began his senior career at Radlje ob Dravi before moving to Maribor in 2015, where he spent two seasons across the first team and reserves. His switch to NŠ Mura in 2017 lasted five years and delivered the 2020/21 title. That form carried him to Bulgaria's Ludogorets in January 2022, in a transfer reported by TransferFeed at around €500,000.

The stay in Bulgaria was short. Celje took him on loan in December 2022 and made the move permanent in January 2024. The club went on to win back-to-back Slovenian titles, in 2023/24 and 2025/26, and Karničnik was named Celje's player of the season for the first of those campaigns, followed by recognition as Ekipa SN's player of the year in 2024. He returned to Maribor in the summer of 2026, taking the number 23 shirt.

For Slovenia, Karničnik wears number 2. He was part of the 26-man squad at Euro 2024 and played in all three group games, against Denmark, Serbia and England, before featuring in the last-16 defeat to Portugal. In qualifying for Euro 2026 he made six appearances without scoring.