Slovenia run at Euro 2024 may leave Middlesbrough wondering what if: View | OneFootball

The striker spent the 2021/22 season on loan in the north-east but struggled for form throughout.

Highlights

After signing on loan from Sporting CP, Andraž Šporar struggled for goals at Middlesbrough.

Now playing for Panathinaikos, Šporar joined Boro on deadline day ahead of the 2021/22 season. However, despite an impressive goalscoring record in prior years, he failed to replicate it in Teesside.

The 30-year-old also leads the line for his international team, Slovenia, who have qualified for their first European Championship in 24 years.

Euro 2024 gives Middlesbrough fans the opportunity to see what their former striker can do on the big stage and where it potentially went wrong for him three years ago. With 12 goals in 54 caps, Šporar will be one of the main attacking threats in the tournament for Slovenia, who took a point against Denmark in their opening match in a 1-1 draw.

Šporar failed to live up to hype

The Slovenian international joined Boro with a point to prove after struggling following his move to Sporting CP for €6 million from Slovakian side Slovan Bratislava, where he scored 60 times in just 78 appearances.

But, after a promising start to life in Portugal in 2020, goals started to dry up for the six-foot-one striker.

A loan move to fellow Portuguese side SC Braga failed to have the impact needed but this did not stop Neil Warnock from signing Šporar for the 2021/22 season, with an option to make the move permanent for an estimated £8 million at the end of the campaign if Boro won promotion or the forward scored 15 goals in the Championship.

A goal in just his second game for Boro looked to have proven Warnock right in placing his trust in the then 27-year-old but a run of five games without finding the back of the net was hard to ignore.

Šporar twice went on spells without scoring in eight matches, form that completely juxtaposed his time in Slovakia.

A change in management, as well as injuries also scuppered his chances - as he failed to start in seven of his 35 matches while his final goal came against Barnsley, in February. He underscored his expected goals (xG) of 12.07 and the lack of a consistent goalscorer came back to haunt his team, as Middlesbrough finished seventh in the Championship, five points outside the play-off places.

Euro 2024 allows Middlesbrough fans to see what they could have had

Although Šporar struggled in England, his ability to score goals has returned since joining Panathinaikos in 2022 on a four-year deal.

The 30-year-old striker has been relentless in every competition in Greece, even scoring five goals in European competitions in the Champions League and Conference League Qualifying stages, and in the Europa League.

He also has been impressive in the league, hitting the back of the net 19 times in 59 games across both the regular and play-off campaigns over the course of the last two years.

Šporar has also been in fine form for his national team, scoring three times in the European Qualifiers, as well as picking up two goals in friendlies leading up to Euro 2024, where he has the chance to help his country make history and qualify from the group stage for the first-ever time.

With a point from their first game, and both England and Serbia still to play, Slovenia and Šporar may fancy their chances to spoil the party in Group C and reach the round of 16.

Should the forward impress, then Boro - particularly against the Three Lions - then Boro fans may be left wondering 'what if'.