MŠK Žilina MŠK Žilina, founded in 1908, carries one of the more unusual nicknames in European football — fans call the team "Šošoni" (The Shoshone), after the Native American tribe. The club's golden era came in 2010–2012, when Žilina won the Slovak championship, then sealed a domestic double two years later by also lifting the Slovak Cup.
That 2010 title opened the door to the most dramatic chapter in the club's history — a debut in the UEFA Champions League group stage. After sensationally eliminating Sparta Prague in the play-off round (3–0 on aggregate), Žilina were drawn into a group with Chelsea, Olympique de Marseille and Spartak Moscow. The campaign ended in a painful lesson — the team lost all six matches, and a record 0–7 defeat to Marseille remains the club's heaviest ever home loss in European competition.
After thirteen years without a trophy, in May 2026 Žilina returned to the podium, beating FC Košice 3–1 in the Slovak Cup final to secure their return to European football for the 2026/27 season. The team plays its home matches at Štadión pod Dubňom in Žilina.
