Aluminij Kidricevo NK Aluminij's name and identity are inseparable from local industry — the club was founded in 1946 at the Talum aluminium smelter in Kidričevo, a small town of just a few thousand residents. Known to fans as "Šumarji" (The Foresters), it won the Slovenian Republic League and Cup double back in 1965/66, still under Yugoslavia.
The real fairy tale, however, unfolded sixty years later. As recently as the 2023/24 season the club was playing in Slovenia's second division, yet by 2025/26 it had not only earned promotion to the top flight but also claimed its first-ever major trophy — the Slovenian Cup, beating NK Brinje Grosuplje 1–0 in the final.
That triumph opened the door to a historic European debut — in the summer of 2026, Aluminij faced Moldova's Sheriff Tiraspol, the club remembered for their stunning Champions League win over Real Madrid in 2021, in Europa League qualifying. Despite a goalless draw away from home, the Kidričevo side fell 0–1 at home and were eliminated on aggregate, though the European adventure itself remains the greatest moment in the club's 80-year history.