Juan Vasle, who grew up in Argentina, has become one of Slovenia’s most recognizable media personalities, largely because of his twin passions – for opera singing and soccer.

Born in 1954 to Slovenian parents in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires, Vasle was a talented singer even at a young age. His parents were political exiles, and he grew up listening to Slovenian folk songs. Ultimately, he enrolled in the prestigious Colon Theater’s Instituto Superior de Arte. After graduating, his opera career took off, and in 1988, he was one of the finalists at the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition in Philadelphia.

Vasle’s family always retained strong bonds to the Old Country, and he grew up speaking Slovenian at home. In 1990, democracy finally came to Slovenia, and Vasle decided to move to his parent’s homeland. He became a member of the soloist ensemble at Ljubljana’s Opera, where he quickly emerged as one of the country’s top singers. He is known for performing Slovenian and Latin American songs, and his work has been published on several CDs.

Many Slovenians, however, know Vasle for his other passion, which is almost as powerful as opera singing – the sport of soccer. Through the years, he has shared his love for the game with Slovenian audiences on radio, television, and in the press. Vasle has always had a love for telling stories; it was this commitment that led him to pursue his second career in journalism when he still lived in Argentina.

Even before he had become a world-class singer, Vasle obtained a degree from a journalism school in Buenos Aires. After a stint working for a business publication, he became a popular and widely read soccer columnist, sharing his knowledge of the game and its always-colorful players with readers across Argentina. Vasle combined his journalistic experience with his passion for the opera when he founded a magazine devoted to music and became its editor.

After moving to Slovenia, Vasle continued to writer about South American soccer for Slovenian publications. His knowledge and passion introduced many Slovenians to the game as played in the Latin world, and when Brazil hosted the World Cup in 2012, Vasle became a fixture of TV coverage for the duration of the event. He even authored a book about the history of the World Cup, and has emerged as one of Slovenia’s foremost experts on the game.

Even though he only arrived in Slovenia 25 years ago, Juan Vasle is one of the more recognizable faces in the Slovenian media – and is forever associated with beautiful music and “the beautiful game.”