Between 1996 and 2010 Vugrinec was a member of the Slovenia men's national handball team and he has made several appearances for the team at the European and World championships, including two appearances at the Summer Olympics (2000 and 2004). He was a member of the Slovenian team which were runners-up at the 2004 European Men's Handball Championship. With 187 appearances and 616 goals he is among the most capped and most prolific goal scorers in history of the Slovenia men's national handball team.