Juraj Kucka
 |
| Personal information |
| Date of birth |
26 February 1987 (1987-02-26) (age 25) |
| Place of birth |
Bojnice, Czechoslovakia |
| Height |
1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Playing position |
Centre midfielder / Defensive midfielder |
| Club information |
| Current club |
Genoa |
| Number |
33 |
| Youth career |
| 2001–2002 |
Prievidza |
| 2002–2004 |
Radvaň |
| 2004–2006 |
Podbrezová |
| Senior career* |
| Years |
Team |
Apps† |
(Gls)† |
| 2005–2007 |
Podbrezová |
42 |
(3) |
| 2007–2009 |
Ružomberok |
48 |
(9) |
| 2009–2011 |
Sparta Praha |
45 |
(11) |
| 2011– |
Genoa |
27 |
(2) |
| National team‡ |
| 2007–2008 |
Slovakia U-21 |
11 |
(0) |
| 2008– |
Slovakia |
21 |
(1) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 December 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 February 2012 |
Juraj Kucka (pronounced [ˈjuraj ˈkutska]) (born 26 February 1987) is a Slovak football midfielder who currently plays for the Italian Serie A club Genoa and the Slovakia national football team.[1]
[edit] Club career
Kucka made his Corgoň Liga debut for MFK Ružomberok on 11 March 2007. He played six games in his first season. Overall, Kucka played 49 games and scored eight goals for Ružomberok. Czech manager Michal Bílek, coaching Ružomberok in 2008, recommended Kucka for Sparta Praha. In January 2009, he has signed a three-year contract for Sparta. In the Czech 2009–10 season he won the Gambrinus liga. During his first year he was dubbed as Sparta's 'Roy Keane' for his style of play.
On 6 January 2011, he signed a four-and-a-half-year contract for €3,6 million with Genoa C.F.C..[2] He made his debut in the Coppa Italia match against Inter on 12 January 2011. He was voted man of the match by Genoa fans after 1–1 draw against Milan on 6 February 2011. Kucka proved immediately to fit fine in the squad, showing a remarkable physical strength and good technical skills, resulting the second best player of Genoa.[3] He scored his first goal for Genoa in a 2–1 away win against Lazio on 18 September 2011.
[edit] Internazionale F.C.
On the transfer deadline August 31, 2011, Inter and Genoa came to an agreement to swap co-ownerships of Juraj Kucka and Emiliano Viviano.
[edit] International career
Kucka, former Slovakia under-21 player, made his senior international debut in friendly match against Liechtenstein on 19 November 2008. Slovakia manager Vladimír Weiss called up him at the 2010 FIFA World Cup even though that he did not play any qualification match. He played in three games at the World Cup against New Zealand, Italy and the Netherlands.
[edit] International goals
[edit] Honours
[edit] Sparta Praha
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Kucka, Juraj |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
Footballer |
| Date of birth |
26 February 1987 |
| Place of birth |
Bojnice, Czechoslovakia |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
Austria
