Matúš Kozáčik (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈmatuːʂ ˈkɔzaːtʂik]; born 27 December 1983) is a Slovak retired football goalkeeper who last played for Czech club Viktoria Plzeň, and who now serves as a goalkeeping coach with the club's first team.

Matúš Kozáčik
Personal information
Full name Matúš Kozáčik
Date of birth (1983-12-27) 27 December 1983 (age 40)
Place of birth Dolný Kubín, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Viktoria Plzeň (goalkeeping coach)
Youth career
1994–1998 Dolný Kubín
1998–2000 1. FC Košice
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2002 1. FC Košice 0 (0)
2002–2007 Slavia Prague 55 (0)
2007–2010 Sparta Prague 17 (0)
2010–2012 Anorthosis Famagusta 51 (0)
2012–2019 Viktoria Plzeň 171 (0)
International career
2006–2019 Slovakia 29 (0)
Managerial career
2020– Viktoria Plzeň (goalkeeping coach)
2022 Slovakia (goalkeeping coach)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 October 2019
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 June 2019

Club career

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While Kozáčik was playing for Slavia Prague, Leeds United took him on trial in December 2006.[1]

Anorthosis Famagusta

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Kozáčik started as first-choice goalkeeper for the club's European matches. Then, Kozáčik lost his position to other club goalkeeper Dimitar Ivankov for the next two matches. Ivankov left the club after two matches and Kozáčik continued as first-choice goalkeeper.[2]

FC Viktoria Plzeň

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In June 2012, Kozáčik signed a three-year contract with Viktoria Plzeň.[3] In February 2014, he extended his contract with Plzeň until June 2017.[4]

International career

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On 10 December 2006, Kozáčik debuted for Slovakia as a starter friendly match against the United Arab Emirates.[5] However, his next match for the national team came almost seven years later when he started in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification against Latvia.[6]

Kozáčik played 90 minutes of a controversial friendly match against Denmark, who arrived with a squad of players from lower division and Slovakia Futsal,[7] During the 2019 friendly match against Jordan that ended with a 5-1 victory, Kozáčik was replaced by international debutant Dominik Greif in the second half.[8]

Managerial career

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In September 2022, Kozáčík took on the role of goalkeeping coach with the Slovakia national football team under Francesco Calzona.[9] In March 2023, Kozáčik was replaced by his former national team co-goalkeeper and KFC Komárno goalkeeping coach Ján Novota, with Novota already filling-in during the extraordinary December 2022 camp.[10][11]

Career statistics

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Club Season Appearances
League Europe Cup
1. FC Košice 2000–01 0 0 0
2001–02 0 0 0
Slavia Prague 2002–03 0 0 0
2003–04 1 3 0
2004–05 14 0 0
2005–06 16 8 0
2006–07 16 2 0
Sparta Prague 2007–08 0 0 0
2008–09 9 6 0
2009–10 7 1 2
Anorthosis F.C. 2010–11 20 5 5
2011–12 30 2 2
Viktoria Plzeň 2012–13 27 12 1
2013–14 27 13 3
2014–15 29 2 1
2015–16 27 8 1
2016–17 26 9 0
2017–18 24 0 0
2018–19 10 2 0
Career totals 274 58 15

References

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  1. ^ "Trial Update". Leeds United F.C. Retrieved 2 February 2012.
  2. ^ "Termination of agreement with Dimitar Ivankov". anorthosis.com. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  3. ^ "Kozáčik bude v Plzni súperiť s Bolekom o post jednotky". Profutbal (in Slovak). 29 June 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Čišovský aj Kozáčik predĺžili zmluvy s Viktoriou Plzeň" (in Slovak). Slovak Football Association. 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  5. ^ Chudý, Filip (3 April 2015). "10 najlepších debutov v histórii slovenskej reprezentácie". sport24.dnes.sk (in Slovak). p. 10.
  6. ^ "Slováci stratili v Lotyšku víťazstvo v 92. minúte, v skupine skončili tretí". Sme (in Slovak). 15 October 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
  7. ^ "Dánsky trapas v Trnave. Proti SR nastúpia futsalisti i treťoligisti". Pravda Slovakia (in Slovak). 4 September 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Slováci zdolali Jordánsko, v druhom polčase strelili päť gólov". Sme (in Slovak). Petit Press. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Sám Slovák medzi Talianmi. Kozáčik prijal ponuku, ktorá sa neodmieta". Sme (in Slovak). Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  10. ^ "MUŽI A | Päťdňový tréningový kemp, dôležitý pre budúcnosť reprezentácie". Slovak Football Association (in Slovak). 29 November 2019. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  11. ^ Šurin, Peter. "Muži A | Premiérové nominácie od Calzonu pre Maka, Polievku a Vavra". Slovak Football Association (in Slovak). Retrieved 13 March 2023.
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