Lukáš Hrádecký

Lukáš Hrádecký (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈlukaːʒ ˈɦɾaːdɛtski];[upper-alpha 1] born 24 November 1989), is a Slovak-born[3] Finnish football goalkeeper who plays for Bayer Leverkusen and the Finland national team.[4] Hrádecký was born in Bratislava, Slovakia. He began his senior club career playing for TPS, before signing with Esbjerg fB at age 19 in 2009. After winning his first trophy, the Danish 1st Division, during his third season in Denmark, he helped Esbjerg win the Danish Cup in 2013.

Lukáš Hrádecký
Hrádecký with Finland in 2011
Personal information
Full name Lukáš Hrádecký
Date of birth (1989-11-24) 24 November 1989[1]
Place of birth Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Bayer Leverkusen
Number 1
Youth career
0000–2000 TPK
2001–2008 TPS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 TPS 0 (0)
2008 → ÅIFK (loan) 11 (0)
2009–2013 Esbjerg fB 76 (0)
2013–2015 Brøndby IF 69 (0)
2015–2018 Eintracht Frankfurt 101 (0)
2018– Bayer Leverkusen 65 (0)
National team‡
2006 Finland U17 1 (0)
2007 Finland U18 11 (0)
2007–2008 Finland U19 5 (0)
2008–2009 Finland U20 2 (0)
2009–2010 Finland U21 10 (0)
2010– Finland 58 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:27, 20 June 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2019

A Finnish international, Hrádecký has been awarded with Finnish Footballer of the Year award by the Football Association of Finland for three years in a row between 2016-2018. He made his international debut for Finland in May 2010, at the age of 20 and has over 50 caps. He appeared in 9 out of 10 Finland´s UEFA Euro 2020 qualification matches and helped Finland national team secure its first ever place in European Football Championship tournament´s group stage.

Club career

TPS

Hrádecký began his career in Finnish club Turun Palloseura. In 2008, he played in the International Karel Stegeman U-19 Youth Tournament in Ruurlo, Netherlands where he won the prize for best goalkeeper.[5]

Esbjerg

On 10 January 2009, Hrádecký transferred to Esbjerg fB and signed a four-year contract with the five-time Danish champions.[6] On 3 August 2010 it was announced that Hrádecký had been called to be tested for a week by Manchester United to strengthen their goalkeeping department after the departure of Tom Heaton.[7] However, he chose to seek the chance to be the primary keeper in Esbjerg instead. After the 2012–13 Superliga season Hradecky's contract with Esbjerg fB expired, and an agreement to prolong the contract was not reached.[8]

Brøndby

On 12 June 2013, Hrádecký joined Danish Superliga rivals Brøndby IF on a four-year contract on a free transfer.[9] On 21 June 2013 Hradecký made his debut in the Superliga in a match against Vestsjælland.[10]

Eintracht Frankfurt

In August 2015 Hrádecký transferred from Brøndby to German Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt. The value of the transfer was never published, but according to newspapers Eintracht paid €2.5 million to Brøndby.[11][12] In 2017-18, Hrádecký's last season with Eintracht, Hrádecký was voted Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Season.[13]

Bayer Leverkusen

In May 2018, Bayer Leverkusen announced the signing of Hrádecký for the 2018–19 season on a free transfer. He agreed a contract until 2023.[14]

International career

Hrádecký earned several caps for Finland on different junior levels. He made his junior level national team debut when he was 16 years old on 16 November 2006 in Athens in a match against Greece. He was a member of the Finland national under-20 football team and represented the team at the Valentin A. Granatkin Memorial Tournament.[15] Hrádecký was selected to Finland national under-21 football team for 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship but he had to withdraw due to a knee injury.[16][17] He was the first choice keeper for Finland's under-21 side during the 2011 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifications.

In January 2010 Hrádecký was called to the Finland national football team by Stuart Baxter to face South Korea in a friendly at Málaga, Spain. Hrádecký was at the bench the whole match. He finally made his first team debut on 21 May 2010, when he replaced Jukka Lehtovaara for the second half in a 2–0 away loss against Estonia.[18] He played his first UEFA European Championship qualification game on 3 June 2011 when Mixu Paatelainen chose him to the starting line up against San Marino in Serravalle.[19] During autumn of 2011 he established himself as a regular in the Finland national team and appeared in the UEFA European Championship qualification matches against Moldova, Netherlands and Sweden.[20]

Hradecký appeared in three friendly matches during Finland´s preparation for 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. He was chosen to starting line up in the first qualification match against France, but remained as a substitute for the rest of the campaign as Niki Mäenpää established himself as the number one choice.

Personal life

Hrádecký's brothers Tomas and Matej are also professional footballers.[21] He is of Slovak descent.

Career statistics

Club
As of 20 June 2020[22][23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Esbjerg fB 2009–10 Danish Superliga 5000—50
2010–11 13020—150
2011–12 Danish 1st Division 23000—230
2012–13 Danish Superliga 33050—380
Total 7407000810
Brøndby 2013–14 Danish Superliga 33000—330
2014–15 330202[lower-alpha 1]0370
2015–16 30006[lower-alpha 1]090
Total 6902080790
Eintracht Frankfurt 2015–16 Bundesliga 34030—370
2016–17 33060—390
2017–18 34060—400
Total 1010150001160
Bayer Leverkusen 2018–19 Bundesliga 320206[lower-alpha 1]0400
2019–20 330409[lower-alpha 2]0460
Total 65060150860
Career total 30902802303620
  1. Appearance(s) in the UEFA Europa League
  2. Six appearances in the UEFA Champions League, three appearances in the UEFA Europa League.

International
As of match played 15 November 2019[24]
National teamYearCompetitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Finland 201000 1 0 1 0
201140 3 0 7 0
201210 3 0 4 0
201300 3 0 3 0
201410 3 0 4 0
201560 1 0 7 0
201640 4 0 8 0
201760 1 0 7 0
201850 3 0 8 0
2019 9 0 0 0 9 0
Total 36 0 22 0 58 0

Honours and achievements

Club

Esbjerg fB

Brøndby IF

Eintracht Frankfurt

International

Finland national football team

Individual

Notes
  1. In isolation, Lukáš is pronounced [ˈlukaːʃ].

References
  1. "Hrádecký Lukas//Goalkeeper". eintracht.de. Eintracht Frankfurt. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. https://www.bayer04.de/de-de/player/werkself/bayer-04-leverkusen/lukas-hradecky
  3. "Huuhkajien maalivahti Hrádecký pelaa tänään synnyinmaataan vastaan" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  4. "Lukáš Hrádecký" (in Finnish). Suomen Palloliitto. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  5. International Karel Stegeman U-19 Archived 25 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Finsk målmand til EfB
  7. Pikkuhuuhkajien maalivahti ManU:n testattavaksi
  8. Officielt: Esbjerg og Hrádecký skilles
  9. Lukáš Hrádecký skifter til Brøndby IF
  10. "Hradecky og Makienok: Fantastisk opbakning" (in Danish). brondby.com. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  11. "Lukas Hrádecký kolmen vuoden sopimuksella Frankfurtiin" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  12. "Nyt se on varmaa: Näin kovalla summalla suomalaisvahti siirtyy Bundesliigaan" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  13. "CONFIRMED 2017/18 Bundesliga FIFA 18 Team of the Season!". Bundesliga. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  14. "Hradecky schließt sich Leverkusen an". kicker Online (in German). 23 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  15. Valentin A. Ganatkin
  16. "Kanerva nimesi 22 pelaajaa, Eremenko ei mukana" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 25 May 2009. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  17. "Jälleen takaisku Pikkuhuuhkajien maalivahtiosastolle" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 3 June 2009. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  18. "Viro nöyryytti Suomea Tallinnassa" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  19. "Forssell laukoi Suomelle nihkeän voiton" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  20. "Finland (2011)". National Football Teams. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  21. "Interview with Finland goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky". Escape To Suomi. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  22. "Lukáš Hrádecký". National Football Teams. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  23. "Lukáš Hrádecký". Soccerway. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  24. "Lukáš Hrádecký". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  25. "Hän on Suomen vuoden lupaava pelaaja" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  26. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  27. "Medo Vuoden liigapelaaja 2010" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 28 December 2010. Archived from the original on 7 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  28. http://www.bold.dk/nyt/Hradecky-vandt-Det-Gyldne-Bur
  29. "Huuhkajavahti Lukáš Hrádecký Brøndbyn lääkärintarkastuksessa" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
  30. "Respect-palkinto Stig Nygårdille, Lukáš Hrádecký vuoden pelaaja" (in Finnish). Palloliitto. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  31. "Respect-palkinto Olli Paasiolle – Lukas Hradecky vuoden pelaaja" [Respect award to Olli Paasio - Lukas Hradecky player of the year] (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  32. "Kolmatta kertaa Vuoden jalkapalloilijaksi valittu Hradecky: "Nyt jaksaa taas jalkapallo kiinnostaa ainakin hetken aikaa"" [Hradecky nominated for the third time as Footballer of the Year: "Now you can keep playing football again for at least a moment"] (in Finnish). Yle. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
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