Andrej Kvašňák

Andrej Kvašňák (19 May 1936 – 18 April 2007) was a Slovak football player. Born in Košice, he played for Czechoslovakia, for which he played 47 matches and scored 13 goals.^[1] He is usually considered one of the best Czechoslovak footballers.

Andrej Kvašňák

Kvašňák at the 1970 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Date of birth	(1936-05-19)19 May 1936
Place of birth	Košice, Czechoslovakia
Date of death	18 April 2007(2007-04-18) (aged 70)
Place of death	Prague, Czech Republic
Position(s)	Attacking Midfielder, Forward
Youth career
1947–1951	OŠPZ Košice
1951–1956	VSS Košice
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1956–1958	Dukla Pardubice
1958–1959	Jednota Košice
1959–1969	Sparta Prague	202	(65)
1969–1971	K.R.C. Mechelen	58	(17)
International career
1956–1959	Czechoslovakia B	9	(1)
1960–1970	Czechoslovakia	47	(13)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Czechoslovakia FIFA World Cup Runner-up 1962 Chile
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Kvašňák played domestically in the Czechoslovak First League for Dukla Pardubice, Jednota Košice and Sparta Prague. He scored a total of 83 goals in the league in 251 appearances across his spells with all clubs, and won two league titles, both with Sparta.^[2] From 1969 he played for Racing Mechelen in the second tier of Belgium, before leaving in 1972.^[3]

Although often listed as a forward, he was in fact normally an attacking midfield schemer, forging a partnership in the centre of the park with Josef Masopust at international level. Well known for his technique and passing ability, he was also a prolific goalscorer and fine header of the ball.

International career

Before breaking into the senior team, Kvašňák played nine matches, scoring once, for Czechoslovakia B between 1956 and 1959. He made 47 appearances for Czechoslovakia between 1960 and 1970, scoring 13 times.^[2] One of his goals was a penalty against Hungary in a qualifying playoff for the 1970 World Cup.^[4] Kvašňák was a participant in the 1960 European Nations' Cup, where Czechoslovakia finished third, the 1962 FIFA World Cup, where Czechoslovakia finished second, and also in the 1970 FIFA World Cup.^[2] He retired from international football following the 1970 World Cup, at the age of 34.^[3]

Later life and death

Kvašňák settled in Prague after his football career, but did not go into coaching. Instead he was a longstanding employee of the Prague Public Transport Company [cs].^[3] Kvašňák died at age 70 in Prague's Bulovka Hospital after contracting lung cancer.^[5]