Matúš Kozáčik

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 41)
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 as of 8 October 2019 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 7 June 2019

Club career

While Kozáčik was playing for Slavia Prague, Leeds United took him on trial in December 2006.^[1] He started as first-choice goalkeeper for the club's European matches, but 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]

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] On 18 December 2019, Kozáčik announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 35.^[5]

International career

On 10 December 2006, Kozáčik debuted for Slovakia as a starter friendly match against the United Arab Emirates.^[6] 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.^[7]

Kozáčik played 90 minutes of a controversial friendly match against Denmark, who arrived with a squad of players from lower division and Slovakia Futsal,^[8] 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.^[9]

Managerial career

In September 2022, Kozáčík took on the role of goalkeeping coach with the Slovakia national football team under Francesco Calzona.^[10] 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.^[11][12]

Career statistics

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