Dušan Kuciak

Dušan Kuciak (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈduʂaŋ ˈkutsɪɐk]; born 21 May 1985) is a Slovak professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Polish club Raków Częstochowa, on emergency loan from Lechia Gdańsk. He is the younger brother of Martin Kuciak, who plays as a goalkeeper for Považská Bystrica.

Dušan Kuciak
Kuciak with Legia Warsaw in 2014
Personal information
Full name Dušan Kuciak
Date of birth (1985-05-21) 21 May 1985
Place of birth Žilina, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Raków Częstochowa
(on loan from Lechia Gdańsk)
Number 12
Youth career
Žilina
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 AS Trenčín 1 (0)
2002–2008 Žilina 89 (0)
2005 → West Ham United (loan) 0 (0)
2008–2011 Vaslui 87 (0)
2011–2016 Legia Warsaw 131 (0)
2016–2017 Hull City 0 (0)
2017– Lechia Gdańsk 196 (0)
2024– → Raków Częstochowa (loan) 1 (0)
International career
2006–2021 Slovakia 14 (0)
Signature
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 April 2024

Club career

Dušan Kuciak was part of Žilina youth academy. Aged 16, he signed his first contract with the Slovak Superliga side AS Trenčín.

MŠK Žilina

After a two-year spell in Trenčín, he returned to Žilina, where he was the second-choice keeper, the first-choice being Ján Mucha. Despite not playing at all, he was linked by the English Premier League side West Ham, where he was loaned for 6 months. In January 2006, he returned to Žilina, and he established himself as the first-choice keeper. He won Corgoň Liga with Žilina in 2006–07 season.

FC Vaslui

On 26 June 2008, he signed a three-year contract with Romanian side FC Vaslui.[1] He was bought to replace Cristian Hăisan, while he was suspended, but Kuciak established himself quickly as the first-choice keeper. He was the only player that season, who played every minute, and the first in Vaslui's history who achieved this feat. At the end of the season, he established another record, having the most clean-sheets in Vaslui's short spell in Liga I. Also, he captained the team a few matches, while Cânu was on the bench. On 4 August, he received a red card in the Europa League match against Omonia Nicosia. On 26 September, after a conflict with team's coach, he was relegated on the bench, and seemed to lost his place in the team, but because of Hăisan's poor rating, re-established as the first-choice keeper. At the end of the season, he established another record for Vaslui, saving 4 out of 5 penalties, and also receiving only 17 goals in 23 matches. After three seasons at Vaslui, Kuciak left the club in the summer of 2011.

Legia Warsaw

Kuciak joined the Polish club Legia Warsaw in August 2011. In August 2013, he extended his contract at the club until 2016.[2]

West Ham United

In January 2013, West Ham United were reported to be in talks with the goalkeeper.[3]

Hull City

On 1 February 2016, Kuciak signed an 18-month contract with Hull City.[4] Kuciak made his debut on 23 August 2016 in the second round of the EFL Cup away to Exeter City that City won 3–1.[5]

International career

He made his international debut for the Slovakia national team in a 2–1 away win against UAE on 10 December 2006. After a two-year absence in the national team, he was called again in 2009, because of his impressive form at Vaslui. He was named in the provisional 30-man squad for 2010 World Cup. He played in the Slovakia's second warm-up game, where he was replaced in the 85th minute, because of an injury. However, he was kept for the final 23-man squad, for 2010 World Cup, where he wore the Number 23 Shirt.

He was named in the final Slovakia squad for the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament.[6] Kuciak last appeared in the national team selection under Štefan Tarkovič in November 2021.[7]

Career statistics
As of 19 April 2024.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Žilina 2005–06 Slovak Superliga 210000000210
2006–07 Slovak Superliga 350300000380
2007–08 Slovak Superliga 330504010430
Total 8908040101020
Vaslui 2008–09 Liga I 340406000440
2009–10 Liga I 230403000300
2010–11 Liga I 300102000330
Total 87090110001070
Legia Warsaw 2011–12 Ekstraklasa 2703080—380
2012–13 Ekstraklasa 30000601[lower-alpha 1]0370
2013–14 Ekstraklasa 2501080—340
2014–15 Ekstraklasa 3107014000520
2015–16 Ekstraklasa 180201101[lower-alpha 1]0320
Total 1310130470201930
Hull City 2016–17 Premier League 0000001[lower-alpha 2]010
Lechia Gdańsk 2016–17 Ekstraklasa 170———170
2017–18 Ekstraklasa 36010——370
2018–19 Ekstraklasa 28020——300
2019–20 Ekstraklasa 30000201[lower-alpha 1]0330
2020–21 Ekstraklasa 28010——290
2021–22 Ekstraklasa 27010——280
2022–23 Ekstraklasa 3001040—350
2023–24 I liga 0000——00
Total 19606060102090
Raków Częstochowa (loan) 2023–24 Ekstraklasa 10———10
Total 5040360680506130
  1. Appearance in Polish Super Cup
  2. Appearance in EFL Cup

International
As of match played on 14 November 2021.[8]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Slovakia 200610
200710
201010
201240
201330
202010
202130
Total140

Honours

MŠK Žilina

FC Vaslui

Legia Warsaw

Hull City

Lechia Gdańsk

Individual

References
  1. "Hăisan are postul ameninţat după transferul lui Kuciak". prosport.ro.
  2. "Dusan Kuciak przedłużył kontrakt z Legią Warszawa" (in Polish). RMF 24. 28 August 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  3. "ESCLUSIVA TMW – Inter, Kuciak vicino al West Ham" (in Italian). Tutto mercato. 28 January 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  4. "Hull City: Nick Powell and Dusan Kuciak join Championship side". BBC Sport. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  5. "Exeter City 1–3 Hull City". BBC Sport. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  6. "Štefan Tarkovič zverejnil nomináciu Slovenska na EURO 2020". sport.sk.
  7. "Tarkovič nominoval na záver kvalifikácie. Chýba tradičná opora". sportnet.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  8. "Kuciak, Dušan". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  9. Williams, Adam (28 May 2016). "Hull City 1–0 Sheffield Wednesday". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  10. "Jorge Felix piłkarzem sezonu 2019/20 PKO Ekstraklasy!" [Jorge Felix named PKO Ekstraklasa's Player of the Year!]. tvpsport.pllanguage=pl. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
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