Pavel Kuka (born 19 July 1968) is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a forward. He represented his national team on 87 occasions, scoring 29 goals. At club level Kuka started in 1987 with Rudá Hvězda Cheb in the Czechoslovak First League before transferring to Slavia Prague two years later. During the 1993–94 season he moved to Germany, where he played in the Bundesliga for 1. FC Kaiserslautern, 1. FC Nürnberg and VfB Stuttgart. In 2000 he returned to Slavia, where he spent a further five years before retiring from top-level football in 2005.
 Kuka in 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 July 1968 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Prague, Czechoslovakia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1975–1987 | Slavia Prague | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1989 | Rudá Hvězda Cheb | 36 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1993 | Slavia Prague | 125 | (63) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1998 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 121 | (53) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | 1. FC Nürnberg | 28 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | VfB Stuttgart | 20 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2005 | Slavia Prague | 110 | (33) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | Czechoslovakia | 24 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2001 | Czech Republic | 63 | (22) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
editBorn in Prague, Kuka played for Rudá Hvězda Cheb and Slavia Prague, making a combined total of 149 appearances, scoring 66 goals, in the last six seasons of the Czechoslovak First League (1987–93).[1] He then moved to Germany, playing for 1. FC Kaiserslautern (1994–98), 1. FC Nürnberg (1998–99), and VfB Stuttgart (1999–2000). Following his time in Germany, Kuka returned to Slavia Prague, where he played for five more seasons before retiring at the end of the 2004–05 season.[2] His final game for Slavia took place on 28 May 2005, in a Czech First League match against Baník Ostrava.[3]
International career
editKuka scored 29 goals across 87 national team appearances for Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.[2] For the Czech Republic national team, Kuka played 63 times, scoring 22 goals[4] He was part of the runner-up squad at UEFA Euro 1996 as well as the 2000 tournament.
Personal life
editKuka has a son, Tomáš, and a daughter, Aneta, from a past relationship with sports television presenter Renata Dlouhá.[5]
Career statistics
editCzechoslovakia
edit| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czechoslovakia | 1990 | 2 | 1 |
| 1991 | 9 | 3 | |
| 1992 | 6 | 2 | |
| 1993 | 7 | 1 | |
| Total | 24 | 7 | |
- Scores and results list Czechoslovakia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kuka goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 August 1990 | Kuusankosken Urheilupuisto, Kouvola, Finland | 1-1 | 1-1 | Friendly | [7] | |
| 2 | 27 March 1991 | Andrův stadion, Olomouc, Czech Republic | 1-0 | 4-0 | Friendly | [8] | |
| 3 | 1 May 1991 | Arena Kombëtare, Tirana, Albania | 2-0 | 2-0 | UEFA Euro 1992 qualification | [9] | |
| 4 | 25 September 1991 | Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway | 3-2 | 3-2 | Friendly | [10] | |
| 5 | 23 September 1992 | Všešportový areál, Košice, Slovakia | 2-0 | 4-0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification | [11] | |
| 6 | 3-0 | ||||||
| 7 | 8 September 1993 | Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, Wales | 1-0 | 2-2 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification | [12] |
Czech Republic
edit| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 1994 | 8 | 4 |
| 1995 | 7 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 13 | 8 | |
| 1997 | 11 | 3 | |
| 1998 | 4 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2000 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 6 | 3 | |
| Total | 63 | 22 | |
- Scores and results list Czech Republic's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kuka goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 May 1994 | Bazaly, Ostrava, Czech Republic | 1-0 | 5-3 | Friendly | [13] | |
| 2 | 4-0 | ||||||
| 3 | 5 June 1994 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Republic of Ireland | 1-0 | 3-1 | Friendly | [14] | |
| 4 | 2-1 | ||||||
| 5 | 29 March 1995 | Bazaly, Ostrava, Czech Republic | 4-1 | 4-2 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualification | [15] | |
| 6 | 26 March 1996 | Městský stadion, Ostrava, Czech Republic | 2-0 | 3-0 | Friendly | [16] | |
| 7 | 3-0 | ||||||
| 8 | 24 April 1996 | Great Strahov Stadium, Prague, Czech Republic | 2-0 | 2-0 | Friendly | [17] | |
| 9 | 1 June 1996 | St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly | [18] | |
| 10 | 2-0 | ||||||
| 11 | 19 June 1996 | Anfield, Liverpool, England | 2-0 | 3-3 | UEFA Euro 1996 | [19] | |
| 12 | 4 September 1996 | Stadion Střelnice, Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic | 1-1 | 2-1 | Friendly | [20] | |
| 13 | 2-1 | ||||||
| 14 | 12 March 1997 | Bazaly, Ostrava, Czech Republic | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly | [21] | |
| 15 | 20 August 1997 | Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic | 1-0 | 2-0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification | [22] | |
| 16 | 6 September 1997 | Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands | 2-0 | 2-0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification | [23] | |
| 17 | 10 October 1998 | Koševo City Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3-1 | 3-1 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualification | [24] | |
| 18 | 9 June 1999 | Stadion Letná, Prague, Czech Republic | 2-2 | 3-2 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualification | [25] | |
| 19 | 3 June 2000 | Max-Morlock-Stadion, Nuremberg, Germany | 1-1 | 2-3 | Friendly | [26] | |
| 20 | 28 February 2001 | Toše Proeski Arena, Skopje, North Macedonia | 1-1 | 1-1 | Friendly | [27] | |
| 21 | 6 June 2001 | Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic | 1-0 | 3-1 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification | [28] | |
| 22 | 2-1 |
Honours
edit1. FC Kaiserslautern
- 2. Bundesliga: 1996–97
- Bundesliga: 1997–98; runner-up: 1993–94
- DFB-Pokal: 1995–96
Czech Republic
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 1996
- FIFA Confederations Cup Third place: 1997
Individual
References
edit- ^ "Počty startů hráčů v I. Československé lize: K". Telecom.cz (in Czech). JFK-Fotbal. Archived from the original on 25 September 2008.
- ^ a b c Jeřábek, Luboš (2007). Český a československý fotbal – lexikon osobností a klubů (in Czech). Prague, Czech Republic: Grada Publishing. p. 104. ISBN 978-80-247-1656-5.
- ^ Novák, Miloslav (10 November 2009). "Ze stříbrné party zůstal hráčem jen Berger. Co dnes dělají ostatní?" [Of the silver party, the only player left is Berger. What are the others doing today?]. idnes.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ Slavík, Jiří (3 July 2003). "Pavel Kuka – International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
- ^ "Fotbalista Pavel Kuka randí s dcerou svého spoluhráče, píše bulvár" [Footballer Pavel Kuka is dating his teammate's daughter, writes the tabloid]. idnes.cz (in Czech). 6 April 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Pavel Kuka". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Finland vs. Czechoslovakia". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czechoslovakia vs. Poland". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Albania vs. Czechoslovakia". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Norway vs. Czechoslovakia". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czechoslovakia vs. Faroe Islands". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Wales vs. Czechoslovakia". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic vs. Lithuania". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Ireland vs. Czech Republic". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic vs. Belarus". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic vs. Turkey". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic vs. Ireland". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Switzerland vs. Czech Republic". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Russia vs. Czech Republic". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic vs. Iceland". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic vs. Poland". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic vs. Faroe Islands". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Faroe Islands vs. Czech Republic". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Bosnia & Herzegovina vs. Czech Republic". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic vs. Scotland". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Germany vs. Czech Republic". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Macedonia vs. Czech Republic". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "Czech Republic vs. Northern Ireland". National Football Teams. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
External links
edit- Pavel Kuka at FAČR (also at old FAČR website) (in Czech)