Róbert Vittek
Encyclopedia
Róbert Vittek is a Slovak
football player who currently plays for Trabzonspor
in Turkey
.
in 1999. He came to Nuremberg in 2003, while the club was still in the 2. Bundesliga
, helping the team earn a promotion for the 2004–05 campaign.
in the second half of the season, scoring 16 goals in the final 16 games. He made league history in Spieltag 24 and 25, becoming the first Bundesliga player to score a combined six goals in two consecutive games. In all, Vittek had five multi-goal games on the season, and his 16 goals were good for fifth place on the Bundesliga scoring charts. Vittek's rise was mirrored by his team as 1. FC Nuremberg rose from near-relegation to eighth place.
His sparkling 2005–06 performance has made Vittek a sought after commodity in European football. Hamburger SV
was the main Bundesliga club rumored to be courting Vittek. Dynamo Kiev offered a €10 million transfer fee for Vittek in June 2006, but Nuremberg rejected the offer. Lokomotiv Moscow was also reported to have interest in Vittek's services. Struggling to get to previous form, he went to play to French club Lille
for a reported €5.5 million in 2008.
club Trabzonspor
. The transfer fee was 600,000 €.
has seen more national team action than Vittek on the current roster. Vittek scored Slovakia's first ever goal at a World Cup
, netting in the 1–1 draw with New Zealand on 15 June 2010. Vittek also scored two goals against defending World Cup holders Italy
on 24 June 2010 to knock them out of the competition and subsequently ensure Slovakia progress to the 2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage
. On 28 June 2010, Slovakia lost 2–1 to the Netherlands
in their first knockout stage
match, in which Vittek converted a last-minute penalty to become Slovakia's top international scorer. With 4 goals in the competition, he also became the joint top scorer at the stage that Slovakia were knocked out. He scored only one goal less than the winner of the golden boot, Thomas Müller
, who scored five. That placed him sixth in the records.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
football player who currently plays for Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Trabzon, Turkey. Formed in 1967 through a merger of several local clubs, Trabzonspor won six championships in Turkish Super League. The Club won their first Championship title in 1975 which is also the Club's initiation year...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Slovan Bratislava
Vittek began his career with hometown club Slovan BratislavaŠK Slovan Bratislava
ŠK Slovan Bratislava is a football club based in Bratislava, Slovakia, that plays in the Corgoň liga. Founded as 1. ČsŠK Bratislava in 1919, the club changed its name to Slovan Bratislava in 1953...
in 1999. He came to Nuremberg in 2003, while the club was still in the 2. Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
, helping the team earn a promotion for the 2004–05 campaign.
1. FC Nuremberg
Vittek scored five goals in the 2004–05 campaign and seemed to be slumping toward mediocrity in the first half of the 2005–06 season, as he failed to score in the first 17 matches before the winter break. Then without warning, he became one of the most thrilling players in the BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
in the second half of the season, scoring 16 goals in the final 16 games. He made league history in Spieltag 24 and 25, becoming the first Bundesliga player to score a combined six goals in two consecutive games. In all, Vittek had five multi-goal games on the season, and his 16 goals were good for fifth place on the Bundesliga scoring charts. Vittek's rise was mirrored by his team as 1. FC Nuremberg rose from near-relegation to eighth place.
His sparkling 2005–06 performance has made Vittek a sought after commodity in European football. Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
was the main Bundesliga club rumored to be courting Vittek. Dynamo Kiev offered a €10 million transfer fee for Vittek in June 2006, but Nuremberg rejected the offer. Lokomotiv Moscow was also reported to have interest in Vittek's services. Struggling to get to previous form, he went to play to French club Lille
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
for a reported €5.5 million in 2008.
M.K.E. Ankaragücü
On 1 February 2010 Vittek left the French club and signed a half year loan deal with MKE Ankaragücü. Finally, Ankaragücü bought his transfer fee from Lille.Trabzonspor
On 1 September 2011, Vittek signed a two-year contract for TurkishTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
club Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Trabzon, Turkey. Formed in 1967 through a merger of several local clubs, Trabzonspor won six championships in Turkish Super League. The Club won their first Championship title in 1975 which is also the Club's initiation year...
. The transfer fee was 600,000 €.
International career
Vittek has also been part of the Slovak national team since 2001. With 75 national team caps under his belt, only Miroslav KarhanMiroslav Karhan
Miroslav Karhan is a Slovak football midfielder who currently captains FC Spartak Trnava.Karhan made 107 appearances for Slovakia and is the most capped Slovak footballer of all time...
has seen more national team action than Vittek on the current roster. Vittek scored Slovakia's first ever goal at a World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
, netting in the 1–1 draw with New Zealand on 15 June 2010. Vittek also scored two goals against defending World Cup holders Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
on 24 June 2010 to knock them out of the competition and subsequently ensure Slovakia progress to the 2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage
2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage
The knockout stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was the second and final stage of the World Cup, following the group stage. It began on 26 June with the round of 16 matches, and ended on 11 July with the final match of the tournament held at Soccer City, Johannesburg, in which Spain beat the...
. On 28 June 2010, Slovakia lost 2–1 to the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
in their first knockout stage
2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage
The knockout stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was the second and final stage of the World Cup, following the group stage. It began on 26 June with the round of 16 matches, and ended on 11 July with the final match of the tournament held at Soccer City, Johannesburg, in which Spain beat the...
match, in which Vittek converted a last-minute penalty to become Slovakia's top international scorer. With 4 goals in the competition, he also became the joint top scorer at the stage that Slovakia were knocked out. He scored only one goal less than the winner of the golden boot, Thomas Müller
Thomas Müller
Thomas Müller was a German Waffen-SS Colonel who commanded the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen, 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen and the 27. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division Langemarck during World War II...
, who scored five. That placed him sixth in the records.