View source for Peter Pekarík

{{Short description|Slovak footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name        = Peter Pekarík
| image       = Peter_Pekarík 2012_cropped.jpg
| caption     = Pekarík with [[Hertha BSC]] in 2012
| fullname    = Peter Pekarík<ref name="FIFA 2010">{{cite web |title=FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 List of Players|url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/01/22/85/78/fwc_2010_squadlists.pdf |website=FIFA|access-date=20 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616010702/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/competition/01/22/85/78/fwc_2010_squadlists.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 June 2010|page=26}}</ref>
| height      = 1.77 m<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.herthabsc.com/de/mannschaften/hertha-bsc/peter-pekarik |title=Peter Pekarík  |publisher=Hertha BSC |access-date=4 August 2022}}</ref>
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1986|10|30|df=yes}}<ref name="FIFA 2010"/>
| birth_place = [[Žilina]], [[Czechoslovakia]]
| currentclub = [[SK Dynamo České Budějovice|České Budějovice]]
| clubnumber  = 22
| position    = [[Right-back]]
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = [[MŠK Žilina|Žilina]]
| years1 = 2004–2009 | clubs1 = [[MŠK Žilina|Žilina]]            | caps1 = 111 | goals1 = 5
| years2 = 2004–2005 | clubs2 = → [[MFK Dubnica|Dubnica]] (loan) | caps2 = 27  | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2009–2012 | clubs3 = [[VfL Wolfsburg]]                | caps3 = 55  | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2011–2012 | clubs4 = → [[Kayserispor]] (loan)         | caps4 = 27  | goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2012–2024 | clubs5 = [[Hertha BSC]]                   | caps5 = 243 | goals5 = 5
| years6 = 2024–2025 | clubs6 = [[MŠK Žilina|Žilina]]            | caps6 = 9   | goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2025–     | clubs7 = [[SK Dynamo České Budějovice|České Budějovice]]| caps7 = 1   | goals7 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2006– | nationalteam1 = [[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]] | nationalcaps1 = 135 | nationalgoals1 = 2
| club-update = 17 June 2025
| nationalteam-update = 23:58, 10 June 2025 (UTC)
}}
'''Peter Pekarík''' ({{IPA|sk|ˈpeter ˈpekariːk}}; born 30 October 1986) is a Slovak professional [[association football|footballer]] who plays as a [[right-back]] for [[SK Dynamo České Budějovice|Dynamo České Budějovice]] and the [[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia national team]].

==Club career==
===MŠK Žilina===
Born in Žilina, Pekarík played football at the youth section of his local club.[3] His Corgoň Liga debut came for ZŤS Dubnica.<ref name="FIFA 25 May 2010">{{cite web|title=Slovakia's Pekarík raring to go|url=http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y%3D2010/m%3D5/news%3Dslovakia-pekarik-raring-1217790.html|url-status=dead|publisher=[[UEFA]]|date=25 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402155646/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2010/m=5/news=slovakia-pekarik-raring-1217790.html|archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref> In his first season, he played 27 matches and came back to MŠK Žilina in summer 2005.<ref name="FIFA 25 May 2010"/> Pekarík won the Corgoň Liga in the 2006–07 season, playing 35 matches.<ref>{{NFT player|id=12777|accessdate=28 March 2015}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=May 2024}}

===Germany and loan to Kayserispor===
Following great performances in the [[2008–09 Slovak Superliga]], Pekarík and signed a four-and-a-half-year contract for Bundesliga side [[VfL Wolfsburg]] in January 2009.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pekarík vo Wolfsburgu s číslom 19|url=http://www.profutbal.sk/spravy/?clanok=68433|url-status=dead|website=Profutbal|date=21 January 2009|access-date=11 June 2010|language=sk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003141257/http://www.profutbal.sk/spravy/?clanok=68433|archive-date=3 October 2012}}</ref> On 31 January 2009, he made his Bundesliga debut during a 1–1 draw against [[1. FC Köln]], only to be replaced by [[Cristian Zaccardo]] at half-time.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pekarík si odkrútil debut v bundeslige, Wolfsburgu pomohol k remíze|url=https://sportweb.pravda.sk/futbal/zahranicne-ligy/clanok/114336-pekarik-si-odkrutil-debut-v-bundeslige-wolfsburgu-pomohol-k-remize/|website=[[Pravda (Slovakia)|Pravda]]|date=31 January 2009|access-date=28 March 2015|language=sk}}</ref> Except for one game, Pekarík played in all matches of the second half as Wolfsburg won its first Bundesliga title.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Patrick|last=Bösch|title=Wolfsburg ist zum ersten Mal Meister|url=https://www.badische-zeitung.de/neues-fuer-kinder/wolfsburg-ist-zum-ersten-mal-meister--15400412.html|website=[[Badische Zeitung]]|date=25 May 2009|access-date=28 March 2015|language=de}}</ref>

In August 2011, Pekarík joined Turkish [[Süper Lig]] club [[Kayserispor]] for the 2011–12 season on loan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Peter Pekarík Kayserispor'da|url=http://www.sporbul.com/spor/y/26200/peter-pekarik-kayserisporda.html|url-status=dead|website=SportBul|access-date=28 March 2015|language=tr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803230442/http://www.sporbul.com/spor/y/26200/peter-pekarik-kayserisporda.html|archive-date=3 August 2016}}</ref>

After a loan in Turkey, Pekarík returned to Germany, signing for Hertha BSC.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hertha verpflichtet Pekarik|url=http://www.bundesliga.de/de/liga2/news/2011/0000221098.php|url-status=dead|date=31 August 2012|access-date=1 September 2012|website=[[DFL]]|language=de|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103220142/http://www.bundesliga.de/de/liga2/news/2011/0000221098.php|archive-date=3 November 2012}}</ref> On 31 March 2017, in his eighth season in Germany, he scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 3–1 loss against [[1899 Hoffenheim]] which was his 151st Bundesliga match.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Juraj|last=Hudák|title=Video: Pekarík prelomil nekonečné čakanie, strelil premiérový gól v Bundeslige|url=https://sport.aktuality.sk/futbal/clanok/video-pekarik-prelomil-nekonecne-cakanie-sterelil-premerovy-gol-v-budneslige-2023051314021866001|website=[[Aktuality.sk]]|date=31 March 2017|language=sk}}</ref>

===Return to MŠK Žilina===
On 26 September 2024, Pekarík returned to his hometown club MŠK Žilina after 15 years of playing abroad, signing a contract until 30 January 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Späť tam, kde sa to celé začalo|url=https://www.mskzilina.sk/clanek.asp?id=Spat-tam-kde-sa-to-cele-zacalo-16306|website=MŠK Žilina|date=26 September 2024|access-date=1 October 2024|language=sk}}</ref>

===Dynamo České Budějovice===
On 10 February 2025, Pekarík signed a contract with [[SK Dynamo České Budějovice| Dynamo České Budějovice]] until the end of the season as a free agent.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Tonoucí České Budějovice má pomoci zachránit slovenský reprezentant Pekarík|url=https://sport.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/fotbal/1-liga/tonouci-ceske-budejovice-ma-pomoci-zachranit-slovensky-reprezentant-pekarik/67aa4188cf5fa28c04933ebb|website=[[ČT Sport]]|date=10 February 2025|access-date=11 February 2025|language=cs|agency=[[Czech News Agency]]}}</ref>

==International career==
===Early international career===
On 10 December 2006, Pekarík debuted for the [[Slovakia national football team|Slovak senior squad]] in a [[Exhibition game|friendly match]] against [[United Arab Emirates national football team|United Arab Emirates]].<ref>{{Cite news|first=Filip|last=Chudý|title=10 najlepších debutov v histórii slovenskej reprezentácie|url=https://sport7.dnes24.sk/98733/10-najlepsich-debutov-v-historii-slovenskej-reprezentacie?page=10|website=sport24.dnes.sk|date=3 April 2015|language=sk|page=10}}</ref> He scored his first international goal in a 7–0 home victory over [[San Marino national football team|San Marino]].<ref name="UEFA 2015">{{cite news|first=Rastislav|last=Hribík|title=Pekarík happy to end wait for Slovakia goal|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2013919--slovakia-vs-luxembourg/|url-status=live|website=UEFA|date=27 March 2015|access-date=28 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002113557/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/qualifiers/season=2016/matches/round=2000446/match=2013919/postmatch/quotes/|archive-date=2 October 2015}}</ref>

Pekarík was included the Slovakia squad for the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=MS 2010: Peter Pekarík: "Musíme sa pripraviť aj na vuvuzely"|url=https://sport7.dnes24.sk/2207/ms-2010-peter-pekarik-musime-sa-pripravit-aj-na-vuvuzely|website=sport7.dnes24.sk|date=12 June 2010|language=sk}}</ref> After being an unused substitute in the opening match against [[New Zealand men's national football team|New Zealand]], he started the second and third [[2010 FIFA World Cup Group F|Group F]] matches, assisting [[Kamil Kopúnek]]'s decisive third goal in the 3–2 win over [[Italy national football team|Italy]] that qualified Slovakia for the [[2010 FIFA World Cup knockout stage|knockout stage]].<ref name="Slovakia vs Italy: Live">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/news/7847226/Slovakia-v-Italy-live.html|title=Slovakia vs Italy: Live|access-date=1 July 2024|website=The Telegraph|date=24 June 2010 }}</ref> He went on to start in the team's round of 16 match against the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]], where they lost 2–1.<ref name="Slovakia vs Italy: Live"/>

Pekarík played in all four of Slovakia's matches at [[UEFA Euro 2016]],<ref>{{cite news|first=Ján|last=Jesenka|title=Video {{!}} Zakrvavený Peter Pekarík krútil hlavou: Áno, je zlomený|url=https://sport.aktuality.sk/futbal/clanok/euro-2016-video-zakrvaveny-peter-pekarik-krutil-hlavou-ano-je-zlomeny-2023051423235199411|website=Aktuality.sk|date=21 June 2016|language=sk}}</ref> where the team reached the [[UEFA Euro 2016 knockout stage#Round of 16|round of 16]], losing to [[Germany national football team|Germany]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2018000--germany-vs-slovakia/lineups/|title=Germany vs Slovakia: Line-ups|access-date=1 July 2024|website=UEFA}}</ref> and all three of their matches at [[UEFA Euro 2020]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Pekarík má za sebou jednu z najlepších sezón, chce pomôcť aj reprezentácii|url=https://sportnet.sme.sk/spravy/peter-pekarik-hertha-berlin-desiata-sezona-rozhovor/|website=Sme|publisher=Petit Press|access-date=21 July 2021|language=sk}}</ref>

===2020s===
On 1 June 2021, Pekarík played his 100th match for Slovakia in a friendly 1–1 draw against [[Bulgaria national football team|Bulgaria]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Pavol|last=Spál|title=Na kraji je slovenský unikát. Geneticky je predurčený na dvojnásobnú záťaž|url=https://sportnet.sme.sk/spravy/na-kraji-obrany-slovenko-nepozna-lepsieho-na-konte-ma-stovku/|website=[[Sme]]|location=Bratislava|publisher=Petit Press|date=1 June 2021|language=sk}}</ref> He was named in Slovakia's squad for [[UEFA Euro 2024]] and played in all four of the team's matches at the tournament. This made him one of two players, along with the [[Juraj Kucka]], to play in all eleven of [[Slovakia at the UEFA European Championship|Slovakia's matches]] in [[UEFA European Championship]]s as an independent nation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/euro2024/news/0289-19ffbcffa3bc-9ced1b47faa2-1000--slovakia-all-their-euro-records-and-stats/|title=Slovakia: All their Euro records and stats|access-date=1 July 2024|website=UEFA}}</ref>

==Style of play==
British newspaper ''[[The Guardian]]'' praised Pekarík for his important leadership qualities as a centre-back.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Lukáš|last=Vráblik|title=Peter Pekarik: Slovakia's Mr Reliable looking to go out on a high|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/08/peter-pekarik-slovakias-mr-reliable-looking-to-go-out-on-a-high|newspaper=The Guardian|date=8 June 2021|access-date=1 October 2024}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{{Updated|match played 27 May 2023}}<ref name="Soccerway" />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|Cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Other
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|[[MFK Dubnica]] (loan)
|[[2004–05 Slovak Superliga|2004–05]]
|[[Slovak Super Liga|Slovak Superliga]]
|27||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||27||0
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[MŠK Žilina|Žilina]]
|[[2005–06 Slovak Superliga|2005–06]]
|rowspan="4"|Slovak Superliga
|27||2||colspan="2"|–||4||0||colspan="2"|–||31||2
|-
|[[2006–07 Slovak Superliga|2006–07]]
|35||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||35||0
|-
|[[2007–08 Slovak Superliga|2007–08]]
|31||0||colspan="2"|–||4||0||colspan="2"|–||35||0
|-
|[[2008–09 Slovak Superliga|2008–09]]
|18||3||colspan="2"|–||10||0||colspan="2"|–||28||3
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!111!!5!!colspan="2"|–!!18!!0!!colspan="2"|–!!129!!5
|-
|rowspan="4"|[[VfL Wolfsburg]]
|[[2008–09 VfL Wolfsburg season|2008–09]]
|rowspan="3"|[[Bundesliga]]
|16||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||18||0
|-
|[[2009–10 VfL Wolfsburg season|2009–10]]
|16||0||0||0||7||0||colspan="2"|–||23||0
|-
|[[2010–11 VfL Wolfsburg season|2010–11]]
|23||0||1||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||24||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!55!!0!!3!!1!!7!!0!!colspan="2"|–!!65!!1
|-
|[[Kayserispor]] (loan)
|[[2011–12 Süper Lig|2011–12]]
|[[Süper Lig]]
|27||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||29||0
|-
|rowspan="12"|[[Hertha BSC]]
|[[2012–13 Hertha BSC season|2012–13]]
|[[2. Bundesliga]]
|19||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||19||0
|-
|[[2013–14 Hertha BSC season|2013–14]]
|rowspan="10"|Bundesliga
|31||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||31||0
|-
|[[2014–15 Hertha BSC season|2014–15]]
|30||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||32||0
|-
|[[2015–16 Hertha BSC season|2015–16]]
|12||0||1||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||13||0
|-
|[[2016–17 Hertha BSC season|2016–17]]
|31||1||3||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||36||1
|-
|[[2017–18 Hertha BSC season|2017–18]]
|17||0||1||0||5||0||colspan="2"|–||23||0
|-
|[[2018–19 Hertha BSC season|2018–19]]
|3||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||3||0
|-
|[[2019–20 Hertha BSC season|2019–20]]
|9||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||9||0
|-
|[[2020–21 Hertha BSC season|2020–21]]
|23||3||1||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||24||4
|-
|[[2021–22 Hertha BSC season|2021–22]]
|27||1||2||0||colspan="2"|–||2||0||31||0
|-
|[[2022–23 Hertha BSC season|2022–23]]
|5||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||5||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!207!!5!!10!!1!!7!!0!!2!!0!!226!!5
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!454!!10!!15!!2!!32!!0!!2!!0!!503!!12
|}

===International===
{{updated|match played 10 June 2025}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/12777/Peter_Pekarik.html |title=Peter Pekarík |website=National Football Teams |access-date=23 June 2021}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="20"|[[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]]
|2006||1||0
|-
|2007||0||0
|-
|2008||5||0
|-
|2009||12||1
|-
|2010||10||0
|-
|2011||8||0
|-
|2012||8||0
|-
|2013||6||0
|-
|2014||8||0
|-
|2015||5||1
|-
|2016||10||0
|-
|2017||7||0
|-
|2018||5||0
|-
|2019||6||0
|-
|2020||6||0
|-
|2021||12||0
|-
|2022||6||0
|-
|2023||9||0
|-
|2024||10||0
|-
|2025||1||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!135!!2
|}

:''Scores and results list Slovakia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Pekarík goal.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Peter Pekarík
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align="center"|1 || 6 June 2009<ref name="UEFA 2015"/> || [[Tehelné pole]], [[Bratislava]], Slovakia || {{fb|SMR}} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|7–0 || [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 3|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| align="center"|2 || 27 March 2015<ref name="UEFA 2015"/> || [[Štadión pod Dubňom]], [[Žilina]], Slovakia || {{fb|LUX}} || align="center"|3–0 || align="center"|3–0 || [[UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group C|UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying]]
|}

==Honours==
'''MŠK Žilina'''
* [[Slovak Super Liga|Fortuna Liga]]: [[2006–07 Slovak Superliga|2006–07]]<ref name="Soccerway">{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/peter-pekarik/35445/ |title=P. Pekarík |website=Soccerway |access-date=28 March 2015}}</ref>
* [[Slovak Super Cup]]: 2007

'''VfL Wolfsburg'''
* [[Bundesliga]]: [[2008–09 Bundesliga|2008–09]]<ref name="Soccerway" />

'''Hertha BSC'''
* [[2. Bundesliga]]: [[2012–13 2. Bundesliga|2012–13]]<ref name="Soccerway" />

'''Slovakia'''
*[[King's Cup (Thailand football tournament)|King's Cup]]: [[2018 King's Cup|2018]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Thailand vs. Slovakia Match Line-ups|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/football/lineups?gameId=509792|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=13 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411104006/https://www.espn.co.uk/football/lineups?gameId=509792|archive-date=11 April 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/sports/1434927/slovakia-beat-thailand-3-2-win-kings-cup|title=Slovakia beat Thailand 3-2, win King's Cup|website=[[Bangkok Post]]|date=25 March 2018|access-date=21 January 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Peter Pekarík}}
* {{sports links}}
* [https://www.herthabsc.com/en/teams/first-team-profiles/peter-pekarik Profile] at the Hertha BSC website
* {{FIFA player|299804}}
* {{Fussballdaten|pekarikpeter}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Slovakia squads
|bg=#034DA3
|fg=white
|bordercolor=#EE1C25
|list1=
{{Slovakia squad 2010 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Slovakia squad UEFA Euro 2016}}
{{Slovakia squad UEFA Euro 2020}}
{{Slovakia squad UEFA Euro 2024}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pekarik, Peter}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Footballers from Žilina]]
[[Category:Slovak men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football fullbacks]]
[[Category:Slovakia men's international footballers]]
[[Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 2016 players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 2020 players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 2024 players]]
[[Category:Slovak First Football League players]]
[[Category:Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:2. Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:Süper Lig players]]
[[Category:MŠK Žilina players]]
[[Category:FK Spartak Dubnica nad Váhom players]]
[[Category:VfL Wolfsburg players]]
[[Category:Kayserispor footballers]]
[[Category:Hertha BSC players]]
[[Category:SK Dynamo České Budějovice players]]
[[Category:Slovak expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany]]
[[Category:Slovak expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey]]
[[Category:Slovak expatriate sportspeople in Turkey]]
[[Category:Slovak expatriate sportspeople in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Czech Republic]]
[[Category:FIFA Men's Century Club]]
[[Category:21st-century Slovak sportsmen]]
[[Category:Czech First League players]]