Lukas Hradecky

Lukas Hradecky[upper-alpha 1] (born 24 November 1989) is a Finnish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for and captains[3][4] both Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and the Finland national team.[5]

Lukas Hradecky
Hradecky with Bayer Leverkusen in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-11-24) 24 November 1989[1]
Place of birth Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Bayer Leverkusen
Number 1
Youth career
0000–2000 TPK
2001–2008 TPS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 TPS 0 (0)
2008 → ÅIFK (loan) 11 (0)
2009–2013 Esbjerg fB 76 (0)
2013–2015 Brøndby 69 (0)
2015–2018 Eintracht Frankfurt 101 (0)
2018– Bayer Leverkusen 168 (0)
International career‡
2006 Finland U17 1 (0)
2007 Finland U18 11 (0)
2007–2008 Finland U19 5 (0)
2008–2009 Finland U20 2 (0)
2009–2010 Finland U21 10 (0)
2010– Finland 89 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Finland
Second placeBaltic Cup2012
Third placeBaltic Cup2014
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Born in Bratislava, present-day Slovakia,[6] Hradecky was raised in the Finnish city of Turku from the age of one.[7] He began his senior club career playing for TPS, before signing with Esbjerg fB at age 19 in 2009. After winning his first trophy, the Danish 1st Division, during his third season in Denmark, he helped Esbjerg win the Danish Cup in 2013. Hradecky was named Finnish Footballer of the Year by the Football Association of Finland three years in a row between 2016 and 2018.

Formerly an international at under-17, under-18, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels, Hradecky made his debut for Finland in May 2010 at the age of 20. He appeared in nine out of ten of Finland's UEFA Euro 2020 qualification matches and helped the national team secure its first ever appearance at the UEFA European Championship.

Club career

TPS

Hradecky began his career in Turun Palloseura, a club in Turku,[7] where he grew up. In 2008, he played in the International Karel Stegeman U-19 Youth Tournament in Ruurlo, Netherlands, where he won the prize for best goalkeeper.[8]

Esbjerg

On 10 January 2009, Hradecky transferred to Esbjerg fB and signed a four-year contract with the five-time Danish champions.[9] On 3 August 2010 it was announced that Hradecky had been called to be tested for a week by Manchester United to strengthen their goalkeeping department after the departure of Tom Heaton.[10] However, he chose to seek the chance to be the primary keeper in Esbjerg instead. After the 2012–13 Superliga season Hradecky's contract with Esbjerg fB expired, and an agreement to prolong the contract was not reached.[11]

Brøndby

On 12 June 2013, Hradecky joined Danish Superliga club Brøndby IF on a four-year contract on a free transfer.[12] On 21 June 2013 Hradecky made his debut in the Superliga in a match against Vestsjælland.[13]

Eintracht Frankfurt

In August 2015 Hradecky transferred from Brøndby to German Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt. The value of the transfer was never published, but according to newspapers Eintracht paid €2.5 million to Brøndby.[14][15] In 2017–18, Hradecky's last season with Eintracht, he was voted Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Season.[16]

Bayer Leverkusen

In May 2018, Bayer Leverkusen announced the signing of Hradecky for the 2018–19 season on a free transfer. He agreed a contract until 2023.[17]

Hradecky with Finland in 2011

Hradecky made his debut in Leverkusen on 15 September 2018 in a match against Bayern Munich.[18] On 6 August 2022, Hradecky was sent off during Leverkusen's defeat against Borussia Dortmund for handball after reaching out to grab the ball in front of his box.[19]

On 30 August 2022, Hradecky renewed his contract with Leverkusen, signing a deal until the end of June 2026.[20]

International career

Finland youth teams

Hradecky earned several caps for Finland on different junior levels. He made his junior level national team debut when he was 16 years old on 16 November 2006 in Athens in a match against Greece. He was a member of the Finland national under-20 football team and represented the team at the Valentin A. Granatkin Memorial Tournament.[21] Hradecky was selected to Finland national under-21 football team for 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship but he had to withdraw due to a knee injury.[22][23] He was the first choice keeper for Finland's under-21 side during the 2011 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifications.

Finland first team

In January 2010 Hradecky was called to the Finland national football team by Stuart Baxter to face South Korea in a friendly at Málaga, Spain. Hradecky was at the bench the whole match. He finally made his first team debut on 21 May 2010, when he replaced Jukka Lehtovaara for the second half in a 2–0 away loss against Estonia.[24] He played his first UEFA European Championship qualification game on 3 June 2011 when Mixu Paatelainen chose him to the starting line up against San Marino in Serravalle.[25] During autumn of 2011 he established himself as a regular in the Finland national team and appeared in the UEFA European Championship qualification matches against Moldova, Netherlands and Sweden.[26]

Hradecky appeared in three friendly matches during Finland's preparation for 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. He was chosen to starting line up in the first qualification match against France, but remained as a substitute for the rest of the campaign as Niki Mäenpää established himself as the number one choice.

Hradecky was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-tournament friendly match against Sweden on 29 May 2021.[27] He played in all three international games at the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament. Finland was placed 3rd in Group B following a 2–0 defeat to Belgium on 21 June 2021.[28] They were subsequently knocked out of the tournament. Hradecky was awarded as the tournament's best goalkeeper of the group stage.[29]

Personal life

Hradecky was born in the Kramáre area of Bratislava.[30] He speaks Slovak and has a Slovak passport. In September 1990, his father, a volleyball player, moved to Finland and started playing for Ruskon Pallo -67, based in Turku.[31] That winter, the family settled in Runosmäki.[7] His brothers Tomas and Matej are also professional footballers.[32]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 21 October 2023[33][34]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Esbjerg fB 2009–10 Danish Superliga 5000—50
2010–11 13020—150
2011–12 Danish 1st Division 23000—230
2012–13 Danish Superliga 33050—380
Total 74070—810
Brøndby 2013–14 Danish Superliga 33000—330
2014–15 330202[lower-alpha 2]0370
2015–16 30006[lower-alpha 2]090
Total 6902080790
Eintracht Frankfurt 2015–16 Bundesliga 34030—370
2016–17 33060—390
2017–18 34060—400
Total 1010150—1160
Bayer Leverkusen 2018–19 Bundesliga 320206[lower-alpha 2]0400
2019–20 3405011[lower-alpha 3]0500
2020–21 290305[lower-alpha 2]0370
2021–22 320207[lower-alpha 2]0410
2022–23 3301014[lower-alpha 4]0480
2023–24 80100090
Total 16801404302250
Career total 41203605105010
  1. Includes Danish Cup, DFB-Pokal
  2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, five appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, eight appearances in UEFA Europa League

International
As of match played 17 October 2023[33]
National team Year Competitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Finland 201000 1 0 1 0
201140 3 0 7 0
201210 3 0 4 0
201300 3 0 3 0
201410 3 0 4 0
201560 1 0 7 0
201640 4 0 8 0
201760 1 0 7 0
201850 3 0 8 0
201990 0 0 9 0
202060 0 0 6 0
202190 1 0 10 0
202250 2 0 7 0
202380 0 0 8 0
Total 64 0 25 0 89 0

Honours

Esbjerg fB

Eintracht Frankfurt

Finland

Individual

Notes
  1. Hradecky's name is "Lukas Hradecký" on his Finnish passport, and the name on his Slovak passport is "Lukáš Hradecký".

References
  1. "Hrádecký Lukas//Goalkeeper". eintracht.de. Eintracht Frankfurt. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  2. "Lukas Hradecky". Bayer 04 Leverkusen (in German). Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  3. "Hradecky Takes Over As Captain". www.bayer04.de. Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  4. "Tässä on Huuhkajien uusi kapteenisto". www.palloliitto.fi (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  5. "Lukáš Hrádecký" (in Finnish). Suomen Palloliitto. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  6. "Huuhkajien maalivahti Hrádecký pelaa tänään synnyinmaataan vastaan" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 18 November 2014. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  7. "Lukas Hradeckyn tarina olisi ollut toinen, elleivät hänen vanhempansa olisi muuttaneet 90-luvun lama-Suomeen ja Turkuun". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  8. "International Karel Stegeman U-19". Archived from the original on 25 December 2015.
  9. "Finsk målmand til EfB".
  10. "Pikkuhuuhkajien maalivahti ManU:n testattavaksi". Archived from the original on 27 August 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  11. "Officielt: Esbjerg og Hradecky skilles". Tipsbladet.dk. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  12. "Lukáš Hrádecký skifter til Brøndby IF". Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  13. "Hradecky og Makienok: Fantastisk opbakning" (in Danish). brondby.com. 22 July 2013. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  14. "Lukas Hradecky kolmen vuoden sopimuksella Frankfurtiin" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 7 August 2015. Archived from the original on 26 April 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  15. "Nyt se on varmaa: Näin kovalla summalla suomalaisvahti siirtyy Bundesliigaan" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 31 July 2015. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  16. "CONFIRMED 2017/18 Bundesliga FIFA 18 Team of the Season!". Bundesliga. 21 May 2018. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
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  21. "Valentin A.Granatkin Memorial Squads 2007". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
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  24. "Viro nöyryytti Suomea Tallinnassa" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 21 May 2010. Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  25. "Forssell laukoi Suomelle nihkeän voiton" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 3 June 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  26. "Finland (2011)". National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  27. "Näillä pelaajilla Huuhkajat lähtevät kohti EM-kisoja – kaksi nimeä kiinnostivat yli muiden". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 19 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
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  29. "Huuhkajien Lukas Hradeckylle upea kunnianosoitus EM-kisoissa!" [A wonderful tribute to Lukas Hradecky at the European Championships!] (in Finnish). Iltasanomat. 24 June 2021. Archived from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  30. "Hradecký v sebe Slováka nezaprie: Slnko, pivo, baby". spravy.sk (in Slovak). 26 January 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  31. "Za najväčším úspechom Fínska je Bratislavčan, Pukki a učiteľ". sme.sk (in Slovak). 19 November 2019. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
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  39. "Huuhkajavahti Lukáš Hrádecký Brøndbyn lääkärintarkastuksessa" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 12 June 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
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  41. "Respect-palkinto Olli Paasiolle – Lukas Hradecky vuoden pelaaja" [Respect award to Olli Paasio – Lukas Hradecky player of the year] (in Finnish). Football Association of Finland. 8 June 2018. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  42. "Kolmatta kertaa Vuoden jalkapalloilijaksi valittu Hradecky: "Nyt jaksaa taas jalkapallo kiinnostaa ainakin hetken aikaa"" [Hradecky nominated for the third time as Footballer of the Year: "Now you can keep playing football again for at least a moment"] (in Finnish). Yle. 16 January 2019. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  43. "Urheilutoimittajat valitsivat vuoden 2020 lajien parhaat urheilijat – Lukas Hradecky palasi vuoden jalkapalloilijaksi" [Sports journalists select best athletes of 2020 – Lukas Hradecky returns as footballer of the year] (in Finnish). Turun Sanomat. 13 January 2021. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
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