Juraj Kucka

Juraj Kucka

Footballer

AI

Juraj Kucka is a retired Slovak footballer known for his role as a midfielder.

Kucka played for Genoa CFC from 2011 to 2015, where he became a fan favorite.

He joined AC Milan in 2015 for a transfer fee of €3 million, marking a significant step in his career.

Biography

Early Career

Juraj Kucka, known affectionately as Kuco, is a retired Slovak footballer who made a significant impact in the world of football as a midfielder. He began his professional career at ŽP Šport Podbrezová, where he played from 2005 to 2007 before moving to MFK Ružomberok. Kucka made his Corgoň Liga debut for Ružomberok on March 11, 2007, and quickly established himself as a key player, scoring eight goals in 49 appearances.

Rise to Prominence

In 2009, Kucka's talent caught the eye of Czech manager Michal Bílek, leading to his transfer to AC Sparta Prague. He made an immediate impact, scoring on his league debut. His performances earned him a move to Italy, where he joined Genoa CFC in 2011 for a fee of around €3.6 million. Kucka continued to impress in Serie A, eventually signing with AC Milan in 2015, where he scored his first goal for the club in a match against AS Roma.

International Career

Kucka's international career began with the Slovakia under-21 team, and he made his senior debut in 2008. He was part of the squad for the 2010 World Cup and represented Slovakia in multiple European Championships, including Euro 2016 and Euro 2020. In 2023, he celebrated his 100th cap for the national team during a Euro 2024 qualification match against Portugal. Kucka announced his retirement from international football in 2025 due to health issues.

Legacy

Throughout his career, Kucka has been recognized for his contributions on the field, winning the Czech First League with Sparta Prague and the Supercoppa Italiana with AC Milan. His dedication to the sport and his achievements have left a lasting legacy in Slovak football, culminating in his selection for the Slovak Super Liga Team of the Season in 2022-23.

Collected from open sources (3) · facts link to sources · AI-processed

Career & Clubs

Club career

Early career

Kucka made his Corgoň Liga debut for Ružomberok on 11 March 2007. He played six games in his first season. Overall, Kucka played 49 games and scored eight goals for Ružomberok. Czech manager Michal Bílek, who managed Ružomberok in 2008, recommended Kucka to sign for AC Sparta Prague. The footballer eventually signed a three-year contract for said club in January 2009. Kucka later scored a goal on his league debut against FC Vysočina Jihlava.

Genoa

In January 2011, Kucka joined Italian side Genoa for a fee of around €3.6 million, signing a contract for 4.5 years. He made his debut in the 3–2 Coppa Italia loss against Inter Milan on 12 January 2011, playing the whole match. La Gazzetta dello Sport wrote of him, after five appearances, that he was the club's second-best player behind Kakha Kaladze. He scored his first goal for Genoa in a 2–1 away victory against Lazio on 18 September 2011.

AC Milan

On 28 August 2015, Kucka was signed by AC Milan for €3 million transfer fee. However, Milan also paid an unknown parties an additional €1 million. He made his league debut on 29 August 2015 in a 2–1 home victory against Empoli, and scored his first Milan goal on 9 January 2016 to equalize against AS Roma in a 1–1 draw.

Trabzonspor

On 7 July 2017, Kucka was signed by Trabzonspor on a three-year contract worth €2.25 million a season, for a transfer fee of €5 million.

Parma

Kucka joined Parma upon returning to Italy on 14…

International career

A former Slovakia under-21 player, Kucka made his senior international debut in a friendly match against Liechtenstein on 19 November 2008, replacing Branislav Obžera in the 53rd minute. He scored his first international against Austria in 2011. Slovakia manager Vladimír Weiss called him up for the 2010 World Cup despite the fact that Kucka had not played in any qualification matches. He played in all three group stage matches against New Zealand, Italy and the Netherlands. Kucka was called up to the Slovakia squads for the Euro 2016, Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 tournaments. In 2023, he played his 100th match during a UEFA Euro 2024 qualification against Portugal which saw the Slovaks losing 0–1. On 10 March 2025, Kucka announced end of his international career due to health problems.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 May 2025

International

As of match played 8 September 2024

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

Club
Genoa CFC (2011–2015)
Club
AC Milan (2015–2017)
Club
AC Sparta Prague (2009–2011)
Club
ŽP Šport Podbrezová (2005–2007)
Club
MFK Ružomberok (2007–2008)
Club
Slovakia national under-21 football team (2007–2008)
Club
Slovakia men's national football team (2008–)
Club
Trabzonspor (2017–2019)
Club
Parma Calcio 1913 (2019–2022)
Club
Watford F.C. (2021–2022)
Club
ŠK Slovan Bratislava (2022–)
National team
Slovakia

Legacy

Honours

Sparta Prague

Czech First League: 2009–10 Czech Supercup: 2010 AC Milan

Supercoppa Italiana: 2016 Individual

Slovak Super Liga Team of the Season: 2022–23

Clubs

Played together with

Archive

Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Description

Slovak association football player

Position

midfielder

Extract from Wikipedia

Juraj Kucka, also known by his nickname Kuco, is retired Slovak footballer who last played as a midfielder for Slovak club Baník Prievidza.

▸ Source: Wikipedia
All links

Discussion

Opinions of fans — not verified facts.