Martin Dúbravka

Martin Dúbravka

Footballer

AI

Martin Dúbravka is a Slovak professional footballer born in 1989, known for his role as a goalkeeper.

He won the Slovak First Football League title with MŠK Žilina during the 2009–10 season.

Dúbravka made a significant impact at Newcastle United, keeping a clean sheet in his debut against Manchester United.

Biography

Early Life

Martin Dúbravka was born in 1989 in Slovakia, where he developed a passion for sports at a young age. As a child, he enjoyed playing both ice hockey and football, showcasing his athletic versatility. However, a leg injury at the age of five shifted his focus entirely to football, setting the stage for his future career as a professional goalkeeper.

Career

Dúbravka's professional journey began with MŠK Žilina, where he played from 2008 to 2014. During his time there, he became a key player, helping the team secure the Slovak First Football League title and qualify for the UEFA Champions League. In 2014, he moved to Esbjerg fB in Denmark, where he continued to hone his skills.

His career took a significant turn when he joined Newcastle United in January 2018, initially on loan. Dúbravka made an immediate impact, keeping a clean sheet in his debut against Manchester United. His successful loan led to a permanent transfer, and he became a fan favorite, recognized as the 2018 Player of the Year by the North East Football Writers' Association.

Dúbravka has also been a stalwart for the Slovakia national team since 2014, making his competitive debut in a World Cup qualifier in 2017. He has participated in various international fixtures, including the UEFA Euro 2020 and 2024 campaigns, showcasing his talent on a larger stage.

Playing Style

Known for his outstanding footwork, Dúbravka has been described as a "quintessential sweeper-keeper," reflecting his belief that modern goalkeepers should be involved in play beyond just stopping shots. Interestingly, he has expressed a preference for playing as a right winger, demonstrating his versatility and love for the game beyond his primary position.

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Career & Clubs

Club career

Žilina

In the 2009–10 Slovak Superliga, Dúbravka played 26 Slovak Superliga games, finishing as a league champion. He became a first choice after the transfer of Dušan Perniš in January 2010. He qualified with Žilina to the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League and played all 6 group games. He kept a clean sheet in the play-off round against Sparta Prague.

Esbjerg

On 30 January 2014, he signed a 3½-year deal with the Danish Superliga club Esbjerg.

Czech Republic

Dúbravka joined Slovan Liberec of the Czech First League in July 2016 on a one-year contract. He joined Sparta Prague in June 2017, signing a three-year contract.

Newcastle United

In January 2018, English side Newcastle United showed interest in Dúbravka, initially offering Sparta Prague a loan for €500,000, with an option to sign in the summer for €4.5 million. He finally joined the Premier League side on 31 January 2018, the final day of the winter transfer window on a half-year loan, due to expire at the end of 2017–18 season. According to iSport.cz, he joined the club for €2 million, with an option to sign in the summer for €4 million. He made his debut on 11 February, playing a pivotal role and keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 win against Manchester United. After a very successful loan spell, he signed permanently for Newcastle on 30 May 2018 for an undisclosed fee of around €5 million. On 17 February 2019 in Durham, Dúbravka was recognised as the 2018 Player of the Year by the North…

International career

On 23 May 2014, he made his debut for the Slovakia national team in a 2–0 win over Montenegro. In January 2017, Dúbravka played his first full game for the national team, having played 45 minutes in both of his previous matches. Although Dúbravka was benched against Uganda (3–1 loss), he played in an unofficial friendly match against Sweden in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Slovakia lost the game 6–0 despite only trailing 1–0 at half time. This match also marked the first time Dúbravka conceded in the national team and he was also Slovak captain for the game, being the most experienced with international football.

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

On 10 June 2017, Dúbravka made his competitive debut in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Lithuania (2–1 win), when the preferred goalkeeper in the qualification, Matúš Kozáčik, did not play due to an injury. However, Dúbravka achieved his first competitive clean sheet on 1 September in a home qualifier against Slovenia. After Kozáčik's return to the squad, Dúbravka remained the preferred choice for the remaining matches against England, Scotland and Malta. In the match against Scotland, Dúbravka made a series of saves before he was finally beaten by an own goal from Martin Škrtel.

UEFA Euro 2020 and 2024

Dúbravka missed all the national team fixtures of 2020 due to injuries ruling him out of play during the autumn of the year. He returned to the national team in March 2021, in a 0–0 draw with Cyprus…

Style of play

Dúbravka is a third-generation goalkeeper: his father and grandfather also played in the position. Dúbravka has been dubbed the "quintessential sweeper-keeper" due to his "outstanding footwork" and he believes "in modern football the keeper's almost like a libero. You need to play with the ball, not just kick it long". Louise Taylor of The Guardian dubbed Dúbravka the "reluctant keeper" after he admitted his favourite position to play is right wing; he sometimes plays as an outfielder in training and coaching staff have suggested that he switch to a midfield role.

Club
Esbjerg fB (2014–2016)
Club
MŠK Žilina (2008–2014)
Club
Slovakia national under-19 football team (2007–2008)
Club
Slovakia national under-21 football team (2009–2010)
Club
FC Slovan Liberec (2016–2017)
Club
AC Sparta Prague (2017–2018)
Club
Newcastle United F.C. (2018–2018)
Club
Newcastle United F.C. (2018–2025)
Club
Slovakia men's national football team (2014–)
Club
Manchester United F.C. (2022–2023)
Club
Burnley F.C. (2025–2026)
Club
Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (2026–)
League
Premier League
National team
Slovakia

Trophies & Awards

Award
Slovak Super Cup
Award
Slovak First Football League

Personal

Early life

As a child, Dúbravka enjoyed playing ice hockey as well as football, and could have moved into the former sport if it was not for a leg injury he sustained when he was five years old.

Clubs

Played together with

Archive

Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Description

Slovak association football player (born 1989)

Position

goalkeeper

Extract from Wikipedia

Martin Dúbravka is a Slovak professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Slovakia national team.

▸ Source: Wikipedia
All links

Discussion

Opinions of fans — not verified facts.

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