Jakub Brabec

Jakub Brabec (born 6 August 1992) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Greek Super League club Aris and the Czech national team.

Club career
Brabec was part of the youth system at Sparta Prague, but having been released in summer 2008, he joined Viktoria Žižkov, another Prague-based club. He was promoted to the Žižkov first team during the 2008–09 Gambrinus liga season, when he was still at school. He made one league appearance for the club in this season, playing a full match against Viktoria Plzen as a 16-year-old in a 2–0 defeat.

In the 2009–10 season, Brabec played a further 14 games for Žižkov, who were then playing in the second tier Czech 2. Liga. One of the fourteen appearances was as a substitute. In one match in this season against FC Zenit Čáslav, he received a 31st-minute red card. He made six appearances in the Czech 2. Liga in the following 2010–11 season, four of which were as a substitute. He helped Žižkov achieve a second-place league finish and promotion back to the Gambrinus liga.

Brabec returned Sparta Prague for an undisclosed fee in June 2011. He told UEFA.com that his primary motivation for making the transfer was that he was a childhood fan of his former club and that he would have a better chance of playing in the UEFA Cup and the Uefa Champions League. He started the 2011–12 season with the reserve team, Sparta Prague II, who compete in the 2. Liga.

On 31 August 2016, Brabec signed a four-year contract with Genk.

Aris
On 31 August 2021, Aris officially announced the signing of Brabec for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract. On 18 October 2021, he scored his first goal sealing a precious 1–0 away win against Lamia.

On 13 March 2023, Brabec signed a contract extension with the club until summer 2026.

Youth
Brabec has represented the Czech Republic at youth international level. He scored his first national goal on his third and final appearance for the Czech Republic under-18s in a 3–1 loss to the Austria under-18s in a March 2010 friendly match.

Later in 2009, he made his debut for the Czech Republic under-19s in a 4–0 win over the Malta under-19s.

Brabec was selected as captain of the Czech Republic under-19s squad for the 2011 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. His first goal at under-19 level came in this tournament. He scored a header in a group game tournament fixture against the Republic of Ireland under-19s to equalise 1–1 on 23 July 2011; the Czechs went on to win 2–1. The Czech Republic finished the tournament as losing finalists to Spain.

Senior
On 29 March 2016, Brabec debuted for the Czech national team under coach Pavel Vrba in Czech Republic senior team in a friendly match against Sweden, ending in a 1–1 draw.

On 11 October 2019, Brabec scored his first goal in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying match against England, resulting in a 2-1 victory for the Czechs.

On 19 November 2023, along with Vladimír Coufal and Jan Kuchta, Brabec has been kicked out of the Czech Republic's national team camp after they allegedly going out clubbing two days before the Euro 2024 qualifier match against Moldova.

International

 * Scores and results list the Czech Republic's goal tally first.

Honours

 * Czech First League
 * Winner: 2013–14


 * Czech 2. Liga
 * Runner Up: 2010–11


 * Czech Cup
 * Winner: 2013–14


 * UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
 * Runner Up: 2011

Individual
 * UEFA European Under-19 Championship Team of the Tournament: 2011
 * Czech First League Defender of the Year: 2019–20