Peter Pekarík

Peter Pekarík (born 30 October 1986) is a Slovak professional footballer who plays as a right-back for 2. Bundesliga club Hertha BSC and the Slovakia national team.

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. In his first season, he played 27 matches and came back to MŠK Žilina in summer 2005. Pekarík won the Corgoň Liga in the 2006–07 season, playing 35 matches.

VfL Wolfsburg 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. 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. Except for one game, Pekarík played in all matches of the second half as Wolfsburg won its first Bundesliga title.

In August 2011, Pekarík joined Turkish Süper Lig club Kayserispor for the 2011–12 season on loan.

Hertha BSC
After a loan in Turkey, Pekarík returned to Germany, signing for Hertha BSC. 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.

International career
Pekarík made his Slovakia national team debut against United Arab Emirates on 10 December 2006. He scored his first international goal in a 7–0 home victory over San Marino.

Pekarík was included the Slovakia squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. After being an unused substitute in the opening match against New Zealand, he started the second and third Group F matches, assisting Kamil Kopúnek's decisive third goal in the 3–2 win over Italy that qualified Slovakia for the knockout stage. He went on to start in the team's round of 16 match against the Netherlands, where they lost 2–1.

Pekarík played in all four of Slovakia's matches at UEFA Euro 2016, where the team reached the round of 16, losing to Germany and all three of their matches at UEFA Euro 2020.

On 1 June 2021, he played his 100th match for Slovakia in a friendly 1–1 draw against Bulgaria.

Pekarík 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's matches in UEFA European Championships as an independent nation.

International

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

Honours
MŠK Žilina
 * Fortuna Liga: 2006–07
 * Slovak Super Cup: 2007

VfL Wolfsburg
 * Bundesliga: 2008–09

Hertha BSC
 * 2. Bundesliga: 2012–13

Slovakia
 * King's Cup: 2018