Luboš Kubík facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 January 1964 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Vysoké Mýto, Czechoslovakia | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder, defender | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1979 | Spartak Choceň | |||||||||||||||
| 1979–1982 | Spartak Hradec Králové | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1981–1982 | Spartak Hradec Králové | 28 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 1982–1988 | TJ Slavia Praha IPS | 133 | (33) | |||||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | Fiorentina | 50 | (8) | |||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | Metz | 70 | (14) | |||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | 1. FC Nürnberg | 40 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | FK Drnovice | 14 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Slavia Prague | 14 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Lázně Bohdaneč | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1998–2000 | Chicago Fire | 71 | (15) | |||||||||||||
| 2001 | Dallas Burn | 11 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 414 | (80) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1993 | Czechoslovakia | 39 | (10) | |||||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | Czech Republic | 17 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||
| Hradec Králové | ||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Śląsk Wrocław | |||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Torquay United | |||||||||||||||
| 2007 | SK Týniště nad Orlicí | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Luboš Kubík (born on January 20, 1964) is a former Czech professional footballer. He played as a midfielder or defender. He played for the former Czechoslovakia in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Later, he represented the Czech Republic when they finished second in the UEFA Euro 1996 tournament.
Besides his home country, Czechia, Kubík also played football in Italy, France, Germany, and the United States. He was named in the MLS Best XI (a team of the best players in the league) twice, in 1998 and 1999.
Contents
About Luboš Kubík
Early Life and Education
Luboš Kubík was born on January 20, 1964, in Vysoké Mýto, which is in the Pardubice Region of Czechia. He started studying at the Prague University of Economics and Business but later left to focus on his football career.
Languages and Post-Football Life
Because of his time playing football in different countries, Kubík learned several languages. He can speak English and Italian very well, in addition to his native Czech. He also knows some Polish, German, French, and Russian. After he stopped playing professionally, he started working with local schools. He helps to find and train young football players.
Luboš Kubík's son, Luboš Jr., started an organization called USA Sport and Study. His son is in charge of the soccer part of this organization.
Playing Career
European Clubs
Kubík started his football journey in 1981 with Hradec Králové. The next year, he moved to Slavia Prague. In 1988, he and another player, Ivo Knoflíček, left a training camp in West Germany. They tried to join the English club Derby County in January 1989. However, they were still under contract with Slavia Prague, which meant they couldn't transfer right away.
After a period where he couldn't play due to transfer rules, Kubík signed with the Italian club ACF Fiorentina in April 1989. He agreed to complete his military service in his home country first, so he could play in Italy. With Fiorentina, Kubík scored three goals in 26 league games. He also played in the 1989–90 UEFA Cup, where his team reached the final but lost to Juventus.
In 1991, Kubík moved to the French club FC Metz in Ligue 1. Two years later, in 1993, he transferred to the German team 1. FC Nürnberg in the Bundesliga. After playing in Germany, he returned to the Czech Republic. There, he played for FK Drnovice, SK Slavia Prague again, and AFK Lázně Bohdaneč.
Playing in the United States
In 1998, Kubík moved to the Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. He joined a new team called Chicago Fire. In their first year, he helped the Fire win both the MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup. Because of his great performance, Kubík was named the MLS Defender of the Year. He continued to be a strong player for the Fire in 1999, scoring five goals and making eight assists. He was named to the MLS Best XI for the second time.
In 2001, Kubík joined Dallas Burn. This was his last year playing professional football. He faced many injuries and only played in 11 matches for the club. At the end of the 2001 MLS season, he retired from playing and went back to the Czech Republic.
International Football
Kubík played his first game for the Czechoslovakia national football team in 1985 against Sweden. He played for both the Czechoslovakian and Czech Republic national teams. He represented Czechoslovakia in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Later, he played for the Czech Republic in the 1996 UEFA European Football Championship. Kubík played his last international game in 1997 against Belarus.
Coaching Career
Coaching in Poland
In the summer of 2006, Kubík became the manager of the Polish team Śląsk Wrocław. However, he was only in charge for 11 league games before he was let go in October of that year.
Coaching in England
On November 27, 2006, Kubík was appointed coach of Torquay United, an English team in EFL League Two. He got this job because of his close friendship with the club's chairman, Chris Roberts. Even though he had a great playing career, he didn't have much experience as a manager or many contacts in England. This made things difficult, especially when Roberts appointed Richard Hancox as Kubík's assistant. Torquay United struggled while Kubík was coach, winning only two out of 15 matches. Because of this, he left the club by agreement on February 5, 2007. Chris Roberts also resigned as chairman later that month. The club was relegated at the end of the season, meaning they dropped out of the Football League First Division after 79 years.
Coaching in Czechia and the USA
In 2007, Kubík became the coach of SK Týniště nad Orlicí, a Czech club in the third division. His first game was a friendly match against Převýšov. Later that year, he left the club because the team was not performing well in the league.
In March 2010, Kubík was chosen to be an assistant coach for the United States men's national soccer team. He helped the team prepare for the 2010 FIFA World Cup that year.
Awards and Achievements
Individual Awards
- MLS Defender of the Year Award: 1998
- MLS Best XI: 1998, 1999
- MLS All-Star: 1998, 1999
See also
In Spanish: Luboš Kubík para niños
