Marek Mintál facts for kids
Mintal in the 2012–13 season
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 2 September 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Žilina, Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder, forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Žilina | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–2003 | Žilina | 188 | (77) |
| 1996 | → Nové Mesto nad Váhom (loan) | ||
| 2003–2011 | 1. FC Nürnberg | 180 | (66) |
| 2011–2012 | Hansa Rostock | 24 | (6) |
| 2012–2013 | 1. FC Nürnberg II | 29 | (11) |
| Total | 421 | (160) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002–2009 | Slovakia | 45 | (14) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2013–2015 | 1. FC Nürnberg (assistant) | ||
| 2019–2021 | 1. FC Nürnberg II | ||
| 2019 | 1. FC Nürnberg (interim) | ||
| 2020–2022 | Slovakia (assistant) | ||
| 2022–2023 | Slovakia U19 (assistant) | ||
| 2023–2024 | SpVgg Bayreuth | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Marek Mintál (born 2 September 1977) is a Slovak professional football coach and a former player. He played as an attacking midfielder or forward. He was known for his amazing goal-scoring skills.
Contents
Marek Mintál's Playing Career
Early Days in Slovakia
Marek Mintál started his football journey at the Slovak club MŠK Žilina. He helped his team win the Slovak championships two years in a row. These wins were in the 2001–02 and 2002–03 seasons. During these years, he scored many goals. He scored 20 goals in 2001–02 and 21 goals in 2002–03. Because of his great scoring, he became the top scorer in Slovakia for both seasons. His talent also led him to play for the Slovak national team for the first time in February 2002. He played 33 games for his country and scored 11 goals.
Moving to Germany and Becoming a Star
After the 2002–03 season, Marek Mintál moved to 1. FC Nürnberg in Germany. This club was playing in the 2. Bundesliga, which is Germany's second-highest football league. Marek continued to score lots of goals there. He scored 18 goals and became the top scorer in the German second division. His goals were very important in helping Nürnberg get promoted to the Bundesliga, Germany's top league, right away.
During this time, people noticed his quiet but effective way of playing. They called him names like "stealth bomber" or "Sniper" because he would score goals almost out of nowhere. In the next year, Marek Mintál was the top scorer in the Bundesliga with 24 goals. He helped Nürnberg stay in the top league.
Challenges and Injuries
Marek's amazing success made people think he might move to an even bigger club. There were rumors about clubs like Liverpool and VfB Stuttgart wanting him. But he decided to stay at Nürnberg.
However, the next season was tough for him. He broke his foot twice in just five months. Because of these injuries, he only played in four games and scored just one goal.
He made a comeback in a game against Borussia Mönchengladbach. He also played for his country again, scoring two goals against Cyprus. Later that year, his foot injury returned, and he needed another surgery.
Winning the DFB-Pokal
In 2007, Marek Mintál and 1. FC Nürnberg won the DFB-Pokal, which is a big German cup competition. Marek even scored a goal in the final game. Nürnberg won the match 3–2 after extra time. He also scored two goals in a UEFA Cup game against AZ, helping his team in European competitions. Marek Mintál finished his playing career in 2013.
Marek Mintál's Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Marek Mintál started coaching. From 2013 to 2014, he was an assistant coach for his old team, 1. FC Nürnberg. He then went to Slovakia to get his coaching license.
Marek returned to Nürnberg as an assistant coach for the 2015–16 season. He also helped coach their Under-19 team. In February 2019, he became an interim assistant coach for the first team. He was even the head coach for one game in November 2019. He also worked as an assistant coach for the Slovak national team from 2020 to 2022. More recently, he was an assistant coach for the Slovakia U19 team from 2022 to 2023. Since 2023, he has been coaching SpVgg Bayreuth.
Marek Mintál's Achievements
Marek Mintál won several awards and titles during his career.
With MŠK Žilina
- Slovak First Football League: 2001–02, 2002–03
- Slovak Super Cup: 2003
With 1. FC Nürnberg
- DFB-Pokal: 2006–07
- 2. Bundesliga: 2003–04
Individual Awards
- Slovak First Football League top scorer: 2001–02, 2002–03
- 2. Bundesliga top scorer: 2003–04, 2008–09
- Slovak Footballer of the Year: 2004, 2005
- Slovak Footballer of the Decade (2000–2009)
- German Bundesliga top scorer: 2005
See also
In Spanish: Marek Mintál para niños
