Martin Škrtel facts for kids
Škrtel playing for Liverpool in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Martin Škrtel | ||
| Date of birth | 15 December 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Handlová, Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Hajskala Ráztočno | |||
| 1990–2001 | Baník Prievidza | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2004 | Trenčín | 45 | (0) |
| 2004–2008 | Zenit Saint Petersburg | 74 | (3) |
| 2008–2016 | Liverpool | 242 | (16) |
| 2016–2019 | Fenerbahçe | 79 | (6) |
| 2019 | Atalanta | 0 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | İstanbul Başakşehir | 30 | (3) |
| 2021–2022 | Spartak Trnava | 18 | (0) |
| 2022 | Hajskala Ráztočno | 1 | (0) |
| Total | 489 | (28) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2019 | Slovakia | 104 | (6) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Martin Škrtel (born 15 December 1984) is a Slovak former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a defender who plays in the middle of the field.
Škrtel played for several clubs, including FK AS Trenčín and Zenit Saint Petersburg. He then joined Liverpool in January 2008. He spent eight and a half years with Liverpool, playing 320 official games and scoring 18 goals. After Liverpool, he moved to Fenerbahçe.
He won the Russian Premier League with Zenit and the League Cup with Liverpool. Martin Škrtel was also named Slovak Footballer of the Year four times, which is a big honor in his home country.
Škrtel started playing for the Slovak national team in 2004. He played 104 games for his country, making him one of Slovakia's most-capped players. He also scored 6 goals for Slovakia. He represented his country in major tournaments like the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016.
Contents
Early Life and First Clubs
Martin Škrtel was born on 15 December 1984 in Handlová, which is a town in Slovakia.
He began his football journey at a local club called FC Baník Prievidza. Soon after, he moved to FK AS Trenčín. He played 44 games for Trenčín and scored 8 goals between 2001 and 2004.
Playing in Russia
Škrtel joined Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia. He made his first appearance for them in a Russian Cup match on 31 July 2004. He played 113 games for Zenit and scored 5 goals.
He helped Zenit win the Russian Premier League title in the 2007 season. Many big clubs were interested in him, but he decided to join Liverpool.
Time at Liverpool
Škrtel joined Liverpool on 11 January 2008. He signed a four-and-a-half-year contract. The transfer fee was about £6.5 million.
The manager at the time, Rafael Benítez, said Škrtel was "aggressive, quick, good in the air." He also said Škrtel was a "very good player for the future and also for the present." Škrtel made his first league appearance for Liverpool against Aston Villa.
Key Moments at Liverpool
Škrtel quickly became an important player for Liverpool. He often played alongside Jamie Carragher in defense. On 5 October 2008, he got a serious knee injury. Luckily, he did not need surgery and returned to play before Christmas.
On 21 November 2009, Škrtel scored his first goal for Liverpool. It was in a 2–2 draw against Manchester City. He later signed a new contract, staying with the club until 2014.
During the 2010–11 season, Škrtel played every minute of every Premier League match. He even captained Liverpool in a Europa League game on his 26th birthday. He felt this was his best season for the club so far.
In the 2011–12 season, Škrtel scored a header against Bolton Wanderers. On 26 February 2012, he scored in the 2012 Football League Cup Final against Cardiff City. Liverpool won the match on penalties, giving Škrtel his first trophy with the club.
He was named the Liverpool Player of the Year in May 2012. This showed how important he was to the team.
The 2012–13 season was a bit tougher for Škrtel. He said it was "one of the worst seasons in my career." However, he bounced back strongly.
In the 2013–14 Premier League season, he scored seven goals. This was a lot for a defender! He scored two goals against Arsenal in a 5–1 win. He also scored twice against Cardiff City.
In his final seasons at Liverpool, he continued to be a strong defender. He played his 300th match for Liverpool in September 2015. He scored a powerful goal against Manchester City in November 2015.
Moving to Turkey
On 14 July 2016, Škrtel joined the Turkish club Fenerbahçe. He played 31 league games in his first season and scored 2 goals. He was happy playing in Turkey.
He stayed with Fenerbahçe for three seasons. He played 79 league games and scored 6 goals for the club.
After Fenerbahçe, he briefly joined Atalanta in Italy in August 2019. However, his contract ended after only three weeks. He found it hard to adapt to the new team and training methods there.
He then returned to Turkey in September 2019, signing with İstanbul Başakşehir. He played 20 games and scored three goals. He helped the team win the 2019–20 Süper Lig title. This was the first top-flight title in the club's history. He left the club in January 2021 after an injury.
Return to Slovakia and Retirement
In August 2021, Škrtel returned to Slovakia after 17 years. He joined Spartak Trnava. He played 18 league games for them.
On 1 March 2022, Škrtel became Spartak Trnava's oldest goalscorer. He scored a goal at 37 years, 2 months, and 14 days old. He helped Spartak win the Slovak Cup.
In August 2022, Škrtel left Spartak Trnava. He went to play for his childhood club, FK Hajskala Ráztočno, in a local league. This was to keep a promise he made to finish his career there.
After his playing career, Škrtel moved into football management. On 19 September 2024, he was named the new sporting director of DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda. He later became the sports director at FC Spartak Trnava on 10 March 2025.
International Career
Martin Škrtel played for Slovakia at different youth levels before joining the senior team. He made his debut for the senior squad in 2004.
He was chosen to play for Slovakia in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016. He even served as captain in the Euro 2016 tournament.
On 13 October 2018, Škrtel played his 100th game for Slovakia. This made him one of only three Slovak footballers to reach this milestone.
He announced his retirement from international football on 22 February 2019. He played a farewell game on 13 October 2019 against Paraguay. He started as captain and played for 30 minutes.
How He Played
Martin Škrtel was known as a very strong centre-back. He was good at winning balls in the air. His teammates said he was "really strong" and gave the team confidence. He was also athletic and good at passing the ball.
Personal Life
Martin Škrtel is married to Barbora Škrtelová. They welcomed their son, Matteo, on 7 October 2011.
Honours
Zenit Saint Petersburg
- Russian Premier League: 2007
Liverpool
- Football League Cup: 2011–12
İstanbul Başakşehir
- Süper Lig: 2019–20
Spartak Trnava
- Slovak Cup: 2021–22
Individual
- Slovak Footballer of the Year: 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012
- Liverpool Player of the Year: 2011–12
- Premier League Player of the Year by Northwest Football Awards: 2012
See also
In Spanish: Martin Škrtel para niños
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
Images for kids
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Škrtel playing for Liverpool in 2008
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Škrtel warming up for Liverpool in 2011
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Škrtel training with Liverpool in 2013
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Škrtel training with Slovakia in 2010
