Peter Dubovský (footballer)

Peter Dubovský (7 May 1972 – 23 June 2000) was a Slovak professional footballer who played as a forward.

Peter Dubovský
Personal information
Date of birth(1972-05-07)7 May 1972
Place of birthBratislava, Czechoslovakia
Date of death23 June 2000(2000-06-23) (aged 28)
Place of deathKo Samui, Thailand
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)Forward
Youth career
1982–1985FKM Vinohrady
1985–1989Slovan Bratislava
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1989–1993Slovan Bratislava94(59)
1993–1995Real Madrid31(2)
1995–2000Oviedo120(17)
Total245(78)
International career
1991–1993Czechoslovakia14(6)
1994–2000Slovakia33(12)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

After starting his career with Slovan Bratislava he played seven years in Spain, amassing La Liga totals of 151 games and 19 goals for two teams.

Dubovský died in 2000 at 28, while on vacation in Thailand.

Club career

Born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, Dubovský made his professional debut with local ŠK Slovan Bratislava, for whom he signed at the age of 13. Only four years later he made his first Czechoslovak First League appearance, and went on to score 51 goals in only 59 appearances in his last two seasons combined (leading the scoring charts on both occasions),[1] being an instrumental offensive figure as his hometown club won the national championship in 1992.

After being named the Slovak Footballer of the Year in 1993, Dubovský moved to Spain and signed for La Liga giants Real Madrid. He appeared in 26 games in his first season but was completely ostracized by new manager Jorge Valdano in his second and last, his options being further diminished at the club following the emergence of 17-year-old Raúl.[2][3]

Dubovský remained in the country – and its top division – in the following five years, playing for Real Oviedo and scoring a career-best in Spain seven goals in 31 matches in the 1995–96 campaign,[4][5] helping the Asturians to the 14th position.

International career

Dubovský made his debut for Czechoslovakia on 13 November 1991 at the age of 19, starting in a 2–1 away loss against Spain for the UEFA Euro 1992 qualifiers. He went on to appear in a further 13 internationals in the following two years, scoring six goals.

After the independence of Slovakia, Dubovský represented its national team, eventually becoming the country's record goalscorer at 12 (until it was broken by Szilárd Németh). He remained among the national team's Top 10 goalscorers until March 2024, when he was eliminated by 13th goal of Ondrej Duda, moving Dubovský to a shared 11th place.[6]

Death

On 23 June 2000, Dubovský was on vacation in Thailand with his fiancée, in the southern island resort of Ko Samui. While taking pictures of a waterfall, he tumbled and fell to his death, succumbing to "heavy loss of blood and severe brain injuries".[7] He was 28 years old.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by national team and year
CountrySeasonCompetitiveFriendliesTotalRef
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Czechoslovakia1991–92104050[6]
1992–93541064[6]
1993–94320032[6]
Total9650146[6]
Slovakia1993–942222[6]
1994–95523284[6]
1995–96412061[6]
1996–97330033[6]
1997–98003030[6]
1998–99622082[6]
1999–20003030[6]
Total1881543312[6]
Career total27142044718[6]
Scores and results list Czechoslovakia and Slovakia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Dubovský goal.
List of international goals scored by Peter Dubovský[8]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
Czechoslovakia
123 September 1992Všešportový areál, Košice, Czechoslovakia  Faroe Islands4–04–01994 World Cup qualification
22 June 1993Všešportový areál, Košice, Slovakia  Romania3–25–21994 World Cup qualification
34–2
45–2
58 September 1993Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, Wales  Wales2–22–21994 World Cup qualification
627 October 1993Všešportový areál, Košice, Slovakia  Cyprus1–03–01994 World Cup qualification
Slovakia
120 April 1994Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia  Croatia1–04–1Friendly
22–0
313 November 1994Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest, Romania  Romania1–22–3Euro 1996 qualifying
48 March 1995Všešportový areál, Košice, Slovakia  Russia1–02–1Friendly
52–0
629 March 1995Všešportový areál, Košice, Slovakia  Azerbaijan3–04–1Euro 1996 qualifying
711 October 1995Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia  Poland1–14–1Euro 1996 qualifying
831 August 1996Svangaskarð, Toftir, Faroe Islands  Faroe Islands2–12–11998 World Cup qualification
922 September 1996Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia  Malta5–06–01998 World Cup qualification
1023 October 1996Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia  Faroe Islands1–03–01998 World Cup qualification
115 September 1998Lokomotíva Stadium, Košice, Slovakia  Azerbaijan2–03–0Euro 2000 qualifying
1210 October 1998Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein  Liechtenstein2–04–0Euro 2000 qualifying

Honours

Slovan Bratislava

Real Madrid

Individual

References