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.

Pekarík, born in Žilina, began playing football at the youth section of his local club.

His Corgoň Liga debut came for ZŤS Dubnica.

In his first season, he played 27 matches and came back to MŠK Žilina in the summer of 2005.

He won the Corgoň Liga in the 2006–07 season, playing 35 matches.

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 impressed with great performances in the first half of the 2008–09 season and signed a four-and-a-half-year contract for Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg in January 2009.

On 31 January 2009, matchday 18, he debuted in the Bundesliga in a 1–1 draw against the 1. FC Köln.

At half time, coach Felix Magath substituted him for Cristian Zaccardo.

Except for one game, he played in the second half of the season in all games and won with Wolfsburg for the first time in club history the German championship.

However, at the end of the season he was substituted more often and lost his place in the starting eleven.

He was a part of the Slovakia team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016 and UEFA Euro 2020.

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

MŠK Žilina

VfL Wolfsburg

Hertha BSC

Slovakia

In August 2011, Pekarík joined Turkish first division side Kayserispor for the 2011–12 season on loan.

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

At the moment it was his 151st Bundesliga match.

On 31 March 2017, in his eighth season in Germany, Pekarík scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 3–1 loss against 1899 Hoffenheim.