Marek Mintal's Profile

Marek Mintál is undoubtedly considered to be one of the best footballers in a rich, more than a hundred years history of the football club MŠK Žilina. He considerebly contributed to the football progress of the club from under Dubeň on its way to the top at the beginning of a new millenium. Marek is a man of the extraordinary players abilities and personal qualities and due to he became a key part of the team, with whom he won back-to-back Slovak championship in 2002 and 2003.

Marek was born and raised in Bytčica, where he also started out his brilliant football career. Aged 13 he joined the youth team of Žilina, making there his premiere league debut and also netted his first league goal /against Spartak Trnava/ in this season. Hard-working and determined Marek gradually became the team’s frontman and was its top scorer, too. In the season 2001/2002 when Žilina reached its first title in a modern history of the club, Marek became the king of the Slovak scorers by scoring 21 goals. He did the same perfect job in the following season, when he contributed to the second  title for MŠK scoring 20 goals.

His excellent achievements were noticed by the foreign scouts and Marek left Žilina after clinching the second title in 2003, when he signed a contract with 1.FC Nürnberg  playing in the Second Bundesliga at that time. His results in this new club surpassed the expectations of all those who wondered whether he would be able to succeed in a different league. In Germany, there he again proved to be an exceptional striker. He continued his scoring run by scoring 18 goals and becoming the German second division’s leader and was a crucial part of Nürnberg’s immediate promotion. In the following season 2004/2005, Mintál led the Bundesliga in scoring among the players with even a higer reputation and became highly regarded. However, Marek has never considered himself to be a star and remained really modest. Despite the rumours that he might be off to another club, he‘s decided to stay in Nürnberg. He became the top scorer also in 2008/2009, when he again helped his team to win promotion back to the Bundesliga by scoring 16 goals.

In his most successful seasons Marek playing in an attacking midfielder position was outstanding due to his perfect positioning skill closely connected with his just incredible goal instinct. His brilliant technique, both-footing combined with blitz finishing are so excellent that he is able to score from the most different positions. All these abilities have led to him being called "Phantom" in Germany. Although his last season was under-achievement, he still has great potentional and we hope, he’ll be cheer up the the crowd at the all stadiums by his game and goals also in the future.

Finally, let’s get back under Dubeň, where Marek started out his exclusive career influenced by his father Anton, godfather Jaroslav and uncle Juraj, who also used to wear yellow-green shirt and both his brothers were footballers, too. Moreover, uncle Jaroslav had been engaged as a masseur of MŠK Žilina for years. Well, the Mintál’s are really football family. Marek is happily married and has got two sons Jakub and Sebastian who might choose the same career as their football daddy.  Who knows, what does the future hold?

Personal information

* date of birth: September 2nd 1977,

* place of birth: Žilina, Slovakia,

* married: wife Katarína, sons Jakub and Sebastián.

Club information

* current club: FC Nürnber,

* position: attacking midfielder,

* squad number: 11,

* previous clubs: youth career: Tatran Bytčica, MŠK Žilina, senior career: Nové Mesto nad Váhom, MŠK Žilina, 1. FC Nürnberg,

* national team: 2002-2009 (45 goals).

Honours

* Slovak League: 2002, 2003,

* German 2. Bundesliga: 2004,

* German DFB-Pokal: 2007,

* Slovak Player of the Year: 2004, 2005,

* Slovak League Top Scorer: 2002, 2003,

* German 2. Bundesliga Top Scorer:2004,

* German Bundesliga Top Scorer: 2005,

* German 2. Bundesliga Top Scorer: 2009.