Biography
Decorated Slovakian goalkeeper Kuciak signed for Steve Bruce’s Tigers in February 2016 from Polish giants Legia Warsaw, where he was a regular recipient of trophies and international recognition. But he struggled to find any kind of foothold in the City first team, appearing occasionally on the bench – he was unused substitute goalie throughout City’s successful 2015/16 play-off campaign that saw off Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday – and he carded a solitary and somewhat flappy senior appearance during August 2016 in the League Cup at Exeter City.
Dusan Kuciak was born in Zilina, a city made famous amongst City fans thanks to the club’s European campaign in July 2014. He started his career at City’s Europa League opponents from down the road, AS Trencin but joined his hometown club MSK Zilina in July 2003. Despite having not made his first team debut in Slovakia Kuciak spent a six month spell on loan at Premier League side West Ham United in the early part of 2005. He returned to Zilina for the 2005/06 season and made his first team debut in September 2005 against Inter Bratislava. Kuciak was prominent as Zilina lifted the Slovakian League title in the 2006/07 season and he had his first European experience when he started against Luxembourg side F91 Dudelange in a July 2007 Champions League qualifier. By the end of the 2007/08 season Dusan had made 80 senior appearances for Zilina when he transferred to Romanian side FC Vaslui, a club he served for three seasons and showed good form, including an enviable record of saving penalties, in his 102 senior appearances.
Kuciak’s form in Romania attracted the attention of Polish giants Legia Warsaw, the club he joined in August 2011. Kuciak’s time in goal for Legia coincided with a period of great success for the club, claiming the Polish League title in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons and winning the Polish Cup in the 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2014/15 seasons – though Kuciak only played in the first of these three Finals. He also participated in lengthy European campaigns at Legia and added 48 appearances in European competitions to 145 senior domestic appearances for Legia between August 2011 and December 2015. By the end of 2015 Kuciak had dropped out of first team contention and was once again seeking a move to the English Premier League.
Dusan left the Tigers in January 2017 and signed for Polish Ekstraklasa side Lechia Gdansk. He was a first team regular in Gdansk for several seasons and showed form that led to an international recall in 2020. Lechia won the Polish Cup in the 2018/19 season with Kuciak benched for the Final, but he did start in Gdansk’s July 2019 Polish Supercup triumph over Piast Gliwice. He started the 2019/20 Polish Cup final for Lechia, a match they lost to Cracovia. By the end of the 2022/23 season Kuciak had made 209 senior appearances for Lechia Gdansk. In June 2023 it was announced that Dusan was free to leave the Gdansk side and find a new club. In April 2024 he switched to injury-stricken Polish top flight side Rakow Czestochowa, making his debut in April 2024 against Gornik Zabrze.
Kuciak had a varied international career that started in September 2001 when he played for the Slovakia Under-17 side against Luxembourg. He played for the Slovakia Under-19 side by May 2004, winning two caps against Portugal and Germany, then rose to the Under-21 squad in the 2004/05 season but remained an unused substitute until August and September 2006 when he won two Under-21 caps against Spain and Albania. Kuciak made his senior international debut in December 2006 against the United Arab Emirates and his senior international career fell into three distinct phases – two caps between his debut and October 2007; then a further eight caps in his dominant spell at Vaslui and Legia Warsaw between May 2010 and June 2013, during which he was selected for the 2010 Slovakian World Cup finals squad; then a further four caps later in his career between October 2020 and June 2021, taking his total tally to 14 senior international caps for his country.
Details
Nationality: Slovakia
Date/Place of Birth: 21 May 1985, Zilina (Slovakia)
Hull City First Game: 23 August 2016, Exeter City A (Football League Cup Second Round), 31 years, 94 days old
Hull City Final Game: 23 August 2016, Exeter City A (Football League Cup Second Round), 31 years, 94 days old
Clubs
AS Trencin (2001-2003), MSK Zilina (2003-2008), West Ham United (2005, loan), FC Vaslui (2008-2011), Legia Warsaw (2011-2016), Hull City (2015-2017), Lechia Gdansk (2017-2024), Rakow Czestochowa (2024-current)
Hull City Record
Career: 1 apps, 0 goals
Dusan Kuciak| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015/16 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2016/17 | - | - | - | - | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - |