David Strelec
Slovak footballer (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
David Strelec (born 4 April 2001) is a Slovak professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Middlesbrough and the Slovakia national team.
|
Strelec playing for Slovakia in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 4 April 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Nové Zámky, Slovakia | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Middlesbrough | ||
| Number | 13 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2018 | Slovan Bratislava | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2021 | Slovan Bratislava | 54 | (15) |
| 2021–2024 | Spezia | 17 | (1) |
| 2023 | → Reggina (loan) | 15 | (3) |
| 2023–2024 | → Slovan Bratislava (loan) | 28 | (11) |
| 2024–2025 | Slovan Bratislava | 32 | (21) |
| 2025– | Middlesbrough | 25 | (5) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2016–2017 | Slovakia U16 | ||
| 2017–2018 | Slovakia U17 | 11 | (4) |
| 2018 | Slovakia U18 | 3 | (1) |
| 2018 | Slovakia U19 | 4 | (4) |
| 2019–2022 | Slovakia U21 | 13 | (7) |
| 2021– | Slovakia | 38 | (10) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:04, 21 March 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22:06, 31 March 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
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Strelec made his Fortuna Liga debut for ŠK Slovan Bratislava against Zemplín Michalovce on 5 August 2018.[2] He transferred to Spezia Calcio in summer 2021,[3] signing a five-year contract on the last day of the transfer window.[4] On 31 January 2023, Strelec joined Serie B club Reggina on loan until the end of the 2022–23 season.[5] Strelec returned to Spezia at the end of his loan.[6] He returned to Slovan Bratislava in summer 2023 on loan with an option to buy, which the club activated in May 2024, giving him a four-year contract.[7]
In the first half of the 2024–25 Slovak First Football League, Strelec scored 11 times in 19 matches.[8] On 5 November 2024, he scored the opening goal in a 1-4 defeat against GNK Dinamo in the UEFA Champions League.[9] Strelec scored another goal in that season's competition against Spanish club Atlético Madrid. In the January 2025 transfer window, Strelec was subject to transfer interest from British clubs, Middlesbrough and Celtic.[8]
On 1 September 2025, Strelec signed for EFL Championship club Middlesbrough on a five-year contract.[10] He was signed for an upfront fee of £6.5 million with a further £2.5 million in add-ons.[11]
International career
In March 2021, Strelec received his first call-up to Slovak senior national team by Štefan Tarkovič for three 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Cyprus, Malta, and Russia.[12] He made his debut on 24 March in a goalless draw against Cyprus, replacing Ondrej Duda after 83 minutes.[13][14] He scored his first international goal against Malta, scoring with his head to reduce Malta's lead to 2–1, in a match which finished 2–2.[15]
In November 2024, Strelec scored the only goal of the game in the 72nd minute of a UEFA Nations League match against Estonia in Trnava. This was his 4th goal for Slovakia in the league phase.[16]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 21 March 2026[17]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Slovan Bratislava | 2018–19 | Slovak First League | 13 | 2 | — | — | — | 13 | 2 | |||
| 2019–20 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 17 | 5 | |||
| 2020–21 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 29 | 11 | ||||
| 2021–22 | 4 | 0 | — | 7[c] | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 54 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 0 | — | 70 | 18 | |||
| Spezia | 2021–22 | Serie A | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 1 | ||
| 2022–23 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 9 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 17 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 4 | ||
| Reggina (loan) | 2022–23 | Serie B | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 16 | 3 | |
| Slovan Bratislava (loan) | 2023–24 | Slovak First League | 28 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 12[e] | 2 | — | 41 | 14 | |
| Slovan Bratislava | 2024–25 | Slovak First League | 29 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 16[f] | 5 | — | 47 | 25 | |
| 2025–26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6[g] | 4 | — | 9 | 5 | |||
| Total | 32 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 30 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 2025–26 | Championship | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 25 | 5 | |
| Career total | 171 | 56 | 13 | 7 | 43 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 228 | 74 | ||
- Includes Slovak Cup, Coppa Italia
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Three appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearance in Serie B play-offs
- Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League, eight appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Four appearances and three goals in UEFA Champions League, two appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
International
- As of match played 31 March 2026[18]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slovakia | 2021 | 10 | 2 |
| 2022 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 5 | |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 2 | 2 | |
| Total | 38 | 10 | |
- Scores and results list Slovakia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 March 2021 | Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava, Slovakia |  Malta | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 11 November 2021 | Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava, Slovakia |  Slovenia | 2–2 | 2–2 | |
| 3 | 5 June 2024 | Wiener Neustadt Arena, Wiener Neustadt, Austria |  San Marino | 4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 8 September 2024 | Košická futbalová aréna, Košice, Slovakia |  Azerbaijan | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2024–25 UEFA Nations League C |
| 5 | 11 October 2024 | Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia |  Sweden | 1–2 | 2–2 | |
| 6 | 2–2 | |||||
| 7 | 19 November 2024 | Anton Malatinsky Stadium, Trnava, Slovakia |  Estonia | 1–0 | 1–0 | |
| 8 | 6 September 2025 | Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia |  Germany | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 26 March 2026 |  Kosovo | 3–4 | 3–4 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 10 | 31 March 2026 |  Romania | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
Honours
Slovan Bratislava
Individual
- Peter Dubovský Award: 2020[21]
- Slovak Super Liga Team of the Season: 2020–21[22]
- Slovak Super Liga U-21 Team of the Season: 2020–21[22]
