.JPG) Jankto in 2017 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jakub Jankto[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1996-01-19)19 January 1996 (age 29) | ||
| Place of birth | Prague, Czech Republic | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder,full-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2014 | Slavia Prague | ||
| 2014–2015 | Udinese | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2019 | Udinese | 65 | (9) |
| 2015–2016 | →Ascoli (loan) | 34 | (5) |
| 2018–2019 | →Sampdoria (loan) | 25 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Sampdoria | 65 | (8) |
| 2021–2023 | Getafe | 14 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | →Sparta Prague (loan) | 15 | (1) |
| 2023–2025 | Cagliari | 18 | (1) |
| Total | 236 | (24) | |
| International career | |||
| 2012 | Czech Republic U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 2014 | Czech Republic U18 | 7 | (8) |
| 2014–2015 | Czech Republic U19 | 6 | (0) |
| 2015 | Czech Republic U20 | 4 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | Czech Republic U21 | 7 | (3) |
| 2017–2022 | Czech Republic | 45 | (4) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Jakub Jankto (pronounced[ˈjakupˈjaŋkto]; born 19 January 1996) is a Czech former professionalfootballer who played for theCzech Republic national team. A versatile player, Jankto could play as afull-back,left midfielder orleft winger.
Janktocame out asgay in a social media post in 2023, making himthe first active male international footballer to come out as gay.[3]
Jankto signed forUdinese fromSlavia Prague in 2014 for a reported fee of €700,000.[4] Without making his league debut for the team, he went on loan toSerie B sideAscoli in 2015, debuting on 15 September in aSerie B 1–0 home win againstVirtus Entella.[citation needed]
On 6 July 2018,Sampdoria announced that Jankto had joined the club on an initial loan deal with an obligation to make the transfer permanent for €15 million.[5] On 12 August 2018, Jankto scored on his debut for Sampdoria in a 1–0Coppa Italia win againstViterbese.[6] Sampdoria later made the transfer permanent.[7]
On 20 August 2021, Jankto signed a two-year contract withLa Liga clubGetafe CF.[8][9] The following year on 10 August, he returned to his homeland after joiningSparta Prague on a one-year loan deal.[10]
On 15 July 2023, Jankto signed a two-year contract with option withSerie A clubCagliari.[11][12] He made his debut with Cagliari on 21 August 2023 in a goalless draw againstTorino FC.[citation needed] On 3 March 2024, he scored his first goal for Cagliari in a 1–0 victory againstEmpoli.[citation needed]
On 21 August 2025, Jankto announced on Instagram story end of his career due to persistent health problems. He also referred to “wanting to spend more time with his son” as one of the reasons.[13]
In March 2017, Jankto received his first call-up by coachKarel Jarolím to theCzech senior squad for two matches againstLithuania (friendly) andSan Marino (2018 FIFA World Cup qualification).[14] The same year on 22 March, he debuted against the former opponent with his first goal that ended in a 3–0 victory.[15]
Jankto was in a relationship with model Markéta Ottomanská and had a son.[16][17] They separated in 2021.[18]
On 13 February 2023, Jankto publicly came out asgay in asocial media statement,[3] becoming thefirst active senior international men's footballer to do so.[19][20][21] Jankto's move received support from football clubs, footballers and other athletes.[22][23]
On 18 April 2023, Jankto was stopped by police near the Sparta PragueStrahov training center. He submitted to abreath test behind the wheel of his vehicle, but refused to take adrug test and a medical examination.[24][25] He also drove without a driver's licence, which had been taken away by the authorities earlier in 2023.[26][27] In response, club management initiated a meeting with Jankto, and it was decided that he would not participate in training sessions with the first team.[28]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ascoli (loan) | 2015–16 | Serie B | 34 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 5 |
| Udinese | 2016–17 | Serie A | 29 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 5 |
| 2017–18 | 36 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 39 | 6 | ||
| Total | 65 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 69 | 11 | ||
| Sampdoria (loan) | 2018–19 | Serie A | 25 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 28 | 1 |
| Sampdoria | 2019–20 | Serie A | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 2 |
| 2020–21 | 35 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 6 | ||
| 2021–22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 65 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 69 | 8 | ||
| Getafe | 2021–22 | La Liga | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Sparta Prague (loan) | 2022–23 | Czech First League | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Cagliari | 2023–24 | Serie A | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| Career total | 236 | 24 | 16 | 3 | 252 | 27 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 2017 | 10 | 1 |
| 2018 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 45 | 4 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 March 2017 | Městský stadion,Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic |  Lithuania | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 15 November 2018 | Stadion Energa Gdańsk,Gdańsk, Poland |  Poland | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 10 June 2019 | Andrův stadion,Olomouc, Czech Republic |  Montenegro | 1–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualification |
| 4 | 24 March 2021 | Arena Lublin,Lublin, Poland |  Estonia | 6–1 | 6–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Sparta Prague
