After beginning his club career withSlovan Bratislava in 2004, Hamšík moved to Italian clubBrescia later that year. In 2007, he was purchased by newly promoted Serie A clubNapoli, where he became a mainstay in the squad's starting line-up. His energy, leadership, creativity, skill and eye for goal from midfield saw him play a key role in helping the team to twoCoppa Italia titles and aSupercoppa Italiana. He scored 121 goals for the club and collected 521 appearances in all competitions during his twelve seasons with the team, and also served as the club's captain between 2014 and 2019; he became theclub's all-time top goalscorer in 2017 (taken over fromMaradona and surpassed byDries Mertens in 2020), and theclub's all-time appearance holder in 2018. In February 2019, Hamšík joined Chinese clubDalian Professional. He signed for Turkish sideTrabzonspor in 2021, winning aSüper Lig title, before announcing his retirement in 2023. He also formerly captained theSlovakia national team from 2007 until his retirement from the national team.
At international level, Hamšík helpedSlovakia qualify for the country' first everFIFA World Cup, captaining the side at the2010 tournament as they reached the round of 16 following a victory over defending championsItaly. He would go on to lead his nation toEuropean Championship qualification for the first time in2016, as they once again reached the second round of a major tournament; a second consecutive European Championship appearance would follow for Hamšík in2020. From 2007 to 2023, Hamšík collected 138 international caps at senior level, scoring 26 goals, and in 2018 becameSlovakia's most capped player ever. In 2019, he scored his 25th international goal, overtakingRóbert Vittek as the nation's all-time top scorer.
Despite the fact Hamšík grew up inBanská Bystrica, he never played for major local teamDukla Banská Bystrica. Instead, he began playing for a small youth team, Jupie Podlavice.[4] In 2002, he signed with top Slovak clubSlovan Bratislava. He played six times for the Slovan Bratislava first team and scored one goal.
In 2004, at age 17, Hamšík joined ItalianSerie A clubBrescia for a€500,000 transfer fee.[5] He made his Brescia debut in a 3–1 away defeat againstChievo on 20 March 2005, when he was 17 years and 237 days old.[5] Later that season, Brescia finished 19th inSerie A and was therefore relegated to theSerie B. In2005–06, he played 24 league matches for Brescia, with Brescia finishing tenth. He had an impressive2006–07 season, scoring 10 goals in 40 matches.
On 28 June 2007, newly promoted Serie A clubNapoli announced Hamšík had signed a five-year contract with the club after Napoli paid Brescia a €5.5 million transfer fee.[6] Napoli club chairmanAurelio De Laurentiis described Hamšík as a player who should be closely watched in the future.[7]
Hamšík played his first competitive match with Napoli on 15 August 2007, againstCesena in the first round of theCoppa Italia; Napoli won the match 4–0, as Hamšík set up the opening goal and scored the second himself.[8][9] He scored his first goal in Serie A on 16 September 2007 in the match againstSampdoria.[10]
His football icon is Czech midfielderPavel Nedvěd, to whom Hamšík has often been compared due to his playing style.[11] In 2007, he was voted the second-best Slovak footballer of the year, afterMartin Škrtel, and also he was voted the best young Slovak footballer (thePeter Dubovský Trophy).[12] Hamšík ended his first season with Napoli as the club's top scorer, with nine goals from 37 matches. At the start of the2008–09 season, Hamšík scored in both of Napoli's first two matches and went on to score a further nine goals in his second season with the club, finishing as Napoli's top scorer for the second-straight year.[13]
In 2009, he was again runner-up as best Slovak footballer of the year[14] and repeated his success as the best young Slovak footballer.[15]
On 19 September 2010, Hamšík scored Napoli's first goal as they came back from a goal down to defeat Sampdoria 2–1 inGenoa.[16] On 23 September, Hamšík signed a three-year contract extension set to last until June 2015.[17] Three days later, Hamšík scored his second goal of the new season with an 81st-minute penalty to earn Napoli a 4–1 comeback win away to newly promotedCesena.[18] On 30 January 2011, Hamšík scored a well taken effort as Napoli hammered Sampdoria 4–0.[19]
Hamšík playing in the Europa League againstUtrecht in 2010
The2010–11 season was very productive for Hamšík, as he helped lead Napoli to a very successful season and earn automatic qualification into theUEFA Champions League by finishing third inSerie A.[20] Hamšík played in 36 of Napoli's 38 Serie A matches that season, scoring 11 goals and contributing 6 assists.[21]
Hamšík scored the winning goal in Napoli's 2–0 home victory overVillarreal on 27 September, earning Napoli its first ever victory in the Champions League.[22] On 29 November, Napoli welcomed Serie A table leadersJuventus to theStadio San Paolo;[23] Hamšík missed a 15th-minute penalty before heading in a goal to give the hosts the lead seven minutes later.[24] The match was enthralling, however it ended in a 3–3 draw after Napoli conceded two late goals to preserve Juventus' unbeaten start to the season.[25]
Hamšík provided an assist forGökhan Inler's opening goal against Villarreal on 7 December and then scored the decisive goal, helping Napoli to a 2–0 victory in Spain.[26] The win secured qualification to the round of 16 in a very difficult group, which includedBayern Munich andManchester City.[27] Hamšík helped Napoli finish the first half of the 2011–12 campaign on a high, scoring a superb goal in Napoli's 6–1 hammering ofGenoa on 21 December.[28] Hamšík also provided assists for strikes byGoran Pandev andWalter Gargano in the match.[29] Through the first half of the 2011–12 campaign, Hamšík had appeared in 16Serie A matches, contributing five goals and five assists. In Napoli's European campaign, Hamšík appeared in all six group stage matches and contributed two goals and one assist.[30]
Following the winter break, Hamšík provided an assist forEdinson Cavani's goal and scored Napoli's third goal in its 3–1 defeat ofPalermo on 8 January 2012.[31] On 13 February 2012, he made his 200th appearance for Napoli in a 2–0 home win overChievo.[32]
On 9 March, Hamšík signed a one-year contract extension with Napoli, keeping him at the club until June 2016.[33] The announcement was made following Hamšík scoring an incredible angled shot againstCagliari earlier that day, as Napoli ran out 6–3 winners.[34] Hamšík's final goal of the season came in a 2–0 victory over Palermo on 1 May, as he doubled Napoli's lead in the 35th minute following a penalty from Edinson Cavani.[35] Napoli finished the season in fifth place in Serie A, with Hamšík contributing nine league goals and nine assists.[36]
Hamšík was also very influential as Napoli reached theCoppa Italia final againstScudetto winners Juventus on 20 May.[37] After being slipped in by Goran Pandev, Hamšík was one-on-one with Juve goalkeeperMarco Storari and made no mistake as he touched it past the onrushing Storari, securing a 2–0 win which deliveredThe Partenopei its first trophy in over 20 years.[38]
Hamšík started in the2012 Supercoppa Italiana, held in Beijing, on 11 August; however, Napoli were defeated by Juventus 4–2 in extra time.[39] Later that month, in Napoli's first league fixture of the2012–13 Serie A season, Hamšík scored the club's first goal and assistedChristian Maggio's strike in an eventual 3–0 defeat of Palermo.[40] Missing leading goal-scorer Edinson Cavani for the club's match against Chievo on 28 October 2012, Hamšík connected on aJuan Camilo Zúñiga cross to give Napoli a 1–0 victory.[41] On 6 January 2013, he made his 200th Serie A appearance in a 4–1 home win overRoma.[42][43] On the penultimate matchday of the Serie A season, Hamšík collected a pass from Goran Pandev and nudged the ball home in the 93rd minute, rescuing a 2–1 win overSiena, confirming the club's place in the group stages of theChampions League while condemning Siena to relegation.[44] The Slovak featured in every Serie A match for Napoli during the 2012–13 season, providing 11 goals and 14 assists as thePartenopei finished second behind reigning champions Juventus, a season which proved to be managerWalter Mazzarri's last at the club, as he became coach ofInternazionale later that summer.[45]
On 10 August 2013, Hamšík signed a contract extension with Napoli, tying him to the club until the summer of 2018.[46] In the first match of the2013–14 Serie A season on 26 August 2013, Hamšík scored Napoli's second and third goals in the club's 3–0 home defeat ofBologna.[47] Hamšík continued his scoring form in Napoli's following match, netting another brace in their 4–2 away victory over Chievo on 31 August.[48]
FollowingPaolo Cannavaro's departure toSassuolo in the 2014 January transfer window, Hamšík was named Napoli's newcaptain.[49] On 27 April 2014, he made his 300th appearance for Napoli in a 0–0 draw against Internazionale.[50] On 3 May 2014, Hamšík played 63 minutes in Napoli's 3–1 win overFiorentina in the2014 Coppa Italia Final.[51]
On 27 August 2014, Hamšík scored the opening goal, his first of the2014–15 season, in the second leg of Napoli'sChampions League play-off againstAthletic Bilbao, as Bilbao came from behind to win the match 3–1 at home and eliminate Napoli from the competition.[52] On 20 October, Hamšík scored the opening goal in a 2–0 away win over his former club Slovan Bratislava in Napoli's second group match of that season'sUEFA Europa League,[53] making his 40th appearance for the club inUEFA club competitions in the process and overtakingAntonio Juliano as the club's record appearance holder in European club competitions.[54]
On 22 December, Hamšík lifted the2014 Supercoppa Italiana as Napoli's captain, defeating Juventus 6–5 on penalties after a 2–2 draw following extra time.[55] On 22 January 2015, he scored his firstCoppa Italia goal of the season in the round of 16 againstUdinese, as Napoli went on to win the match on penalties.[56] On 3 May, he scored his 90th goal for Napoli in a 3–0 victory overMilan in Serie A.[57]
Under new Napoli managerMaurizio Sarri, Hamšík returned to playing as acentral midfielder on the left in Napoli's three-man midfield for the2015–16 season, which he described as being his preferred role.[58] On 23 August 2015, Hamšík scored the opening goal in a 2–1 away defeat to Sassuolo on the opening match of theSerie A season.[59] On 17 September, he scored in a 5–0 win overClub Brugge in thegroup stage of theEuropa League.[60] He made his 300th Serie A appearance on 6 January 2016, scoring in a 2–1 home win overTorino.[61] In the following league match, on 10 January, he made his 300th Serie A appearance for Napoli in a 5–1 away win overFrosinone, as Napoli finished the first half of the season as unofficial "winter champions". He marked the occasion by scoring a goal, his 80th in Serie A, all of which were scored with Napoli.[62]
On 6 August 2016, Napoli announced Hamšík had signed a new four-year deal, keeping him at the club until 2020.[63] On 24 September, he scored his 100th goal for the club in a 2–0 home win over Chievo in Serie A.[64]
On 16 December 2017, Hamšík scored his 115th goal for Napoli in a 3–1 away victory over Torino, equallingDiego Maradona as the club's all-time top scorer.[65] He surpassed Maradona's record one week later, becoming Napoli's outright all-time top goalscorer with his 116th goal for the club, which came in a 3–2 victory against Sampdoria inNaples.[66][67] On 6 May 2018, he scored his 100th goal in Serie A (all of which came with Napoli) in a 2–2 home draw against Torino after coming off the bench.[68]
On 23 September 2018, Hamšík made his 400th appearance in Serie A in a 3–1 away win over Torino.[69] On 28 October, he made his 511th appearance for Napoli in a 1–1 home draw against Roma, equalingGiuseppe Bruscolotti as theclub's record all-time appearance holder.[70] On 6 November, he overtook Bruscolotti with his 512th appearance in all competitions for Napoli in a 1–1 home draw againstParis Saint-Germain in theChampions League.[71]
On 14 February 2019, he agreed a contract with Chinese clubDalian Professional (then Dalian Yifang) for a reported fee of €13 million, bringing to an end an eleven-and-a-half year spell with Napoli.[72][73] On 3 March, in the opening match of the2019 Chinese Super League season, Hamšík made his club debut in a 1–1 away draw againstHenan Jianye.[74] In 2020, it was reported he earned a weekly wage of about€200,000. Earlier reports suggested an annual salary of about €9m.[75][76]
On 8 March 2021, he signed as a free agent with Swedish clubIFK Göteborg. After breaking the contract with his then clubDalian Professional, he sought his way back to Europe to get playtime beforeUEFA Euro 2020. He then turned toAllsvenskan, where the transfer window still was open, and signed for Göteborg until 30 August 2021.[77] He made his debut for Göteborg on 19 April in a league game againstAIK, replacingSimon Thern in the 73rd minute of a 2–0 win.[78] He scored his first and only goal for the club on 17 May in a 2–2 draw withIK Sirius from a spectacular half-volley shot, which also won goal of the season in Allsvenskan.[79]
On 8 June 2021, it was announced he will join Turkish clubTrabzonspor on a two-year contract, effective from 1 July.[80] Hamšík scored on hisSüper Lig debut for the club, a 5–1 win overYeni Malatyaspor on 16 August.[81]
On 1 June 2023, Hamšík announced that he would retire from football at the end of the season.[82] He bade farewell to his club fans in the 37th round of the Turkish league.[83]
Hamšík represented Slovakia at junior level, playing in theUEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifiers[84] and theUEFA European Under-19 Championship.[85] He played also for theSlovakia national U21 team. Hamšík was a regular member of theSlovakia national team. He made his debut on 7 February 2007[86] in a friendly againstPoland, which ended in a 2–2 draw.[87] He played his second match againstGermany in theUEFA Euro 2008 qualification, which Slovakia lost 2–1.[88] He became the key member of the attack for the national team, usually playing as a left or central attacking midfielder. Hamšík captained his country in its firstFIFA World Cup experiencein South Africa in 2010, where the nation made it to the first knockout stage after defeating then-world championsItaly 3–2. Slovakia was defeated by laterfinalistsNetherlands in the round of 16.[89][90] Hamšík also played a key role in helping his nationqualify forEuro 2016 for the first time in the nation's history, finishing as Slovakia's top scorer, leading the team to a second place in its qualifying group behind defending championsSpain.[91][92][93] At the final tournament, Slovakia suffered a closely contested 2–1 defeat toWales in its opening match of the competition on 11 June. Hamšík came close to opening the scoring in the third minute of play after dribbling past several Welsh defenders, but his strike was denied byBen Davies' goal-line clearance.[93] In Slovakia's second group B match of the tournament, againstRussia on 15 June 2016, Hamšík had set up a goal forVladimír Weiss and later scored another himself in a 2–1 win, his nation's first in the competition.[94][95] Following a goal-less draw againstEngland on 20 June, Slovakia advanced to the second round as the best third-placed team of the tournament. However, Slovakia was eliminated in the round of 16, on 26 June, after a 3–0 defeat toreigning world champions Germany.[96] On 5 October 2017, Hamšík made his 100th appearance for the Slovak national team in a 0–1 loss toScotland in a2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match.[97] On 13 October 2018, Hamšík made his 108th international appearance in a 2–1 home defeat toCzech Republic in theUEFA Nations League; with this cap, he overtookMiroslav Karhan to becomeSlovakia's most capped player ever. He marked the occasion with a goal, his 22nd for his country, putting him equal withSzilárd Németh as his nation's second-highest goalscorer of all time, only behindRóbert Vittek with 23 goals.[98] In March 2019, after a surprise retirement ofMartin Škrtel at the end of February,[99] Hamšík regained the position of the captain of the national team,[100] despite captaining the team some 20-times since 2010, most notably during the 2010 World Cup. In the intermediate period, Hamšík served as the vice-captain to Škrtel.
In May 2022, Hamšík announced his international retirement, capping a total of 135 matches and scoring 26 goals in them. He stated that his retirement is caused by increasing number of injuries he went through in preceding months and to spend more time with his family. Nonetheless, he stated he would wish to play in a final retirement match at home during the autumn of the year.[101][102]
Hamšík was afforded this recognition on 20 November 2022 atTehelné pole during aninternational friendly versusChile.[103] Earlier in the month, on 17 November, the national team also featured in another friendly atPodgorica City Stadium versusMontenegro. While Hamšík was a part of the squad for both fixtures, he did not appear in Podgorica, remaining out of the match nomination.[104] The match against Montenegro concluded with a 2–2 tie.[105]
For his retirement match versusChile, on 17 November, Hamšík expressed that he hoped to fill up theTehelné pole stadium. Prior to the match, he was praised byFrancesco Calzona as being a "silent leader", recalling their period of cooperation inNapoli.[106] Hamšík had provided admission and transportation for the majority of youth players from hisRSC Hamsik Academy. The caravan of 7 coaches and dozens of cars from Hamšík's nativeBanská Bystrica toBratislava numbered over 500 people.[107][108]
During the match, Hamšík captained the team. Although it was expected that he was going to be subbed off earlier during the second half, Hamšík remained on the pitch for almost the entirety of the match only being replaced in the 89th minute of the match byMartin Regáli.[109] Hamšík was exited by astanding ovation of almost 20 thousand spectators of an essentially sold out stadium. During the substitution he was reduced to tears reducing Calzona to tears in turn.[110] In play, Hamšík continued to be a key player of Slovakia completing about 90 passes, with almost 90% accuracy with the media noting his cooperation withLászló Bénes.[111] Repeatedly, fans have chanted his name and he was walked off through the walk of fame by his team-mates after the match. The match was also filled with numerous banner commemorations, social media interactions and 17th minute standing ovation as well as farewell messages from his relatives and previous national team managers includingJán Kocian,Ján Kozák andVladimír Weiss.[112]
During the post-match press conferences and media appearances, Hamšík did not rule out the option to re-join the national team in a managerial or coaching positions in the future.[113]
In June 2023, Hamšík was recalled as an emergency call-up to the national side for theirUEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches due to numerous injuries in the midfield.[114] He would start in both wins againstIceland andLiechtenstein, bringing his total number of caps for the national team to 138. Following his final retirement from both international and club football, Hamšík joined the Slovakia national team asteam manager.
Hamšík has been described as "quick, energetic, hard-working, and tactically versatile midfielder, who was capable of playing in severaloffensive positions on either side of the pitch, or even through the centre". Throughout his career, he was deployed as acentral midfielder, as anattacking midfielder, as amezzala, as awinger, or even as asupporting striker orinside forward on occasion. Although naturally right footed, he was capable of striking the ball well with either foot, and was known for his ability to both score and create goals, often dropping deep to participate in the build-up of his team's plays, courtesy of his vision, passing, andcrossing ability. A talented, elegant, and technically giftedadvanced playmaker, in addition to his footballing skills, he was also known for his leadership and stamina, as well as his play, movement, creativity, and intelligence off the ball, in particular his ability to find spaces and make attacking runs to get into good positions in the opposition's half, and his tireless running.[116][117][118][119][120][121][122][123][124] He was also capable of playing as adeep-lying playmaker or in abox-to-box role, due to his passing and tactical intelligence, and was an effectivefree kick andpenalty taker,[125][126] although his record from the penalty spot was inconsistent at times throughout his career.[127]Francesco Calzona, who crossed paths with Hamšík on club and international level, described him as an elegant and silent leader.[128]
Having joined the managerial team ofFrancesco Calzona with the Slovak national team as a team manager in the summer of 2023, when Calzona was signed asSSC Napoli manager in February 2024, Hamšík was offered a post in the coaching staff of the southern-Italian club. Hamšík refused the further undisclosed offer in order to concentrate on national team, private footballingacademy and family commitments.[129]
As early as 2013, Hamšík invested in FK Jupie Banská Bystrica - Podlavice, his youth club, renaming the club to Jupie Futbalová škola Mareka Hamšíka. In May 2022, while announcing his international retirement, Hamšík also announced the fusion of Jupie FŠMH andFK Rakytovce to formRakytovce Sporting Club Hamsik Academy Banska Bystrica, with Rakytovce providing a3. Liga senior side and Jupie FŠMH providing youth teams.[102][130]
Even during Hamšík's career inNapoli, Hamšík, in cooperation with his father Richard, began to develop his brand of wine assortments under the name Hamšík Winery.[131] In 2021, Hamšík Winery broadened their business ventures into the beer industry, cooperating with Urpiner brewery from Hamšík's nativeBanská Bystrica.[132]
Ahead of the2010 FIFA World Cup, then 22-year-old Hamšík was featured in popularSlovak T-com ads featuring a South African child-fan name 'Dédé', played by Sithembele Jinghosa. The gimmick ad series was continued ahead ofChristmas in 2010.[133][134]
In 2015, Hamšík represented Slovakia and co-starred in events at the country's pavilion atExpo 2015 inMilan along with Slovak PresidentAndrej Kiska.[135]
Hamšík is the son of Richard Hamšík and Renáta Hamšíková.[136] In July 2014, Hamšík married Martina (née Fraňová).[137] The couple have three children—two sons named Christian (born 2010) and Lucas (born 2012), and a daughter named Melissa (born 2017).[138] His sister Michaela is married to Uruguayan footballerWalter Gargano, Hamšík's former teammate at Napoli,[139] who has made him an avid fan of the Uruguayan clubAtletico Peñarol, having been seen at matches before.[140] His grandfather Ivan Hamšík ran unsuccessfully as a candidate in2023 Slovak parliamentary election.[141][142]
^Valerio Minutiello (10 January 2016)."Serie A, Frosinone-Napoli 1–5: festa azzurra al Matusa" [Serie A, Frosinone-Napoli, 1–5: light blue celebrations at the Matusa [Stadium]] (in Italian). Il Corriere dello Sport.Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved11 January 2016.
^"Välkommen till IFK Göteborg, Marek" [Welcome to IFK Gothenburg, Marek].IFK Göteborg – Official Website (in Swedish). 8 March 2021.Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved8 March 2021.
^"Marek Hamsik" (in Italian). SSC Napoli. Archived fromthe original on 5 November 2016. Retrieved5 November 2015.
^Malfitano Mimmo (9 April 2010)."Cocktail Hamsik Talento, gol e disciplina" [Hamsik Cocktail Talent, goals and discipline] (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport.Archived from the original on 28 April 2016. Retrieved5 November 2015.
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