Péter Kovács (footballer)

Péter Kovács (born 7 February 1978 in Salgótarján) is a former Hungarian footballer. He previously played for Újpest and Vác in Hungary, Lahti and Haka in Finland, and Tromsø, Viking, Strømsgodset, Odd Grenland, Sarpsborg 08, Sandefjord and Arendal in Norway, and Lierse in Belgium.

Péter Kovács

Personal information
Date of birth	7 February 1978
Place of birth	Salgótarján, Hungary
Height	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
0000–1995	Salgótarjáni
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1995–1997	Újpest	4	(0)
1997–1998	Vác	17	(3)
1998–1999	Lahti	28	(10)
1999–2002	Haka	64	(21)
2002–2004	Tromsø	46	(24)
2004–2006	Viking	29	(8)
2006–2008	Strømsgodset	41	(17)
2008–2010	Odd	80	(45)
2010–2011	Lierse	36	(5)
2012–2015	Strømsgodset	87	(32)
2015	Sarpsborg 08	10	(1)
2016–2017	Sandefjord	28	(8)
2017	Arendal	9	(1)
2018–2019	Stoppen	8	(5)
2019	Re	9	(5)
Total		496	(185)
National team
2004–2005	Hungary	10	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

When playing for FC Haka he scored a goal against Liverpool in the 2001–02 Champions League qualifyings. Kovács gained notoriety in August 2009, when in the quarter-finals of the Norwegian Cup, he scored a goal against SK Brann after Brann's keeper fell to the ground with an injured knee while trying to clear the ball upfield following a home pass.[1] He also came one goal short of being joint top scorer in the 2009 Norwegian premier league, finishing behind Rade Prica.

He became the top scorer in the 2012 Norwegian premier league, and won the league with Strømsgodset in 2013, during his second spell at the club. On 21 July 2015, he signed a five-month deal with for Sarpsborg 08 on a free transfer.[2] On 10 November 2015, he signed a one-year deal with newly relegated Sandefjord in the Norwegian First Division.[3]

Personal life

On the personal side, Kovács has a relationship with Norwegian female footballer, Melissa Wiik.[4]

He speaks Hungarian, English and Norwegian fluently.

Career statistics

As of 26 November 2017[5]

Club	Season	Division	League		Cup		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Újpest FC	1995–96	?	1	0	?	?	1	0
	1996–97	?	3	0	?	?	3	0
	Total		4	0	?	?	4	0
Vác FC	1997–98	Nemzeti Bajnokság II	17	3	?	?	17	3
FC Lahti	1999	Veikkausliiga	28	10	?	?	28	10
FC Haka	2000	Veikkausliiga	26	8	?	?	26	8
	2001		29	7	?	?	29	7
	2002		9	6	?	?	9	6
	Total		64	21	?	?	64	21
Tromsø	2002	Adeccoligaen	14	14	2	0	16	14
	2003	Tippeligaen	24	8	4	5	28	13
	2004		8	2	4	3	12	5
	Total		46	24	10	8	56	32
Viking	2004	Tippeligaen	9	3	0	0	9	3
	2005		9	3	1	0	10	3
	2006		11	2	0	0	11	2
	Total		29	8	1	0	30	8
Strømsgodset	2006	Adeccoligaen	18	12	0	0	18	12
	2007	Tippeligaen	23	5	4	5	27	10
	Total		41	17	4	5	45	22
Odd Grenland	2008	Adeccoligaen	29	23	3	6	32	29
	2009	Tippeligaen	29	16	5	5	34	21
	2010		22	6	4	6	26	12
	Total		80	45	12	17	92	62
Lierse	2010–11	Belgian Pro League	22	4	0	0	22	4
	2011–12		14	1	0	0	14	1
	Total		36	5	0	0	36	5
Strømsgodset	2012	Tippeligaen	28	14	5	8	33	22
	2013		25	6	2	2	27	8
	2014		24	10	3	5	27	15
	2015		10	2	3	2	13	4
	Total		87	32	13	17	100	49
Sarpsborg 08	2015	Tippeligaen	10	1	2	0	12	1
	Total		10	1	2	0	12	1
Sandefjord	2016	OBOS-ligaen	26	8	5	2	31	10
	2017	Eliteserien	2	0	1	0	3	0
	Total		28	8	6	2	34	10
Arendal	2017	OBOS-ligaen	9	1	0	0	9	1
	Total		9	1	0	0	9	1
Career Total			478	174	48	49	526	223

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	17 November 2004	Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta	Malta	0–2	0–2	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

FC Haka

• Finnish Championship: 2000
• Finnish Cup: 2002

Strømsgodset Toppfotball

• Norwegian Championship: 2013

Individual

• Norwegian Premier League Top Goalscorer: 2012
• Norwegian First Division Top Goalscorer: 2008

References

1. Scoring on an Injured Keeper: Péter Kovács Won’t Make the FIFA Fair Play Award Shortlist Archived 12 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
2. "Kovacs forlater Godset" (in Norwegian). Strømsgodset Toppfotball. 21 July 2015. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
3. "Kovacs klar for SF!" (in Norwegian). Sandefjord Fotball. 10 November 2015. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
4. Dale, Richard Sveaas (23 April 2008). "Mål-Wiik har fått måltips". Budstikka (in Norwegian).
5. "Soccerway profile". https://int.soccerway.com/. Retrieved 8 August 2014. External link in |website= (help)

External links

• Péter Kovács at Soccerway
• Péter Kovács at National-Football-Teams.com
• Péter Kovács at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)