Adam Nemec


Adam Nemec is a Slovak professional footballer who played as a forward for Nea Salamina and the Slovakia national team. In his career, he has played in 7 different countries but mostly for teams in Germany. During 13 years international career, he won 43 caps and scoring 13 goals.

Personal life

His father, named Milan Nemec, was also footballer who represented Czechoslovakia.

Club career

Žilina

When playing for MSK Žilina from 2004 to 2007, the team became Slovakian champion in 2007.

Erzgebirge Aue

In August 2007, he signed a loan deal with the 2. Bundesliga side Erzgebirge Aue where he scored ten goals and provided seven assists in 29 games.

Genk

On 11 June 2008, Nemec signed a four-year deal with Belgian club KRC Genk. He remained at the club for only one season however, in which he scored four goals in 21 matches.

Kaiserslautern

In July 2009, he was involved in talks over a move to Scottish Premier League club Heart of Midlothian which ultimately failed. On 28 July 2009, however, Nemec signed a three-year contract for 1. FC Kaiserslautern, returning to Germany's second division.
Reportedly falling from a cherry tree in his garden in June 2011, Nemec suffered injuries including broken ribs, a broken collarbone that required surgery, and a concussion which kept him out of football for about three months. He returned to training in early September. He left the club during the mid-season break in January 2012, after having appeared in 61 league matches and scoring nine goals in his two and a half seasons.

Ingolstadt 04

On 27 January 2012, Nemec joined FC Ingolstadt until the end of the season. He made his competitive debut for the club on 4 February 2012 in a 1-1 draw in the league with Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Union Berlin

On 24 July 2012, he signed a two-year contract with Union Berlin in the German second division until June 2014. In December 2013, his contract was extended for another two years until 2016 including a mutual extension clause for another year. Only five months later though, in April 2014, he was allowed to leave the club effective the end of the 2013–14 season, however he stayed with Union.
After playing in just five games through the first half of the season, he was released. Union manager Norbert Düwel said: "It is a pity that cooperation has not worked as both sides had imagined. Under these circumstances, it is better to part ways."

New York City

On 25 January 2015, he signed with Major League Soccer club New York City FC. Originally a starter, he lost his starting lineup position due to his poor play. In his nine games playing for the team, he was disappointing and didn't make an impact. In 594 minutes he did not score a goal and did not have an assist.
On 31 August 2015, New York City FC and Nemec agreed to a mutual termination of his contract.

Willem II

On 31 August 2015, fifteen minutes before the closing of the transfer window, Nemec signed a one-year deal with Dutch Eredivisie side Willem II.

Dinamo București

On 6 September 2016, Nemec signed a two-year deal with Romanian side Dinamo București.
In his first season with the club, on 20 May 2017 Nemec scored two goals in the final match of 2016–17 Cupa Ligii. Dinamo defeated ACS Poli Timișoara 2–0 and won this trophy for the first time in history. At the same time, it was the only trophy Nemec won in Romania.
On 10 May 2018, Dinamo's coach Florin Bratu confirmed, that after expiration of his contract with Dinamo, Nemec wants to leave the club. At the national team meeting, on 29 May, Nemec confirmed that his intention to depart and added, that his subsequent contract will be his last professional one, adding that he seeks a financially attractive deal or else he prefers a return home.

Pafos

On 27 August 2018, he joined Pafos of the Cypriot First Division on a one-year contract, with an option for an additional year. He scored 16 goals in the league, winning the golden boot as well.

International career

Nemec debuted with the senior team on 9 February 2011, but he scored his first goal in a game against Malta over three years later, under Ján Kozák, who used him in seven of 10 games in a Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, towards which Nemec contributed with three goals. In 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, Nemec was crowned Slovakia's top scorer, as he scored 5 of Slovakia's 17 goals in the campaign. Slovakia finished second in Group F, but did not qualify for the play-off round.
On 22 February 2019, Nemec announced his retirement from international football at the age of 33, along with two national team defenders Tomáš Hubočan and Martin Škrtel. However, the trio shared a farewell game on 13 October 2019 in a friendly against Paraguay, which coincided with a national team return to Tehelné pole, after 10 years. Nemec played in the starting XI and was substituted by Róbert Boženík after some 30 minutes. Slovakia tied the game 1-1. With Nemec being seen as a sharp-shooter of the past five years, it was seen as a symbolic moment, since Boženík was at the time expected to replace the role of Nemec as national team's center forward and goalscorer. In the match Boženík had fulfilled his duty, scoring a surprising opening goal after 60 minutes, utilising a pass from László Bénes. Nemec had commended the 19 year-old in a post-match interview.
At the time of his international retirement, he remained one of only 9 players, who scored more than 10 goals for Slovakia. He tied Stanislav Šesták as Slovakia's fifth top scorer with 13 goals and had topped Slovak legends, such as Peter Dubovský or Ľubomír Moravčík. He also tied Harry Kane as the top goalscorer of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group F, with 5 goals.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
14 September 2014Štadión pod Dubňom, Žilina, Slovakia111–01–0Friendly
215 November 2014Philip II Arena, Skopje, Macedonia142–02–0UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
327 March 2015Štadión pod Dubňom, Žilina, Slovakia151–03–0UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
412 October 2015Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg182–04–2UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
527 May 2016ASKÖ Stadion, Wels, Austria211–03–1Friendly
627 May 2016ASKÖ Stadion, Wels, Austria212–03–1Friendly
711 October 2016Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava, Slovakia253–03–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
811 November 2016Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava, Slovakia261–04–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
927 March 2017Ta'Qali National Stadium, Ta'Qali, Malta283–13–12018 FIFA World Cup qualification
108 October 2017Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava, Slovakia321–03–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
118 October 2017Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava, Slovakia322–03–02018 FIFA World Cup qualification
1231 May 2018Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava, Slovakia361–01–1Friendly
135 September 2018Štadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava, Slovakia381–03–0Friendly

Honours

Club

Žilina
Genk
Kaiserslautern
Dinamo București