Marek Ujlaky (born 26 March 1974) is a Slovak former footballer who played as a midfielder and spent most of his career with Spartak Trnava. He is the second all-time top goal scorer in the clubâÂÂs history.
Born in ZeleneÃÂ, Czechoslovakia, Ujlaky began his senior career with Spartak Trnava in 1991 after being promoted from the academy. After his loan spell with Czech side 1. FK Drnovice in 2000, he returned to Spartak Trnava. Later in his career, he had short spells with Slovan Bratislava in 2001, FC Senec in 2007, Zlaté Moravce in 2007âÂÂ2009, and lower-division clubs including UFC Tadten and FC Horses à  Ãºrovce until his professional retirement in 2012.
On the international stage, Ujlaky debuted for the Slovakia national team in 1992 and went on to earn 40 FIFA caps (plus 3 non-FIFA), scoring 2 goals, including one in a 4âÂÂ1 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying win over Poland in 1995 and another in a 4âÂÂ0 friendly against Belarus in 1996. His international career, which spanned from 1992 to 2001, included participation in several World Cup and European Championship qualifiers, though Slovakia did not qualify for major tournaments during his tenure.
Ujlaky made his first league debut when he was just 17 years old, making an appearance in a Czechoslovak First League match in the autumn of 1991, were Trnava would lose 2âÂÂ1 at home against Dynamo ÃÂeské BudÃÂjovice. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3âÂÂ1 home loss to Tatran Presov in the spring of 1992. In 1991/92 season, Ujlaky was Spartak's top scorer with 4 goals in his debut season. He was most prolific in the 1995/96 season, when he netted 11 league goals across the season. In that season, Ujlaky scored 4 goals in a 5âÂÂ2 home win against Tatran Presov, ending TatranâÂÂs invincibility hopes. He played in the 1996 Slovak Cup final, were Spartak would lose 2âÂÂ1 against Chemlon Humenné. In European competitions, Ujlaky appeared in 10 matches across the UEFA Cup and Intertoto Cup, where he scored 5 goals, including a brace against PAOK Thessaloniki and two against Vllaznia Shkodër. Following good performances in Europe, there would be reported interest from PAOK and Olympiakos Piraeus to sign him, however he would be convinced by the owners to stay at Trnava. Later that season, Ujlaky would feature in a 4âÂÂ0 league win against rivals Slovan Bratislava.
In 2000, Ujlaky joined Czech club 1. FK Drnovice for a reported fee of ⬠250,000. He helped the team get its first three points in the league, scoring from a direct free kick in the 90th minute to beat Bohemians Praha 2âÂÂ1. Ujlaky was then loaned out back to Trnava, where in the Spring part of the season, he would be the 10th top goal scorer in the league, netting 9 goals in 16 appearances. In January 2001, Ujlaky trialed at Swiss club FC Lugano.
Following the relegation of Spartak Trnava at the end of the 2000âÂÂ01 season, Ujlaky joined rivals à  K Slovan Bratislava in July 2001, signing a 2 and a half year contract. In the first half of the 2001âÂÂ02 season, he played in 16 matches and scored 2 goals for Slovan, who finished 6th in the League. Ujlaky later described the transfer as a "football adventure" in light of several offers that arose following Trnava's relegation. However, he noted that the fans did not hold this against him when he returned.
In 2002, after his unsuccessful spell with Slovan, Ujlaky rejoined FC Spartak Trnava. He scored the second goal of a 4âÂÂ0 away win against Slovan Bratislava. He would help the club get promoted the following season. In April 2006, Ujlaky was injured in a match against FC Nitra after a tackle from Peter DobiÃ¡à ¡. The incident, which occurred in the 78th minute, required immediate surgery, which sidelined him for the remainder of the 2005âÂÂ06 season, with full recovery not being expected until August or September 2006 after months of rehabilitation.
Following his recovery, Ujlaky joined FC Senec ahead of the 2007âÂÂ08 season. After a few months at Senec, it was rumored that he would be returning to Trnava again. He then transferred to ViOn Zlaté Moravce in 2008. In 2009, Ujlaky briefly played abroad with Austrian club UFC Tadten, making 15 appearances and scoring 3 goals in regional leagues. Later that year, he returned to Slovakia to join FC Horses à  Ãºrovce in the lower divisions, where he continued playing until retiring in 2012.
After retiring from professional football, Ujlaky played with amateur side à  K Slávia Zeleneàin the Slovak 6th league. He scored ten goals in the fall part of the season, helping Zelenàhave the second best offense in the competition. He finished his active career in 2019 with a farewell match, where he left the pitch on a bicycle gifted by Slávia ZeleneÃÂ. Prior to his full retirement, Ujlaky briefly pursued coaching roles, serving as an assistant to the youth team categories of his former club Spartak Trnava between 2012 to 2013. In 2012, he became the manager of the newly re-established club Oà  K à  urovnce.
Ujlaky made his debut for the Slovak national team on February 22, 1995, in a 5âÂÂ0 friendly defeat to Brazil. Ujlaky scored his first international goal for Slovakia on 11 October 1995, in a UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying match against Poland at the Tehelné pole in Bratislava. Coming on as a substitute, he scored the third goal in the 78th minute, helping Slovakia win 4âÂÂ1.
During his career, he played in the qualifiers for Euro 96, the 1998 World Cup, and Euro 2000. From 1995 to 2001, he played 40 matches for the national team, scoring two goals.
Ujlaky has a son, also named Marek, who is also a footballer. He currently plays for Spartak Trnava, graduating from the clubâÂÂs academy and debuting in 2021.