Like his father and grandfather before him, Tottenham’s Martin Dubravka decided to be a goalkeeper, and he’s gone on to be a very good one. But it could have been so different.
A freak machete injury derailed Dúbravka’s ice hockey dreams. Without that, he’s acknowledged he may never have got into football. But considering he’s the third generation of his family to do so, perhaps it was destiny to end up between the sticks.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Slovakian shot stopper, from the highs and lows of his playing career, the position he actually likes to play in, and the role of his grandmother in shaping his career.
Martin Dubravka: Going back to go forwards
Martin Dúbravka came through the ranks at his hometown club, MŠK Žilina.
Entering into the first-team set-up, he had to deal with being second choice until until Dušan Perniš left for Dundee United in January 2010.
From here, Dúbravka played 26 games. Žilina won the league. That meant qualification for the Champions League play-offs. They came up against Sparta Prague and won 3-0 on aggregate.
A group with Chelsea, Marseille and Spartak Moscow, though, proved too much. They lost every game. They scored just three goals.
Further league titles followed until, in 2014, it was time for something new.
Dúbravka headed to Esbjerg in the Danish Superliga. But it was a move that didn’t quite go to plan. Rather than serving as a springboard, Dúbravka found himself going backwards to move forwards.
Heading to the Czech Republic with Slovan Liberec after two years, Dúbravka spent a season there before swiftly moving onto Sparta Prague.
His time at the most successful club in the country proved to be incredibly short-lived, however. After just seven months, Newcastle United of the Premier League put an offer on the table. They eventually secured a loan deal late in the January window.
All of a sudden, Dúbravka had made it to the Premier League.
Dubravka answered the call of Rafa Benitez
The move came about owed to Rafa Benitez wanting a goalkeeper to help build attacks, not just kick it long. Dúbravka had built a reputation by now as an excellent sweeper keeper. As well as fine shot-stopping ability, he had the footwork and technical ability to match.
That is why Benitez decided to throw him into the deep end versus Manchester United, after keeping him on the bench for his first game versus Crystal Palace.
Benitez had been frustrated in failed moves for Willy Caballero, Alphonse Areola and Pepe Reina. Dúbravka was next off the rank. He repaid that faith with an excellent performance, making a string of saves, while showcasing what he was capable of with the ball at his feet.
The Toon won 1-0. And from there, it was lift-off.
He was an ever-present in the Premier League for the next seasons. An ankle injury disrupted things through 2020-21, but he returned from February onwards. Come 2022-23, however, things changed.
Newcastle signed Nick Pope from Burnley. He became first choice. Dúbravka went on loan to Manchester United. He made two appearances, both in the EFL Cup, before being recalled in January.
Over the next two seasons, Dúbravka played 33 times in the Premier League. Through the 2024-25 season, he played a huge part in Newcastle reaching – and winning – the final versus Liverpool.
It proved a perfect way to sign off, with the curtain coming down on his Newcastle career that summer. He had nearly 200 games to his name. And next up was a completely new challenge in the shape of Burnley.
Starting 35 of their 38 matches, it proved a thankless task. Burnley were relegated with just four wins. Dúbravka was released in the summer, before signing a contract with Tottenham.
Why did Tottenham sign Martin Dubravka and who is he?
Experience and leadership are the buzzwords when it comes to Tottenham signing Martin Dúbravka.
Both Tottenham Sporting Director, Johan Lange, and Head Coach, Roberto De Zerbi, highlighted these qualities.
Lange said, “He is a goalkeeper of proven quality at the highest level, and his character and professionalism will strengthen the squad. Martin brings experience, leadership and consistency…”
De Zerbi, meanwhile, spoke of the “important qualities” Dúbravka has, describing him as a goalkeeper with “big experience and a strong mentality”.
He will bring “balance, leadership and competitiveness to the Tottenham dressing room,” the Italian added.
Even Martin Dubravka himself acknowledged he’d be bringing his experience and professionalism to the table. “I’ll try to help the others to get better, but I will push myself as well because that’s me.”
A look at Martin Dubravka’s international career
After a handful of caps at the U19 and U21 levels, Dúbravka made his senior international debut in 2014.
He established himself as first choice goalkeeper during the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, making the most of an injury to Matúš Kozáčik. They ultimately didn’t qualify.
Slovakia did qualify for Euro 2020, where Dúbravka played in all three group games: winning against Poland, but losing to Spain and Sweden.
He was first choice once more for Euro 2024: keeping a clean sheet versus Belgium in a 1-0 win, before losing to Ukraine. A 1-1 draw with Romania was enough for them to progress was one of the best third-placed teams.
That set up a round of 16 meeting with England.
They took the lead on 25 minutes and were seconds away from going through. Then came Jude Bellingham to equalise and break Slovakian hearts. Early in extra-time, Harry Kane found the net in a 2-1 win.
A freak accident that led to football
There’s a chance none of this would have happened if not for Dúbravka accidentally sticking a machete in his league.
Growing up, he was into ice hockey. However, chopping wood with a machete at a family BBQ – aged just five – he cut his leg badly. He still has a big scar to this day. It kept him off the ice, meaning a new path was needed.
With his grandmother exasperated from his hyperactiveness as a child, Dúbravka has said she told him he had to go and do something outside. That led to football. It’s something he confesses he probably would not have done without the injury.
And even then, he’s not sure goalkeeper is his favourite position.
In training, he sometimes plays as a right-winger and in midfield. But with both his father and grandfather being goalkeepers, there was really only one position it could be.
Martin Dúbravka’s personal information
Dúbravka has two children with his partner, Lucia, who won Model of the World in 2018. She even served as his goalkeeper coach in 2020, when Martin was injured.