Filip Lesniak

Filip Lesniak

Personal information
Full name	Filip Lesniak
Date of birth	(1996-05-14) 14 May 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth	Košice, Slovakia
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Spartak Varna
Number	8
Youth career
	Košice
2012–2016	Tottenham Hotspur
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2017	Tottenham Hotspur	1	(0)
2016	→ Slovan Liberec (loan)	1	(0)
2017–2020	AaB	39	(2)
2019–2020	→ Silkeborg IF (loan)	32	(0)
2020–2023	Wisła Płock	93	(2)
2024	Telavi	18	(0)
2024–	Spartak Varna	19	(0)
International career
2013–2015	Slovakia U17	4	(0)
2015–2016	Slovakia U19	6	(1)
2016–2018	Slovakia U21	9	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 January 2025

Filip Lesniak (born 14 May 1996) is a Slovak professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bulgarian First League club Spartak Varna.

Career

Tottenham Hotspur

Lesniak started his football career at FC VSS Košice in Slovakia before joining the Tottenham Hotspur youth academy in January 2012.[1] After progressing through the ranks of the Tottenham Hotspur Academy, Lesniak signed his first professional contract with the club in July 2014.[2]

At the start of the 2016-17 season Lesniak signed a loan move to Slovan Liberec in the Czech Republic.[3] On 31 July 2016 he made his football league debut against FK Mladá Boleslav.[4] Lesniak only made two more appearances for Liberec a debut in European football Europa League qualifying round against Admira Wacker Mödling and one domestic cup match.[5] He returned to Tottenham on 31 December 2016.[6]

He made his Premier League debut on 18 May 2017 against Leicester City, providing an assist to Harry Kane who completed his fourth hat-trick of the season.[7] He had been released by Tottenham Hotspur along with 5 other academy players after the expiry of his contract on 9 June 2017.[8]

Aalborg BK

Lesniak moved to Danish Superliga side AaB on 4 July 2017, signing a three-year contract.[9] Upon joining the club, Lesniak was joined up by his compatriot Jakub Sylvestr.[10]

Lesniak made his Aalborg BK debut, coming on as a second-half substitute for Magnus Christensen, in a 4-1 loss against SønderjyskE in the second game of the season.[11]

On 12 July 2019, he was loaned out to Silkeborg IF until the end of the season.[12]

Wisła Płock

On 29 July 2020, he joined Polish club Wisła Płock.[13] On 6 February 2024, he left Wisła by mutual consent.[14]

Telavi

On 15 February 2024, Erovnuli Liga club Telavi announced the signing of eleven new players, including Lesniak.[15]

Spartak Varna

In July 2024, he signed a contract with newly promoted Bulgarian First League club Spartak Varna.[16]

International career

Lesinak represented Slovakia U17, having played in UEFA European Under-17 Championship[17] and FIFA U-17 World Cup,[18] and Slovakia U19.[19][20]

In March 2016, Lesinak was called up by Slovakia U21 and made his debut, in a 4–0 win over Estonia U21.[21]

Career statistics

As of match played 11 May 2024[22]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Tottenham Hotspur	2016–17	Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Slovan Liberec (loan)	2016–17	Fortuna Liga	1	0	1	0	1[a]	0	3	0
AaB	2017–18	Superligaen	31	1	3	0	0	0	34	1
	2018–19	Superligaen	8	0	2	0	0	0	10	0
	Total		39	1	5	0	0	0	44	1
Silkeborg	2019–20	Superligaen	32	0	4	1	—		36	1
Wisła Płock	2020–21	Ekstraklasa	26	1	2	0	—		28	1
	2021–22	Ekstraklasa	26	1	1	0	—		27	1
	2022–23	Ekstraklasa	29	0	2	0	—		31	0
	2023–24	I liga	12	0	1	0	—		13	0
	Total		93	2	4	0	–		97	2
Telavi	2024	Erovnuli Liga	13	0	0	0	—		13	0
Career total			231	3	16	1	1	0	251	4

1. Appearance in the Europa League

Personal life

Lesniak' grandfather, Ján Kozák, was a national player. He has 55 caps for Czechoslovakia and was also head coach of Slovakia. His uncle is Ján Kozák jr.[23][24]

References

1. "Košický talent Filip Lesniak mieri do Tottenhamu" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
2. "Player Update". Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 3 July 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
3. "Talentovaný Filip Lesniak na hosťovanie z Tottenhamu do Liberca" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
4. "Martin Dúbravka inkasoval hetrik od Chramostu v 1. kole ePojisteni.cz ligy" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
5. "EL: Trenčín spoznal súpera, pôjde do Rakúska" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
6. Vincent Ralph (18 May 2017). "Everything you need to know about Tottenham player Filip Lesniak". HITC. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
7. Tom Rostance (18 May 2017). "Leicester City 1 - 6 Tottenham Hotspur". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
8. "Player Update". Tottenham Hotspur. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
9. "Spændende indkøb: Superligaklub henter spiller i Premier League" (in Danish). BT.dk. 4 July 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
10. "Lesniak odchádza z Tottenhamu, vybral si Dánsko. Potrebujem hrávať, tvrdí" (in Slovak). Sport Pravda. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
11. "Soenderjyske Knuste Svage AaB Aalborg" (in Danish). Ekstra Bladet. 23 July 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
12. SIF lejer midtbanespiller i AaB, silkeborgif.com, 12 July 2019
13. "Filip, witamy w Wiśle Płock!" (in Polish). Wisła Płock. 29 July 2020.
14. "Filip Lesniak rozwiązał kontrakt" (in Polish). Wisła Płock. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
15. "Filip Lesniak w FC Telawi". 90minut.pl (in Polish). 15 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
16. "Спартак (Варна) привлече словак, минал през Тотнъм" (in Bulgarian). eurocom.bg. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
17. "ME17: V konečnej nominácii Slovenska štyria legionári" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
18. "M2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
19. "Tréner Milan Malatinský zverejnil nomináciu SR19" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
20. "Video: Slovensko "19" zdolalo aj Azerbajdžan a postúpilo" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
21. "Mladí futbalisti hladko zdolali Estóncov, rozhodli v prvom polčase" (in Slovak). Sport Pravda. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
22. "F. Lesniak". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
23. "Filip Lesniak dostal zmluvu v Tottenhame" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
24. "Sníval o Tottenhame, hrá za Hotspur" (in Slovak). Sport.sk. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2017.

External links

• Tottenham profile
• Filip Lesniak at Soccerway