{{short description|Czech footballer (born 1997)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jan Kuchta | image = Jan Kuchta 2022.jpg | caption = Kuchta with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2022 | full_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|1|8|df=yes}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jan Kuchta – Czechia – European Qualifiers|url=https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/teams/players/250174459--jan-kuchta/|access-date=17 June 2023|website=UEFA}}</ref> | birth_place = Liberec, Czech Republic | height = 1.85 m | position = Forward | currentclub = Sparta Prague | clubnumber = 10 | youthyears1 = 2010–2013 | youthclubs1 = Sparta Prague | youthyears2 = 2013–2016 | youthclubs2 = Slavia Prague | years1 = 2016–2020 | clubs1 = Slavia Prague | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2016–2017 | clubs2 = → Bohemians (loan) | caps2 = 21 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2018 | clubs3 = → Viktoria Žižkov (loan) | caps3 = 12 | goals3 = 4 | years4 = 2018 | clubs4 = → Slovácko (loan) | caps4 = 14 | goals4 = 4 | years5 = 2019 | clubs5 = → Teplice (loan) | caps5 = 8 | goals5 = 3 | years6 = 2019–2020 | clubs6 = → Slovan Liberec (loan) | caps6 = 13 | goals6 = 2 | years7 = 2020 | clubs7 = Slovan Liberec | caps7 = 10 | goals7 = 4 | years8 = 2020–2022 | clubs8 = Slavia Prague | caps8 = 43 | goals8 = 24 | years9 = 2022–2023 | clubs9 = Lokomotiv Moscow | caps9 = 10 | goals9 = 3 | years10 = 2022–2023 | clubs10 = → Sparta Prague (loan) | caps10 = 29 | goals10 = 14 | years11 = 2023–2024 | clubs11 = Sparta Prague | caps11 = 35 | goals11 = 17 | years12 = 2024–2025 | clubs12 = Midtjylland | caps12 = 9 | goals12 = 1 | years13 = 2025 | clubs13 = → Sparta Prague (loan) | caps13 = 13 | goals13 = 7 | years14 = 2025– | clubs14 = Sparta Prague | caps14 = 30 | goals14 = 12 | nationalyears1 = 2014–2015 | nationalteam1 = Czech Republic U18 | nationalcaps1 = 12 | nationalgoals1 = 3 | nationalyears2 = 2015–2016 | nationalteam2 = Czech Republic U19 | nationalcaps2 = 9 | nationalgoals2 = 4 | nationalyears3 = 2017–2018 | nationalteam3 = Czech Republic U20 | nationalcaps3 = 6 | nationalgoals3 = 1 | nationalyears4 = 2018 | nationalteam4 = Czech Republic U21 | nationalcaps4 = 3 | nationalgoals4 = 2 | nationalyears5 = 2021– | nationalteam5 = Czech Republic | nationalcaps5 = 27 | nationalgoals5 = 3 | club-update = 25 May 2026 | nationalteam-update = 19 November 2024 }}
'''Jan Kuchta''' (born 8 January 1997) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a forward for Sparta Prague and the Czech Republic national team.
==Club career== ===Slavia Prague=== Kuchta made his Czech First League debut for Slavia Prague on 8 November 2015 in a game against Bohemians.<ref>{{cite web|title=Game Report by Soccerway|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/11/08/czech-republic/czech-liga/sk-slavia-praha/bohemians-1905/2051982/|website=Soccerway|date=8 November 2015}}</ref>
In January 2019, he joined Teplice on loan until June 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fkteplice.cz/clanek.asp?id=Alex-Kral-prestupuje-do-Slavie-na-hostovani-prichazi-Jan-Kuchta-7486|title=ALEX KRÁL PŘESTUPUJE DO SLAVIE, NA HOSTOVÁNÍ PŘICHÁZÍ JAN KUCHTA|website=FK Teplice|date=2 January 2019|accessdate=12 March 2019}}</ref>
In February 2020, Kuchta signed for Slovan Liberec on a permanent deal, following a loan move at the club. In July 2020, Kuchta re-signed for Slavia Prague.<ref>{{cite web|website=SK Slavia Prague|url=https://en.slavia.cz/clanek.asp?id=Jan-Kuchta-re-joins-Slavia-660|title=Jan Kuchta re-joins Slavia|date=23 July 2020}}</ref> Kuchta finished the 2020–21 Czech First League as joint top scorer, alongside Adam Hložek with 15 goals.<ref name=TopScorer>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/sport/fotbal/fotbal-liga-34-kolo-vysledky-sparta-brno-slavia-budejovice-hlozek-kuchta-kral_2105291937_mov|title=Sparta na závěr sezony deklasovala Brno, Slavia porazila Budějovice. Hložek čtyřmi góly dotáhl Kuchtu|date=29 May 2021|website=Czech Radio|access-date=30 May 2021|language=cs}}</ref> In the final match of the season on 29 May 2021, Kuchta scored his side's winning goal against Dynamo České Budějovice which confirmed an undefeated league season for Slavia, the first time a Czech club reached this milestone since rivals Sparta Prague did so in 2009–10.<ref name=Leaguechamp />
===Lokomotiv Moscow=== On 12 January 2022, Kuchta signed a contract with Russian Premier League club Lokomotiv Moscow until 2026.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fclm.ru/ru/publications/news/25466|title=ФК "Локомотив" согласовал контракт с Яном Кухтой|website=FC Lokomotiv Moscow|date=12 January 2022|accessdate=12 January 2022|language=ru}}</ref>
He made his league debut for Lokomotiv on 6 March 2022 against FC Khimki and scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory. However, he never served a disqualification that he received for getting sent off in his last game for Slavia, and, according to FIFA regulations, was not eligible to play, FC Khimki filed a protest.<ref>{{cite web|title="Химки" подают протест на присуждение поражения "Локо". Все из-за участия в матче Кухты|url=https://www.sport-express.ru/football/rfpl/reviews/lokomotiv-himki-3-2-obzor-i-video-golov-matcha-20-tura-chempionata-rossii-po-futbolu-6-marta-2022-goda-1899767/|publisher=Sport Express|date=6 March 2022|language=ru}}</ref> The protest was denied on 10 March 2022, according to Russian Football Union, Kuchta should have been disqualified for the Russian Cup game Lokomotiv played against Yenisey Krasnoyarsk on 3 March and lost 4–0, as Czech regulations extend disqualifications to Cup games, even though Russian regulations do not, so he was technically disqualified for "one league or Cup game" as opposed to "one league game". Lokomotiv did not provide the document detailing the disqualification to the league, the club claimed they did not receive it during the transfer, and he was allowed by the RFU to play in the Cup game. His disqualification is considered served after that game, even though he actually played in it, as per FIFA regulations. Khimki considered lodging an appeal.<ref>{{cite web|title=В КДК объяснили, почему не засчитали техническое поражение "Локомотиву"|url=https://www.championat.com/football/news-4633169-v-kdk-obyasnili-pochemu-ne-zaschitali-tehnicheskoe-porazhenie-lokomotivu.html|website=Championat|date=10 March 2022|language=ru}}</ref>
===Sparta Prague=== In June 2022, Kuchta joined Sparta Prague on a one-year long loan with an option for a permanent transfer.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jan Kuchta přichází na Spartu|url=https://sparta.cz/cs/clanek/jan-kuchta-prichazi-na-spartu-39592|website=AC Sparta Prague|date=25 June 2022|accessdate=25 June 2022|language=cs}}</ref> In his first match for Sparta Prague in the Czech First League (2–1 home loss against Slovan Liberec) he stepped on Liberec goalkeeper Olivier Vliegen's head and received a yellow card, which the referee changed to a red card after he saw video footage. Kuchta was banned for five league matches by LFA Disciplinary Commission.<ref>{{cite web|first=Pavel|last=Dosadil|title=Surová hra přišla Kuchtu draho. Kolik kol stráví jen na tribuně?|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-ceska-1-liga-surova-hra-prisla-kuchtu-draho-kolik-kol-stravi-jen-na-tribune-3528090|website=sport.cz|date=4 August 2022|accessdate=4 August 2022|language=cs|publisher=Borgis}}</ref> The club with Kuchta appealed his ban,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-ceska-1-liga-pet-zapasu-je-moc--sparta-a-kuchta-se-odvolali-proti-trestu-3534795|title=Pět zápasů je moc?! Sparta a Kuchta se odvolali proti trestu|website=sport.cz|agency=Czech News Agency|date=8 August 2022|accessdate=8 August 2022|language=cs|publisher=Borgis}}</ref> but the appeal was rejected by Appeals Committee on 11 August 2022.<ref>{{cite web|first=Pavel|last=Dosadil|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-ceska-1-liga-kuchta-ma-smulu-milost-nedostane-spartansky-utocnik-s-odvolanim-neuspel-3540870|title=Kuchta má smůlu, milost nedostane. Sparťanský útočník s odvoláním neuspěl|website=sport.cz|date=11 August 2022|accessdate=11 August 2022|language=cs|publisher=Borgis}}</ref>
Kuchta helped the club to win its first championship title since 2014.<ref name = "title">{{Cite news|title=Sparta v euforii! Remíza na Slovácku odstartovala mistrovské oslavy|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-ceska-1-liga-sparta-v-euforii-remiza-na-slovacku-odstartovala-mistrovske-oslavy-4229432|website=Sport.cz|date=23 May 2023|accessdate=23 May 2023|agency=Czech News Agency|language=cs|publisher=Borgis}}</ref>
In June 2023, Sparta exercised the option to buy in the loan contract, signing a multi-year contract with Kuchta.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kuchta se do Ruska vracet nebude. Sparta ho získala na přestup|trans-title=Kuchta Won’t Be Returning to Russia. Sparta Got His Transfer|url=https://sport.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/fotbal/1-liga/kuchta-se-do-ruska-vracet-nebude-sparta-ho-ziskala-na-prestup/645fe9bdf91255b5eb7ca004|website=ČT Sport|date=14 May 2023|accessdate=14 May 2023|language=cs}}</ref>
In May 2024, Kuchta helped the club to win its second championship title in two seasons<ref name="blesk.cz 2024">{{Cite news|title=SESTŘIH: Boleslav - Sparta 0:5. Titul pro Letenské! Kuchta dal čtyři góly|url=https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-1-liga-rocnik-2023-24/447579/sestrih-boleslav-sparta-0-5-titul-pro-letenske-kuchta-dal-ctyri-goly.html|website=Blesk|date=18 May 2024|language=cs|publisher=Czech News Center|agency=Czech News Agency|access-date=19 May 2024}}</ref> and domestic cup.<ref name="sport.cz 2024">{{Cite news|last=Neumann|first=Robert|title=Sparta slaví double! Triumf v nervózním finále trefil Birmančevič|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-pohar-fotbaliste-sparty-budou-ve-finale-domaciho-poharu-v-plzni-usilovat-o-zisk-double-5028779|website=Sport.cz|date=22 May 2024|language=cs|publisher=Borgis|access-date=23 May 2024}}</ref> He was awarded as the forward of the 2023–24 season by the League Football Association.<ref name="lfa forward">{{Cite press release|title=Brankářem sezony je Staněk, obráncům vládne Hranáč. Uspěli i dva mistři|url=https://www.lfafotbal.cz/clanek/754-brankarem-sezony-je-stanek-obrancum-vladne-hranac-uspeli-i-dva-mistri|website=League Football Association|date=28 May 2024|access-date=29 May 2024|language=cs}}</ref>
===Midtjylland=== On 31 August 2024, Kuchta signed a contract with Danish Superliga club Midtjylland until 2028.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rothausen|first=Christian|title=Tjekkisk landsholdsbomber er ny FC Midtjylland-spiller|url=https://www.fcm.dk/nyheder/tjekkisk-landsholdsbomber-er-ny-fc-midtjylland-spiller/|website=FC Midtjylland|date=31 August 2024|accessdate=31 August 2024|language=da}}</ref>
===Sparta Prague (loan)=== On 15 January 2025, Kuchta joined Sparta Prague on half-year loan deal with option for a permanent transfer.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lizec|first=Jiří|title=Kuchta je oficiálně zpět ve Spartě. Expert: Může být lídr, ale vidím i rizika|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-ceska-1-liga-kuchta-je-oficialne-zpet-ve-sparte-expert-muze-byt-lidr-ale-vidim-i-rizika-5048858|website=Sport.cz|date=15 January 2025|language=cs|publisher=Borgis|access-date=15 January 2025}}</ref>
===Sparta Prague=== On 30 May 2025, Kuchta signed a multi-year contract with Sparta Prague.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Mach|first=Tomáš|title=Definitivní návrat. O Kuchtově budoucnosti je rozhodnuto|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-ceska-1-liga-sparta-uplatnila-opci-na-kuchtu-5243932|website=Sport.cz|date=30 May 2025|language=cs|publisher=Borgis|access-date=30 May 2025}}</ref>
==International career== Kuchta debuted for the Czech Republic national team on 8 October 2021 in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification against Wales.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Belgie nám pomůže, věří po ztrátě Kuchta. Na debut nezapomene do konce života|url=https://sport.aktualne.cz/fotbal/ms-ve-fotbale/na-tenhle-debut-nezapomenu-do-konce-zivota-rekl-kuchta/r~5967a544288511ec94d2ac1f6b220ee8/|website=Aktuálně.cz|date=9 October 2021|access-date=28 June 2023|language=cs}}</ref> On 19 November 2023, Kuchta with Vladimír Coufal and Jakub Brabec had been kicked out of the Czech Republic's national team camp after they allegedly went out clubbing two days before the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group E against Moldova.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jacob|last=Leeks|title=West Ham star among three banished from national team after "fundamentally violating" rules|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/vladimir-coufal-czech-euro-2024-31476095|website=Mirror Online|date=19 November 2023|access-date=20 November 2023}}</ref> He was included in Ivan Hašek's Czech Republic 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=12 June 2024|title=Nominace reprezentace na přípravný kemp před Euro 2024|url=https://www.fotbal.cz/repre/nominace/nominace/836 |website=Football Association of the Czech Republic|language=cs}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|match played 15 March 2025}}<ref name="sw">{{Soccerway|name=Jan Kuchta|accessdate=23 February 2024}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Czech Cup, Russian Cup, Danish Cup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |Slavia Prague |2015–16 |Czech First League |1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||1||0 |- |rowspan="3"|Bohemians (loan) |2016–17 |rowspan="2"|Czech First League |17||0||3||1||colspan="2"|—||20||1 |- |2017–18 |4||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||4||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !21!!0!!3!!1!!colspan="2"|—!!24!!1 |- |Viktoria Žižkov (loan) |2017–18 |Czech National Football League |12||4||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||12||4 |- |Slovácko (loan) |2018–19 |Czech First League |14||4||2||1||colspan="2"|—||16||5 |- |Teplice (loan) |2018–19 |Czech First League |8||3||0||0||colspan="2"|—||8||3 |- |Slovan Liberec (loan) |2019–20 |Czech First League |13||2||2||1||colspan="2"|—||15||3 |- |Slovan Liberec |2019–20 |Czech First League |10||4||2||0||colspan="2"|—||12||4 |- |rowspan="3"|Slavia Prague |2020–21 |rowspan="2"|Czech First League |27||15||3||3||11{{efn|Includes one appearance in UEFA Champions League and ten appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League}} ||2||41||20 |- |2021–22 |16||9||1||0||8{{efn|Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League, five appearances and three goals in UEFA Europa Conference League}}||3||25||12 |- !colspan="2"|Total !43!!24!!4!!3!!19!!5!!66!!32 |- |Lokomotiv Moscow |2021–22 |Russian Premier League |10||3||1||0||colspan="2"|—||11||3 |- |Sparta Prague (loan) |2022–23 |Czech First League |29||14||4||2||2{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League}}||0||35||16 |- |rowspan="3"|Sparta Prague |2023–24 |Czech First League |32||17||2||1||14{{efn|Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, twelve appearances and three goals in UEFA Europa League}}||3||47||21 |- |2024–25 |Czech First League |3||0||0||0||5{{efn|efn|name=UCL}}||0||8||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !35!!17!!2!!1!!19!!3!!55!!21 |- |Midtjylland |2024–25 |Danish Superliga |9||1||2||1||5{{efn|name=UEL|Appearances in UEFA Europa League}}||0||16||2 |- |Sparta Prague (loan) |2024–25 |Czech First League |7||3||1||0||colspan="2"|—||8||3 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !204!!76!!22!!10!!45!!8!!271!!94 |} {{notelist}}
===International=== {{updated|19 November 2024}}<ref name=facr>{{FACR player|new_id=4175}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|Czech Republic |2021||4||0 |- |2022||8||2 |- |2023||8||1 |- |2024||7||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total!!27!!3 |}
:''Scores and results list Czech Republic's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kuchta goal.''<ref name=facr/>
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of international goals scored by Jan Kuchta |- !scope="col"|No. !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition |- | align="center"|1 || 2 June 2022 || Sinobo Stadium, Prague, Czech Republic || {{fb|SUI}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|2–1 || rowspan="2"|2022–23 UEFA Nations League A |- | align="center"|2 || 5 June 2022 || Sinobo Stadium, Prague, Czech Republic || {{fb|ESP}} || align="center"|2–1 || align="center"|2–2 |- | align="center"|3 || 24 March 2023 || Fortuna Arena, Prague, Czech Republic || {{fb|POL}} || align="center"|3–0 || align="center"|3–1 || UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying |}
==Honours== '''FC Slovan Liberec''' *Czech Cup runner-up: 2019–20<ref>{{cite news|last=Čihák|first=Jiří|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/domaci-souteze/cesky-pohar-mol-cup-finale-slovan-liberec-sparta-praha-online.A200701_121133_fot_dsouteze_vp2|title=Liberec - Sparta 1:2, trofej po šesti letech, rozhodla hloupá penalta|website=iDNES.cz|publisher=Mafra|language=cs|date=1 July 2020}}</ref>
'''Slavia Prague''' *Czech First League: 2020–21<ref name=Leaguechamp>{{cite web|url=https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-1-liga-rocnik-2020-21/396997/sestrih-slavia-budejovice-2-1-mistri-bez-prohry-trefil-se-i-kuchta.html|title=Slavia - Budějovice 2:1. Mistři bez prohry, trefil se i Kuchta|website=Blesk|date=29 May 2021|accessdate=18 June 2021|language=cs}}</ref> *Czech Cup: 2020–21
'''Sparta Prague''' *Czech First League: 2022–23,<ref name=title /> 2023–24<ref name="blesk.cz 2024" /> *Czech Cup: 2023–24<ref name="sport.cz 2024" /> *Czech Cup runner-up: 2022–23
'''Individual''' *Czech First League Player of the Month: January 2021 *Czech First League Top goalscorer: 2020–21 *Czech First League Forward of the season: 2023–24<ref name="lfa forward" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Fortunaliga.cz|3246-jan-kuchta}} * {{Soccerway|424988}} * {{FACR player|new_id=4175}}
<!--{{FC Midtjylland squad}}--> {{AC Sparta Prague squad}} {{Navboxes | title = Czech Republic squads | bg = #D7141A | fg = white | bordercolor = #11457E | list1 = {{Czech Republic squad UEFA Euro 2024}} {{Czech Republic squad 2026 FIFA World Cup}} }} {{Czech First League top scorers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuchta, Jan}} Category:1997 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Liberec Category:Czech men's footballers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Czech Republic men's international footballers Category:Czech Republic men's under-21 international footballers Category:Czech Republic men's youth international footballers Category:UEFA Euro 2024 players Category:2026 FIFA World Cup players Category:Czech First League players Category:Czech National Football League players Category:Russian Premier League players Category:SK Slavia Prague players Category:Bohemians 1905 players Category:FK Viktoria Žižkov players Category:1. FC Slovácko players Category:FK Teplice players Category:FC Slovan Liberec players Category:FC Lokomotiv Moscow players Category:AC Sparta Prague players Category:Czech expatriate men's footballers Category:Czech expatriate sportspeople in Russia Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Russia Category:FC Midtjylland players Category:Czech expatriate sportspeople in Denmark Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark Category:Danish Superliga players Category:21st-century Czech sportsmen