{{short description|Czech professional footballer (born 1984)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Expand Czech|topic=bio|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Martin Latka | image = Martin Latka 2013 in Esens.jpeg | fullname = Martin Latka | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1984|9|28}} | birth_place = Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czechoslovakia | height = 1.93 m | position = Defender | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 1990–1992 | youthclubs1 = Tatran Hluboká nad Vltavou | youthyears2 = 1992–2002 | youthclubs2 = Dynamo České Budějovice | years1 = 2002–2003 | clubs1 = Dynamo České Budějovice | caps1 = 2 | goals1 = 3 | years2 = 2003–2008 | clubs2 = Slavia Prague | caps2 = 102 | goals2 = 8 | years3 = 2006 | clubs3 = → Birmingham City (loan) | caps3 = 6 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2009–2011 | clubs4 = Panionios | caps4 = 45 | goals4 = 3 | years5 = 2011–2013 | clubs5 = Slavia Prague | caps5 = 33 | goals5 = 4 | years6 = 2013–2014 | clubs6 = Fortuna Düsseldorf | caps6 = 30 | goals6 = 2 | years7 = 2014–2016 | clubs7 = Slavia Prague | caps7 = 32 | goals7 = 2 | years8 = 2016–2017 | clubs8 = Slovan Liberec | caps8 = 10 | goals8 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2004–2007 | nationalteam1 = Czech Republic U21 | nationalcaps1 = 25 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | nationalyears2 = 2012 | nationalteam2 = Czech Republic | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0 }} '''Martin Latka''' (born 28 September 1984) is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a central defender. During the course of his career, Latka played nine seasons for Slavia Prague. His other clubs included Dynamo České Budějovice and Slovan Liberec domestically, as well as English side Birmingham City, Greek club Panionios, and German club Fortuna Düsseldorf. Latka appeared once for the Czech Republic.
==Club career== Latka began his career with SK Dynamo České Budějovice, joining Slavia Prague in 2003. In 2005, he won the Talent of the Year award at the Czech Footballer of the Year awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Historie ankety Fotbalista roku|url=http://nv.fotbal.cz/fotbalista-roku/historie/index.php|website=Football Association of the Czech Republic|access-date=18 January 2013|language=cs|archive-date=6 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180706075707/http://nv.fotbal.cz/fotbalista-roku/historie/index.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 30 January 2006, he joined Birmingham City on loan until the end of the 2006–07 season, having spent time trialling with Middlesbrough.<ref>{{cite web|title = Birmingham win race for Latka|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2006/jan/30/newsstory.sport8|website =The Guardian| date = 30 January 2006 | access-date = 25 July 2024}}</ref> He made his debut for Birmingham City in a 1–1 draw against Liverpool at the start of February.<ref>{{cite web|title = Latka earns plaudits for display|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/latka-earns-plaudits-for-display-19377|website =Birmingham Mail| date = 2 February 2006 | access-date = 25 July 2024}}</ref> He played six full games. However, in that season Birmingham were relegated and Latka returned to Slavia.
In January 2009, Latka joined Panionios. In 2011, he returned to Slavia Prague.<ref name="endslavia">{{cite web|title = Kapitán fotbalové Slavie Latka končí v Edenu. S klubem se domluvil na ukončení smlouvy|url=https://www.irozhlas.cz/sport_fotbal/kapitan-fotbalove-slavie-latka-konci-v-edenu-s-klubem-se-domluvil-na-ukonceni-smlouvy_201607111814_jknoll|website =Czech Radio| date = 11 July 2016 | access-date = 25 July 2024|language=cs}}</ref>
In January 2013, Latka was transferred to Bundesliga side Fortuna Düsseldorf, signing a one-and-a-half-year contract with the German club.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Fortuna Düsseldorf|title=Fortuna verstärkt sich mit Martin Latka|url=http://www.fortuna-duesseldorf.de/news/uebersicht-news/artikel/article/fortuna-verstaerkt-sich-mit-martin-latka/index.htm|date=17 January 2013|language=de|access-date=17 January 2013|archive-date=20 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120225119/http://www.fortuna-duesseldorf.de/news/uebersicht-news/artikel/article/fortuna-verstaerkt-sich-mit-martin-latka/index.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> After one-year-and-a-half at Fortuna Düsseldorf, his contract was not extended in May 2014 and he returned to SK Slavia Prague, but started just 13 matches in the 2015–16 season before leaving in summer 2016.<ref name="endslavia"/> In August 2016 Latka signed a one-year contract with Slovan Liberec.<ref>{{cite web|title = Srdcař Slavie Latka míří do Liberce. Podepsal tam roční smlouvu|url=https://www.lidovky.cz/sport/fotbal/srdcar-slavie-latka-miri-do-liberce-podepsal-tam-rocni-smlouvu.A160815_181543_ln-sport-fotbal_lar|website=Lidové noviny| date = 15 August 2016 | access-date = 25 July 2024|language=cs}}</ref> Latka announced his retirement from professional football in January 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title = Latka ukončil kariéru, s parťákem Kiselem zastupují hráče! Upsal se jim slávista Zmrhal|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-ostatni-latka-ukoncil-karieru-s-partakem-kiselem-zastupuji-hrace-upsal-se-jim-slavista-zmrhal-956594|website = sport.cz | date = 30 January 2018 | access-date = 25 July 2024|language=cs}}</ref>
==International career== Although Latka won the Czech Talent of the Year award in 2005 and was a regular in Czech U21 setup, he was not called up to the senior national team until his debut against Slovakia on 14 November 2012.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Miloslav|last=Novák|title=Česko 3-0 Slovensko, povedený večer osladil Lafata i debutant Dočkal|trans-title=Czech Republic 3-0 Slovakia, a successful evening was sweetened by Lafat and debutant Dočkal|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/reprezentace/cesko-slovensko.A121114_155606_fot_reprez_mn|website=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=14 November 2012|language=cs}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{FACR player|new_id=1789|old_id=LatkaMartin}} * {{Soccerbase}} * {{Soccerway|martin-latka/14958}}
{{Czech Talent of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Latka, Martin}} Category:1984 births Category:People from Hluboká nad Vltavou Category:Living people Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Czech men's footballers Category:Czech Republic men's youth international footballers Category:Czech Republic men's under-21 international footballers Category:Czech Republic men's international footballers Category:Czech First League players Category:SK Dynamo České Budějovice players Category:SK Slavia Prague players Category:Birmingham City F.C. players Category:Panionios F.C. players Category:Fortuna Düsseldorf players Category:FC Slovan Liberec players Category:Premier League players Category:Super League Greece players Category:Bundesliga players Category:2. Bundesliga players Category:Czech expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany Category:Footballers from the South Bohemian Region Category:21st-century Czech sportsmen