Filip Šebo

Filip Šebo (born 24 February 1984) is a Slovak former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Club career

Early career Šebo started his professional career with German team 1. FC Köln but did not make a first team appearance, playing his games for reserve side Köln II. He returned to Slovakia joining Inter Bratislava in 2003 after being released by Köln. Eight goals in 25 appearances earned him a transfer to Artmedia Bratislava – known for their run in the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League.

In the summer of 2005, after 22 goals in 29 games and the award for the league's top-scorer, he was bought by Austrian side Austria Vienna who paid approximately £400,000 for him. Šebo played 32 times, scoring 5 goals for the Austrian side, helping them to achieve an Austrian Bundesliga and Cup double.

Rangers Rangers manager Paul Le Guen made Šebo his ninth signing on 3 August 2006 after Austria Vienna and Rangers agreed a fee of £1.85 million. Le Guen gave him his first starting appearance for Rangers on 17 September, against Hibernian in an SPL match, and he scored. His first home goal came on 1 October, a late winner in a 1–0 victory over Aberdeen at Ibrox. Šebo played his first European match for Rangers on 28 September, playing the last 15 minutes of a UEFA Cup first-round second-leg tie against Molde FK. Rangers won, 2–0, to qualify for the group stage. Despite his lack of goals, he became something of a cult figure for Rangers, due to both his high workrate and his distinctive broad, stocky build.

In a friendly against Airdrie United on 31 January 2007, Šebo scored in a 3–0 win, his first goal in three months for the club. In another friendly, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 defeat of Gretna. In July 2007, Šebo scored Rangers' second goal in a 2–0 pre-season friendly win over Chelsea; it was his first goal at Ibrox in almost 10 months. He scored his first goal for Valenciennes in a Coupe de la Ligue match against Sochaux on 27 September 2007. He netted his first and second league goals on 11 November against Caen.

He completed a permanent switch to France on 29 May 2008, with Valenciennes paying a fee of around one million pounds.

Slovan Bratislava Šebo joined Slovan Bratislava on 15 September 2010. The striker, who came as a free agent after his spell at Valenciennes, signed a contract with the Slovak side until December 2012. Šebo impressed in his first season at Slovan, becoming the Corgoň liga's top scorer with 22 goals. Following the successful campaign, the Bundesliga club Hannover 96 tried to sign Šebo, but failed, as Slovan decided against selling the striker. Although Šebo was less prolific in his remaining time at the club, Slovan offered him a new contract, which the striker, however, turned down and left the club in the winter of 2012.

Petržalka Šebo joined Petržalka akadémia on 2015 as a free agent.

International career On 15 August 2006, Šebo made his debut for the Slovakia national team in a friendly against Malta. He marked the occasion by scoring a hat-trick. He scored another two goals in his second international match against Cyprus.

International goals Source:

Scores and results list Slovakia's goal tally first. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 15 August 2006 Tehelné pole, Bratislava 1–0 3–0 Friendly 2 2–0 3 3–0 4 2 September 2006 Tehelné pole, Bratislava 3–0 6–1 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying 5 4–0 6 17 November 2010 Štadión Pasienky, Bratislava 1–0 2–3 Friendly 7 26 March 2011 Communal d'Aixovall, Andorra La Vella 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying

Honours

Slovakia Slovakia U20 2003 FIFA U-20 World Cup: Participation Slovakia U19 2002 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship – Third place