# Péter Kovács (footballer)

Péter Kovács (born 7 February 1978) is a Hungarian former professional footballer played as a forward for Újpest and Érd in Hungary, for La Neuveville-Lamboing in Switzerland, for Lahti and Haka in Finland, for Tromsø, Viking, Strømsgodset, Odd Grenland, Sarpsborg 08, Sandefjord and Arendal in Norway, and for Lierse in Belgium.

## Club career

Kovács was born in Salgótarján, Hungary. When playing for FC Haka he scored a goal against Liverpool in the 2001–02 Champions League qualifyings. Kovács gained notoriety in August 2009, when in the quarter-finals of the Norwegian Cup, he scored a goal against SK Brann after Brann's keeper fell to the ground with an injured knee while trying to clear the ball upfield following a home pass. He also came one goal short of being joint top scorer in the 2009 Norwegian premier league, finishing behind Rade Prica.
He became the top scorer in the 2012 Norwegian premier league, and won the league with Strømsgodset in 2013, during his second spell at the club. On 21 July 2015, he signed a five-month deal with for Sarpsborg 08 on a free transfer. On 10 November 2015, he signed a one-year deal with newly relegated Sandefjord in the Norwegian First Division.

## Personal life

Kovács has a relationship with Norwegian female footballer, Melissa Wiik.
He speaks Hungarian, English and Norwegian fluently.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 26 November 2017
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Újpest FC | 1995–96 | | 1 | 0 | | | 1 | 0 |
| Újpest FC | 1996–97 | | 3 | 0 | | | 3 | 0 |
| Újpest FC | Total | Total | 4 | 0 | | | 4 | 0 |
| FC Lahti | 1999 | Veikkausliiga | 28 | 10 | | | 28 | 10 |
| FC Haka | 2000 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 8 | | | 26 | 8 |
| FC Haka | 2001 | Veikkausliiga | 29 | 7 | | | 29 | 7 |
| FC Haka | 2002 | Veikkausliiga | 9 | 6 | | | 9 | 6 |
| FC Haka | Total | Total | 64 | 21 | | | 64 | 21 |
| Tromsø | 2002 | Adeccoligaen | 14 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 14 |
| Tromsø | 2003 | Tippeligaen | 24 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 28 | 13 |
| Tromsø | 2004 | Tippeligaen | 8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 5 |
| Tromsø | Total | Total | 46 | 24 | 10 | 8 | 56 | 32 |
| Viking | 2004 | Tippeligaen | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 |
| Viking | 2005 | Tippeligaen | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 3 |
| Viking | 2006 | Tippeligaen | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| Viking | Total | Total | 29 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 8 |
| Strømsgodset | 2006 | Adeccoligaen | 18 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 12 |
| Strømsgodset | 2007 | Tippeligaen | 23 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 10 |
| Strømsgodset | Total | Total | 41 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 45 | 22 |
| Odd Grenland | 2008 | Adeccoligaen | 29 | 23 | 3 | 6 | 32 | 29 |
| Odd Grenland | 2009 | Tippeligaen | 29 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 21 |
| Odd Grenland | 2010 | Tippeligaen | 22 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 26 | 12 |
| Odd Grenland | Total | Total | 80 | 45 | 12 | 17 | 92 | 62 |
| Lierse | 2010–11 | Belgian Pro League | 22 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 4 |
| Lierse | 2011–12 | Belgian Pro League | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Lierse | Total | Total | 36 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 5 |
| Strømsgodset | 2012 | Tippeligaen | 28 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 33 | 22 |
| Strømsgodset | 2013 | Tippeligaen | 25 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 8 |
| Strømsgodset | 2014 | Tippeligaen | 24 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 27 | 15 |
| Strømsgodset | 2015 | Tippeligaen | 10 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 4 |
| Strømsgodset | Total | Total | 87 | 32 | 13 | 17 | 100 | 49 |
| Sarpsborg 08 | 2015 | Tippeligaen | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| Sandefjord | 2016 | OBOS-ligaen | 26 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 31 | 10 |
| Sandefjord | 2017 | Eliteserien | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Sandefjord | Total | Total | 28 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 34 | 10 |
| Arendal | 2017 | OBOS-ligaen | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| Career Total | Career Total | Career Total | 478 | 174 | 48 | 49 | 526 | 223 |

### International goal

    Score and result list Hungary's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Kovács goal.
International goal scored by Péter Kovács :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 17 November 2004 | Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta | Malta | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |

## Honours

FC Haka
* Finnish Championship: 2000
* Finnish Cup: 2002
Strømsgodset
* Norwegian Championship: 2013
Individual
* Norwegian Cup Top goalscorer: 2012
* Norwegian Premier League top goalscorer: 2012
* Norwegian First Division top goalscorer: 2008