# Adam Karabec

Adam Karabec (born 2 July 2003) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for German 2. Bundesliga club Hamburger SV on loan from Sparta Prague. He was included in The Guardian's "Next Generation" list for 2020.

## Club career

After a long spell in the youth academy of Bohemians 1905, which he had joined at the age of six, in 2016 Karabec gained a move to fellow Prague-based club Sparta Prague and began making it through the Letenští's youth squads. By the beginning of the 2019–20 season, Karabec was already a member of Sparta's under-19 squad, despite being only sixteen. In July 2019, he was named "Player of the Tournament" in the CEE Cup. By September 2019, he had also begun to play for the reserve team in their regional group of the national third division.
It took less than five months to the midfielder to impress the then head coach Václav Jílek and gain a call-up to join the first team. Karabec subsequently made his professional debut on 23 February 2020, coming on as a replacement for David Moberg Karlsson at the 88th minute of his side's 1–0 loss against Sigma Olomuc. After collecting other three appearances as a substitute and scoring his first goal in a 4–1 win against Karviná, he also made his first start on 10 June 2020, as he featured in Sparta's 2–0 win against Opava and was replaced by Georges Mandjeck at the 76th minute.
On 4 July 2024, Karabec joined German 2. Bundesliga club Hamburger SV on a loan with option to make the move permanent.

## International career

A youth international for Czech Republic at several levels, in September 2020, Karabec got called-up for the first time both by the Under-21 and the senior national teams.
On 2 September 2020, he made his debut for the former squad against San Marino, registering an assist for Václav Drchal's opener (the match ended up in a 6–0 win); exactly one week later, he was featured on the bench in the latter side's UEFA Nations League match against Scotland.
In March 2021, he was selected to take part in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Hungary and Slovenia.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 30 June 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Czech Cup | Czech Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Sparta Prague | 2019–20 | Czech First League | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 1 |
| Sparta Prague | 2020–21 | Czech First League | 23 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 31 | 3 |
| Sparta Prague | 2021–22 | Czech First League | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 42 | 2 |
| Sparta Prague | 2022–23 | Czech First League | 23 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
| Sparta Prague | 2023–24 | Czech First League | 21 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 30 | 5 |
| Sparta Prague | Total | Total | 107 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 141 | 12 |
| Sparta Prague B | 2022–23 | Czech National Football League | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 5 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 112 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 146 | 12 |
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Three appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League, two appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

## Honours

Sparta Prague
* Czech First League: 2022–23, 2023–24
* Czech Cup: 2023–24
Individual
* Czech Talent of the Year: 2021