Pál "Palkó" Dárdai (born 24 April 1999) is a professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays as a
midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
for German club
Hertha BSC
Hertha, Berliner Sport-Club e. V., commonly known as Hertha BSC () or Hertha Berlin, is a German professional football club based in Berlin. Hertha BSC plays in the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of German football league system, German footbal ...
. Born in Germany, he plays for the
Hungary national team.
Club career
Youth
Dárdai began his youth career at Seeburger SV in 2006, before moving to 1. FC Wilmersdorf in 2009. In 2011, Dárdai moved to the youth academy of
Hertha BSC
Hertha, Berliner Sport-Club e. V., commonly known as Hertha BSC () or Hertha Berlin, is a German professional football club based in Berlin. Hertha BSC plays in the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of German football league system, German footbal ...
, following his father's retirement from football after 14 years with Hertha.
Hertha BSC
Dárdai made his debut for
Hertha BSC II on 18 March 2017, starting in an away match against
Carl Zeiss Jena in the
Regionalliga Nordost
The Regionalliga Nordost is the fourth tier of German football league system, German football in the states of Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia. These comprise the states of former East Germany ...
. Dárdai scored to put Hertha 2–1 ahead, before being substituted out with the match finishing as a 2–2 draw.
On 2 November 2017, Dárdai made his professional debut for
Hertha BSC
Hertha, Berliner Sport-Club e. V., commonly known as Hertha BSC () or Hertha Berlin, is a German professional football club based in Berlin. Hertha BSC plays in the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of German football league system, German footbal ...
under his father in the
UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...
, coming on as a substitute in the 79th minute for
Alexander Esswein in the 2–0 home win against Ukrainian club
Zorya Luhansk
FC Zorya Luhansk ( ) is a Ukrainian football team. Zorya Luhansk was based in the city of Luhansk, Ukraine. However, due to the Russo-Ukrainian War, the team currently plays its games at Slavutych-Arena in Zaporizhzhia.
The modern club as a ...
.
Fehérvár FC
On 5 January 2021, Dárdai signed with
Fehérvár FC
Fehérvár Football Club (commonly known as ''Fehérvár'', ''Vidi'', or ''MOL Fehérvár Football Club'' for sponsorship reasons), is a Hungarian professional football club based in Székesfehérvár, which plays in the Nemzeti Bajnokság II ...
of the
Nemzeti Bajnokság I
The Nemzeti Bajnokság (, ), also known as NB I or Fizz Liga after its title sponsor, OTP Bank's webshop subsidiary, is a professional association football league in Hungary and the highest level of the Hungarian football league system.
Twelve ...
.
Return to Hertha BSC
On 25 July 2023, Dárdai returned to
Hertha BSC
Hertha, Berliner Sport-Club e. V., commonly known as Hertha BSC () or Hertha Berlin, is a German professional football club based in Berlin. Hertha BSC plays in the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of German football league system, German footbal ...
on a three-year contract, joining his brother Márton and his father and Hertha manager
Pál Dárdai. He scored his first goal in the
2023–24 DFB-Pokal against
FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Carl Zeiss Jena () is a German football club based in Jena, Thuringia. Founded in 1903, it was initially associated with the optics manufacturer Carl Zeiss. From the 1960s to the 1980s it was one of the top-ranked clubs in East Germany, won ...
in a 5–0 victory on 12 August 2023.
On 16 February 2024, he scored a goal in a 3–2 victory over
1. FC Magdeburg
1. FC Magdeburg is a German Association football Football club (association football), club based in Magdeburg. The club was founded in 1965 from the football department of the Sports club (East Germany), sports club ''SC Magdeburg'' and has bee ...
in the
2023–24 2. Bundesliga season. On 12 April 2024, he scored twice in a 4–0 victory against
FC Hansa Rostock
FC Hansa Rostock () is a German association football club based in the city of Rostock, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The club is also called as "the cog" because of its club crest. They have emerged as one of the most successful clubs from ...
.
International career
Dárdai was a youth international for Germany, but declared his wish to represent Hungary after joining Fehérvár in 2021. He was included in the Hungarian squad for the
2021 UEFA Euro Under-21, but was cut due to an injury.
On 13 November 2022, Dárdai was called up to the
Hungary national team for the friendly games against
Luxembourg
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
and
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
and gained his first cap against the latter as a substitute in the 72nd minute.
Personal life
Palkó is the oldest son of Hungarian manager and former footballer
Pál Dárdai, and the brother of the
Hertha BSC
Hertha, Berliner Sport-Club e. V., commonly known as Hertha BSC () or Hertha Berlin, is a German professional football club based in Berlin. Hertha BSC plays in the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of German football league system, German footbal ...
footballers
Márton and
Bence Dárdai. Palkó's grandfather was also a footballer and manager, and also named
Pál Dárdai.
Career statistics
Club
International
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dardai, Palko
1999 births
Living people
Footballers from Berlin
Hungarian men's footballers
Hungary men's international footballers
German men's footballers
Germany men's youth international footballers
German people of Hungarian descent
Sportspeople of Hungarian descent
Men's association football midfielders
Hertha BSC II players
Hertha BSC players
Fehérvár FC players
Bundesliga players
2. Bundesliga players
Regionalliga players
Nemzeti Bajnokság I players
21st-century German sportsmen
21st-century Hungarian sportsmen