Miroslav Karhan

Clubs: FC Spartak Trnava, Real Betis Balompié, Beşiktaş JK, VfL Wolfsburg, 1. FSV Mainz 05, FC Spartak Trnava

• A Slovakian Cup winner with Spartak Trnava in 1998, Karhan spent a single season with Betis and Beşiktaş – for whom he featured in a 3-0 UEFA Champions League group stage defeat of FC Barcelona − prior to signing for Wolfsburg in 2001

• It was while with the German club that Karhan was voted Slovakian footballer of the year in 2002. In six seasons with the Wolves, Karhan amassed 173 Bundesliga appearances and nine goals.

• Remained in Germany after leaving Wolfsburg in 2007, joining Mainz, who he helped win promotion to the Bundesliga in his second season. After 109 league games for the Rhineland side, he returned to Spartak Trnava for the start of the 2011/12 campaign.

• The midfielder endured a debut to remember for Slovakia when he turned out against Israel in Kosice on 6 September 1995. He required four stitches to a cut he received above his eyebrow in the first half, but remained on the field for the duration as Slovakia won 1-0.

• Helped Slovakia qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup – their first major tournament as an independent nation – but an Achilles injury ruled him out of the squad and thereby prevented him from earning his 100th cap at the tournament.

• Slovakia's most-capped player brought up his century of international appearances during a 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland on 12 October 2010 in Zilina. "He was our best player, for sure," said coach Vladimír Weiss after the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier.

• Karhan announced his international retirement after Slovakia lost 1-0 to Russia on 7 October 2011. "It wasn't a spontaneous decision," he said following his 107th and final outing. "I said before qualifying that while the team had a chance to advance to the championship I would be available; now that's over, along with my secret dream to say farewell next year."

• On receiving his commemorative cap and medal from UEFA before that UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier, Karhan added: "One hundred games for the national team is a nice number, but statistics have never been important to me."