Dávid Hancko began his career at MŠK Žilina in his native Slovakia and moved to Fiorentina in 2018, but found limited opportunities in Italy. Loans followed before he joined Sparta Prague, where he established himself as a reliable left-sided defender.
His move to Feyenoord in 2022 was the breakthrough. In his first season he won the Eredivisie under Arne Slot, and over three years he became one of the most consistent defenders in the Netherlands, comfortable at centre-back or left-back.
Atlético Madrid signed him in 2025. Hancko is a regular for Slovakia and played at Euro 2024, where Slovakia reached the knockout stage.
Playing style
Hancko is a versatile defender who can play at centre-back or left-back. He is left-footed, calm on the ball and a good passer, which makes him valuable in building attacks from the back. Defensively he is strong in the air and reads the game well. At Feyenoord he played in an aggressive, possession-based system under Arne Slot and became one of the Eredivisie’s best defenders. His versatility and consistency made him an attractive signing for Atlético.
International career
Hancko made his Slovakia debut in 2018 and has become one of the key players in their defence. He played at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, where Slovakia reached the last 16 and pushed England to extra time.
Career in numbers
Hancko’s senior club career, which began in 2015/16, has so far brought 343 appearances and 42 goals for 5 clubs. His most productive season in front of goal was 2021/22, when he scored 10 times in 44 games for Sparta Prague. His busiest campaign was 2022/23, with 50 appearances. So far in 2026/27 he has made 8 appearances for Atlético Madrid. The full season-by-season record is in the Stats section of this profile.