Thank you, Lukas!

With the departure of Lukas Hradecky, a model pro with not a trace of extravagance, eccentricity or egomania, Bayer 04 is losing not only an outstanding goalkeeper and captain after a successful and historic seven-year partnership, but also a very fine character.

‘Gone but not forgotten’, as the famous catchphrase goes. The Finnish national goalkeeper, who has left Bayer 04 after seven years as their number one to join AS Monaco, leaves behind a lasting legacy, as if carved in stone – or rather the Meisterschale.

And not only as an outstanding goalkeeper and team captain who led the Werkself in 286 competitive matches, but also as a person. It is commonly said that goalkeepers act differently than field players. They are said to be subject to higher stress levels due to their role as the last line of defence on the field. However, Hradecky was – and is – completely unfamiliar with such eccentricity. The 35-year-old is also unfamiliar with unsportsmanlike or egotistical behaviour. When he says something, it is with purpose and sense.

Hradecky doesn’t immediately lose hope when a few games don’t go so well. Nor does he indulge in jubilant celebrations after his team has put on a footballing masterclass.

'Wanted to give something back to the fans with the trophy'

However, that doesn’t entirely rule out the party animal gene – provided there really is something to celebrate. Like on the day when he became the first captain in Bayer 04 history to lift the championship trophy (which, as we all know, was joined a few days later by the DFB Cup). The fact that the Werkself remained unbeaten in all 34 league games in their championship year – the first team in Bundesliga history to do so – is another unique achievement that will forever be associated with Hradecky.

The fact that he humbly described the moment when he presented the championship trophy to the fans after the final home game against FC Augsburg as an “honour” and “the best moment of my career”, showed once again what this professional is made of. It was a moment that every Bayer 04 fan will always cherish. But it was also one that Hradecky made even more memorable with a gesture never seen before. “The fans waved to us with their hands,” he recalled later. “They played a big part in the championship, and I wanted to give something back to them for pushing us on and always standing behind us, especially in difficult times.”

We have heard similar sentiments expressed many times in football. However, these expressions of gratitude often do not last beyond the moment. Hradecky, however, thanked the fans with nothing less than the championship trophy they had been longing for for decades. He climbed over the pitch-side advertising boards, climbed up to the podium where the Ultras' lead singers were standing, and handed them the trophy, along with huge cheers. It was a moment that will surely go down in history. Where such superlatives are often misused, the proud father proved once again with this gesture that he truly understands what it means to be a fan.

“When I lost sight of the trophy for a few seconds, I was a little worried,” he admitted later. “But the fans handled the trophy better than I sometimes handle the ball.” Even in this iconic moment, the captain proved that, alongside his other fine qualities, he also has the rare gift of being able to laugh at himself.

With the Finn, who was born in Bratislava (then still part of Czechoslovakia), AS Monaco gains a number one who may quickly also become an especially valued contact for fans in the small but beautiful principality on the Mediterranean. Especially since this smartest of  keepers, who already speaks four foreign languages – Slovak, English, Danish and German – can surely be soon expected to express himself in French as well…