Rokas Pukštas
Personal information
Full name Rokas Pukštas[1]
Date of birth (2004-08-25) August 25, 2004[1]
Place of birth Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.81 m)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Hajduk Split
Number 21
Youth career
2018–2020 Sporting Kansas City
2020 Barça Residency Academy
2020–2022 Hajduk Split
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Hajduk Split 31 (7)
2022 → Solin (loan) 5 (3)
International career‡
2019 United States U15 5 (0)
2021–2023 United States U20 14 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of December 6, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of June 4, 2023

Rokas Pukštas (born August 25, 2004) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Croatian Football League club Hajduk Split.

Club career

Pukštas joined Sporting Kansas City's youth academy in 2018, and had a trial with Manchester United in 2019.[2] He moved to the Barça Residency Academy in January 2020, where he was a regular starter of their youth sides. He signed a professional contract with Hajduk Split on November 10, 2020, joining their U17 side.[3] He made his professional debut with Hajduk Split in a 2–1 Croatian First Football League win over Hrvatski Dragovoljac on April 29, 2022.[4]

International career

Pukštas is eligible to play for the United States and Lithuania. He represented the United States U15s in 2019.[5] He later represented the United States U20s in 2021[6] and at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup[7] where he scored a goal against New Zealand.[8] He was approached to represent the senior Lithuania national team in March 2022.[9]

Personal life

Pukštas was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma to a family of Lithuanian athletes. His father, Mindaugas Pukštas, was a Lithuanian marathon runner who came 74th in his discipline at the 2004 Summer Olympics.[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played December 6, 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hajduk Split 2021–22 1. HNL 10———10
2022–23 21450—1[lower-alpha 2]0274
2023–24 9310——103
Total 317600010387
Solin (loan) 2022–23 1. NL 53———53
Career total 36106000104310

Honors

Hajduk Split

United States U20

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Squad List – FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023: USA" (PDF). FIFA. May 18, 2023. p. 23. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Hajduku zanimljiv Rokas Pukstas". Dalmatinski portal.
  3. ↑ "USYNT mid Rokas Pukstas signs in Europe | Club Soccer | Youth Soccer". TopDrawerSoccer.com.
  4. ↑ "Slobodna Dalmacija – Rokas Pukštas upisao je debi za prvu momčad Bijelih: 'Osjećaj je bio sjajan, kao dijete sam sanjao da kao dio Hajduka budem pred navijačima'". slobodnadalmacija.hr. April 29, 2022.
  5. ↑ Vaughn, Tyler (June 1, 2018). "OEFC's Pukstas captains U.S. U-15 National team". OKC Energy FC.
  6. ↑ "Rinktinės treneris su techniniu direktoriumi parodė dėmesį jaunam futbolo talentui". tv3.lt.
  7. ↑ https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2023/05/us-under-20-mynt-head-coach-mikey-varas-names-usa-roster-for-2023-fifa-u-20-world-cup-in-argentina
  8. ↑ https://www.espn.com/soccer/report/_/gameId/669411
  9. ↑ Tamulionis, Aurimas. "Futbolo rinktinės pristatyme graudinęsis V.Ivanauskas kirto Rusijai: "Jų sporto niekada nebebus"". 15min.lt/sportas.
  10. ↑ "Kroatijos futbole gali atsirasti dar viena lietuviška pavardė, geriau žinoma JAV nei Lietuvoje". DELFI.
  11. ↑ Henry Jr, Larry (May 24, 2023). "Rokas Pukstas wins Croatian Cup with Hajduk Split". SBI Soccer. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
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