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Czechs overflow with talent
They may not have the biggest pool of players to choose from,
but what Karel Brückner's Czech Republic side lack in
quantity, they make up in sheer quality.
Good campaign
Emerging triumphant from qualifying Group 3 ahead of the Netherlands,
and with most of their playes having top-flight experience
in most of Europe's best leagues, the Czech Republic at their
best possess all the flair and style of the Italians allied
to the never-say-die resilience of the Germans.
Stylish players
Hardly surprising, as within their ranks they boast some of
the finest players in the Bundesliga and Serie A. Their most
notable talent is Juventus FC's Pavel Nedved - a left-sided
midfield player with power and pace and a knack for scoring
goals from set pieces.
Brilliant Nedved
Nedved was acknowledged by may to have been the outstanding
player of the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League, and his absence
through suspension from the Juventus side that lost on penalties
to AC Milan in the final was cited by many as the decisive
factor in the game.
Excellent Poborský
Of a similar vintage to Nedved, former Manchester United FC
winger Karel Poborský can provide a significant threat
down the right, and will be hoping to emulate the sparkling
form that led the Czech Republic to the final of EURO 96™
and briefly made him a household name in Europe.
Midfield class
The Czechs are spoiled for choice in the centre of midfield.
PFC CSKA Moskva midfield player Jirí Jarošik did
not become the most expensive player ever to join a Russian
club without good reason, while Liverpool FC's Vladimír
Šmicer brings an element of toughness to a midfield dripping
with style.
Dortmund genius
No analysis of the Czech midfield would be complete without
a mention of BV Borussia Dortmund's brilliant Tomáš
Rosický. Lightning-fast and supremely composed with
the ball at his feet, the youngster was, like so many of his
team-mates, a graduate of the AC Sparta Praha academy, and
has the passing skills to turn a game.
Massive striker
He will certainly provide much of the ammunition for the Czech
Republic's forwards, who will be led by the giant Jan Koller.
Surprisingly nimble with the ball at his feet but unsurprisingly
deadly in the air, Koller will nonetheless need to be at his
best to keep Liverpool prodigy Milan Baroš out of the
first team.
Classy goalkeeper
At the other end, young goalkeeper Petr Cech has tended to
be Brückner's first choice. Now playing in France, he
is one of a number of veterans of the Czech team who surprisingly
triumphed at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship along
with Baroš and defender Zdenek Grygera.
Inexperienced defence
Cech has the commanding presence to preside over a relatively
inexperienced defence which also boasts Tomáš
Hübschman - a young Sparta defender rated by many to
be one of the finest prospects in Europe.
Youth and experience
There is a nice mixture of youth and experience in the Czech
squad, and after failing to reach the FIFA World Cup finals
in 1998 and 2002 and underperforming massively at EURO 2000™,
there is also a real determination to show that they are as
good as they have been hyped up to be.
Confidence boost
"In the last [World Cup] campaign we lost a lot of respect
for not qualifying," Šmicer told uefa.com. "Now
we want to go back out and reclaim that respect because as
a team we have good players but just need a little more confidence."
Should they find that confidence in Portugal, they will be
a match for anyone.
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