NI v Czech Republic

Pavel Nedved

Petr Cech 2002-2016 124 caps, conceded 73 goals, 37 clean sheets Most capped player in Czech history and rated one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Played a vital role in Chelsea’s ‘golden era’ under Jose Mourinho. The 6ft 5ins keeper was voted Czech Footballer of the Year nine times. Retired from the national team after Euro 2016. Cech played against Northern Ireland on four occasions, in two U21 Euros qualifiers and in both WC 2010 qualifiers. In 2004-05 he set a Premier League record of not conceding a goal for 1025 minutes. At Chelsea he won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one World Club Cup title, a Europa League title and one Champions League title.  With Arsenal he won the FA Cup in 2016-17. Jan Koller 1999-2009, 91 caps, 55 goals The 6ft 8ins striker was a superb header of the ball and also possessed a strong shot. He tops the all-time top scorer charts for the Czech Republic national team. Also enjoyed a successful career at club level, especially with Anderlecht, where he won the Belgian League championship twice (2000 and 2001), and with Borussia Dortmund with whom he won the Bundesliga in 2002. Koller twice played against Northern Ireland - in WC A gifted, hard working two-footed midfielder with a never-say-die spirit, Nedved won respect as one of the best foreign players in the history of Serie A when he played for Lazio (1996-2001) and Juventus (2001-2009). The 5ft 10ins dynamo was a key member of the Czech team which reached the final of Euro 1996 and captained the national team at Euro 2004, where they were defeated in the semi-final by eventual champions Greece. He won the Cup Winners’ Cup, Serie A and Italian Cup with Lazio and two Serie A titles with Juventus. He played against Northern Ireland in the qualifiers for WC 2002, scoring the only goal of the game in Belfast, and in the return in Teplice (3-1). 2002 qualifiers. Pavel Nedved 1991-2006, 91 caps, 18 goals

Karel Poborsky 1994-2006, 118 caps, 8 goals Winger with all the skills who scored clever goals. Key player for the Czech team which reached Euro 1996 in England where he played in all the games as the Czechs reached the final where they lost in extra time to Germany. Scored a memorable winning goal in the quarter-final against Portugal (1-0), coolly lobbing the ball over the head of the keeper.  And ‘Poborsky's Lob’ was judged the most beautiful goal in the tournament.  Won the Premier League title in 1997 with Manchester United. Played in both 2002 WC qualifiers against Northern Ireland. Tomas Rosicky 2000-2016, 105 caps, 23 goals Superbly gifted midfield playmaker who, after five years with Borussia Dortmund, joined Arsenal in 2006 and returned to the Czech Republic in 2016 after injury problems limited his appearances. In Germany his ability to control and orchestrate play earned him the nickname The Little Mozart, while Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger praised his “special talent". At Euro 2016 Rosicky became the oldest player to represent Czech Republic in a European Championship Finals at the age of 35. He also holds the record for being the youngest player to have done so, having played at Euro 2000 as a 19-year-old. Played against Northern Ireland in the WC 2010 qualifier in Prague (0-0). Milan Baros 2000-2012, 93 caps, 41 goals Milan Baros's best individual achievement was finishing top scorer at Euro 2004. In the tournament he scored five goals and helped his country reach the semi-finals. Throughout his career Baros had great goal scoring instincts. He was also quite successful at club level. He won a Champions League, an FA Cup, a Ligue 1 title and a Turkish League title. Played against Northern Ireland in both WC 2010 qualifiers, and also in two Euro U21 qualifiers in 2001.

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