Pavel Nedved
The Czech Fury whose relentless runs and left foot defined an era for club and country.
via Wikipedia: Pavel Nedvěd · see source
Pavel Nedvěd, a Czech midfielder born on 30 August 1972, is considered one of the finest players his country has ever produced. His career included major trophies with Italian sides Lazio and Juventus. With Lazio, he scored the decisive goal in the final of the last-ever UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, and he later helped Juventus reach the 2003 Champions League final. That same year, he became the second Czech to win the Ballon d’Or, following Josef Masopust, and the first to do so after the breakup of Czechoslovakia.
Nicknamed “Méďa” at home—a play on the Czech word for bear, medvěd—and given a different nickname by Italian fans for his energetic runs, Nedvěd was a key figure for his national team. He helped the Czech Republic reach the Euro 1996 final, captained them to the Euro 2004 semi-finals (where he was named in the Team of the Tournament), and guided the squad to their first World Cup since the nation’s split in 2006. Over his club career, he played 501 league matches and scored 110 goals, while earning 91 caps and 18 goals for his country. His individual honors include four Czech Footballer of the Year awards, six Golden Ball trophies, the 2004 Golden Foot, and selection for both the FIFA 100 and the UEFA Team of the Year in 2003, 2004, and 2005. He retired after the 2008–09 season.
Quick Facts
- Born
- 30 August 1972
- Birthplace
- Cheb, Czechoslovakia
- Height
- 1.77 m / 5 ft 10 in
- Position
- Midfielder
- Current club
- Al Shabab (sporting director)
- Total caps
- 501
- Total goals
- 110
Facts from the source article.
Background
Nedvěd was a vital player in the Czech team that reached the final of Euro 1996, after which he attracted the attention of big European clubs. He also captained the team at UEFA Euro 2004, where they were defeated in the semi-final by eventual champions Greece, and Nedvěd was named in the Team of the Tournament. Furthermore, Nedvěd helped his team qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup for the first time since the breakup of Czechoslovakia. Due to his quick and energetic runs during matches, Nedvěd was nicknamed 'Furia Ceca' (Czech Fury) by Italian football fans. His nickname in Czech is Méďa (Little Bear), stemming from the similarity between his surname and the Czech word for bear, Medvěd.
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