Pavel Nedved

Verified Timeline

Lore & 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' (lit. 'Czech Fury') by Italian football fans. His nickname in Czech is Méďa (lit. 'Little Bear'), stemming from the similarity between his surname and the Czech word for bear, Medvěd.

In Their Own Story

In December 2006, Nedvěd received a five-match ban after a red card against Genoa and repeated threats to retire. Despite this, he stayed with the club through their relegation to Serie B, scoring 11 league goals in the 2006–07 season to help Juventus regain promotion. He returned for the 2007–08 season as a first-choice left winger, though his tackle on Luís Figo broke the Inter midfielder's fibula. On 26 February 2009, he announced his retirement at the end of the 2008–09 season to spend time with his family.

Reader's Guide

Winning the Ballon d'Or in 2003, Nedvěd was the second Czech player to win the award after Josef Masopust and the first since the breakup of Czechoslovakia. During his career, Nedvěd received many other individual awards, including the second Golden Foot award in 2004, Czech Footballer of the Year (four times), and the Golden Ball (six times). He was also named by Pelé as one of the FIFA 100 and was named in the UEFA Team of the Year in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Nedvěd retired from professional football after the 2008–09 season. Nedvěd played 501 league matches at club level (scoring 110 goals) and was capped 91 times for the Czech Republic (scoring 18 goals).

Did You Know?

• Nedvěd was born on 30 August 1972 in Cheb and raised in nearby Skalná.
• He began playing for his hometown club Tatran Skalná in 1977 at the age of five.
• Nedvěd was loaned to Dukla Prague in 1990 as part of his military service.
• He won the last ever Cup Winners' Cup with Lazio, scoring the decisive goal in the 1999 final.
• Nedvěd was the second Czech player to win the Ballon d'Or, after Josef Masopust.