Czech captain and playmaker Pavel Nedved has retired from international football because of persistent injury, the Czech Soccer Federation said on Friday.
The 32-year-old European footballer of the year said this month he would not return to the national squad until he had fully recovered from a knee injury. Midfielder Nedved, who plays for Juventus in Italy, suffered the injury in the Euro 2004 semi-final loss to Greece. Czech Republic were one of the favourites for the title, and Nedved’s absence was blamed widely for the team’s loss.
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Nedved made his debut for the Czech Republic against Ireland in 1994 and played 83 times for his country, scoring 17 goals. He moved to Lazio from Sparta Prague in 1996, helping the Rome-based club to victories in the Italian Cup in 1998 and the European Winners’ Cup in 1999.
The following season Lazio clinched the Italian league and cup double and Juventus paid 41 million euros ($49.5 million) for Nedved in 2001. He helped Juventus win league titles in 2002 and 2003.
In 2003 he missed Juventus’s loss in the Champions League final to AC Milan after a booking in the semi-finals.
The Czech Republic will need to replace their most influential player for the remaining 2006 World Cup qualifiers, after an opening 2-0 loss to the Netherlands. Nedved did not play in that game. The Czechs play Romania in a Group One qualifier on October 9 and Armenia four days later.
Nedved at a glance
1972: Born on August 30, in Cheb in Czechoslovakia 1991: Begins career with Dukla Prague 1992: Joins Sparta Prague and wins Czech championship threetimes during his five years at the club 1996: Helps Czech Republic to final of European Championship, where they lose 2-1 to Germany after golden goal 1996: Signs for Lazio 1999: Wins European Cup Winners’ Cup 2000: Clinches Serie A title and Italian Cup double 2001: Joins Juventus for around 40 million euros ($49million) in July as replacement for playmaker Zinedine Zidane, transferred to Real Madrid 2003: Helps Juventus to a second successive league title. Takes team to Champions League final but misses game due to suspension. Named Czech Player of the Year for fourth time in sixseasons. Voted Player of the Year by World Soccermagazine. Named European Footballer of the Year by France Football 2004: Leads Czech Republic to Euro 2004semi-finals, losing 1-0 to surprise tournament winners Greece after silver goal extra time.
