FIFA World Cup™ Germany 2006 player's profile

Pavel Nedved is the Czech Republic's undisputed superstar. A stellar career has seen him pick up practically every honour the game has to offer, so it comes as a surprise to learn he is poised for a first-ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup™ finals.
The goal-getting dynamo began his career with Tatran Skalna, moving on to Ruda Hvozda Cheb and Skoda Plzen before arriving in the capital with Dukla Prague. He crossed town in 1992 to Dukla's arch-rivals Sparta, immediately chalking up a hat-trick of domestic championship triumphs.

A Czech Cup winner's medal followed in 1996, before Nedved switched to Roman side Lazio in Italy's Serie A. The hard-running, skilful midfield general was an instant hit in the Italian capital, as Lazio won the Italian Cup, the last-ever UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, and then in 1999/2000, a domestic league and cup double.

Mighty Juventus snapped up the Czech star in 2001 as a replacement for Real Madrid-bound Zinedine Zidane. Nedved rose to the challenge in style, extending his already-impressive medal collection as he led the ‘Old Lady’ of Italian football to a series of domestic honours.

The 2002/03 campaign was particularly memorable as Nedved, nicknamed ‘The Horse’ for his seemingly inexhaustible stamina, played a key role in Juve’s successful defence of their Serie A title and their charge to the UEFA Champions League final. He was named European Player of the Year at the end of an outstanding season.

Key player
Nedved fills a similarly pivotal role for the Czech national team. Having made his debut in July 1994, Nedved really came of age at UEFA EURO 96 in England, where the Czech Republic sprung a surprise by going all the way the final, suffering an agonising golden goal defeat at the hands of Germany.

The midfielder also appeared at EURO 2000, but the Czechs failed to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Nedved was back to his outstanding best as skipper of the national team at EURO 2004 in Portugal, although he and his team were to suffer the bitter disappointment of defeat in the semi-finals to eventual winners Greece.

Nedved's personal agony was compounded by a serious knee injury, prompting him to call time on his international career after scoring 17 goals in 83 appearances. He based the decision on an inability to cope with the additional physical demands of the international game.

The Czechs were thus without their star player for 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying, and had to make do with the runners-up spot in Group 1 behind the Netherlands. That meant a play-off against Norway, for which coach Karel Bruckner successfully persuaded his former captain to perform a U-turn and resume his glittering Czech Republic career.

"We're even stronger with Pavel Nedved in the side," a delighted Bruckner said. The coach's assessment proved correct, as Nedved turned in two characteristically commanding performances to guide his men past the Norwegians and claim a place at the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time since independence.

"That was the most difficult game of my career. I'm delighted because I've met the coach's expectations," Nedved said afterwards. "I was determined to make a small contribution towards this fantastic team playing at the World Cup." His ultimate goal is to prove the Czechs are not just about skilful, flowing football, but should be considered serious contenders for the trophy - a real possibility with Nedved at the peak of his powers.

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UEFA Champions League 2005-06 player's profile

A left-sided midfield player with a venomous shot, tremendous skill, vision and pace, Pavel Nedved was named European Footballer of the Year in 2003.

National team
Nedved made his international debut in June 1994 in a 3-1 win against the Republic of Ireland and was the driving force behind the Czech Republic's run to the final of EURO '96™. He also played at UEFA EURO 2000™ and, after the failure to qualify for Korea/Japan, was the heartbeat of the midfield as Karel Brückner's side reached the semi-finals of UEFA EURO 2004™, where a knee injury forced him out of the loss to Greece to prompt his international retirement.

Club
Started at AC Dukla Praha, where he played for a season prior to a switch to city rivals AC Sparta Praha in 1992. The club secured domestic championships in each of the next three seasons and won the Czech Cup in Nedved's final campaign in his homeland, 1995/96, before he headed to Italy and S.S. Lazio.

1996: Lazio won the 1997/98 Coppa Italia and then claimed the last-ever UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Nedved scoring the winner against RCD Mallorca, the competition's final goal. The following year he claimed an Italian league and cup double, before Nedved opted for a change of scene and a €41.2m move to Turin in 2001.

2001: Nedved settled quickly, and 2002/03 was arguably his best season yet; the Czech was inspirational as Juve retained their Serie A title, scoring nine times. Named Czech Footballer of the Year for a fourth time, he scored against Real Madrid CF in the Champions League semi-final but missed the final loss to AC Milan through suspension. He was again named the Czech Republic's finest player in 2004.

2004/05: Despite suffering two serious injuries, Nedved was again a key player as Juventus won their 28th Scudetto. He scored seven goals in 27 appearances but missed out on Champions League glory yet again.

Did you know?
Nedved is a keen wine collector.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

A left-sided midfield player with a venomous shot, tremendous skill, vision and pace, Pavel Nedved was named European Footballer of the Year in 2003.

National team
Nedved made his international debut in June 1994 in a 3-1 win against the Republic of Ireland and was the driving force behind the Czech Republic's run to the final of EURO 96™. He played at UEFA EURO 2000™, where the Czechs fell at the first hurdle.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
Nedved was the heartbeat of the Czech midfield as Karel Brückner's side finished top of qualifying Group 3. He missed only the first game, a 2-0 win in Moldova, and scored the first goal in a 4-0 win at home to Austria and an equaliser away to Belarus.

Club
Started at AC Dukla Praha, where he played for a season prior to a switch to city rivals AC Sparta Praha in 1992. The club secured domestic championships in each of the next three seasons before winning the Czech Cup in Nedved's final campaign in his homeland, 1995/96, before heading to Italy and S.S. Lazio.

1996: A favourite at the Stadio Olimpico, Nedved's Lazio won the Coppa Italia and 1998 and in 1998/99 claimed the last-ever UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, Nedved scoring against RCD Mallorca in the final. The following year he claimed an Italian league and cup double. After nine goals in 31 league matches in 2000/01 he opted for a change of scene and a €41.2m move to Turin.

2001: So highly prized was Nedved in Rome that Dino Zoff is alleged to have asked him how he felt the team should play, although it was in black and white that his season ended with another Scudetto triumph. 2002/03 was arguably Nedved's best season yet, he was inspirational as Juve defended their Serie A title, scoring nine times. Named Czech Footballer of the Year for a fourth time, he scored against Real Madrid CF in the Champions League semi-final but was later booked and forced to sit out the final loss to AC Milan.

2003/04: Again named the Czech Republic's finest player, Nedved missed out on other silverware as the Bianconeri finished third in Serie A and lost the Coppa Italia final.

Did you know?
A keen wine collector, Nedved married his childhood sweetheart, Ivana, at the age of 21.

©uefa.com 1998-2004. All rights reserved.

BBC's UEFA EURO 2004 player's profile

Midfielder Pavel Nedved seems to have got better with age and was named European Football of the Year in 2003.

Nedved came to international renown in the Czech's surprise run to the Euro 96 final and earned him a move to Lazio.

He has been consistently brilliant in the Italian league, winning the title in 2001 before a switch to Juventus and more titles in 2002 and 2003.

Nedved missed the chance to play in the Champions League final last year through suspension.

The national captain and a talismanic figure to his team-mates, Euro 2004 represents an opportunity for Nedved to grasp greatness.

International success is the final frontier for Nedved after the Czech side disappointed at Euro 2000 and failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2002.

©bbc.co.uk 2004. All rights reserved.