Petr Čech (Czech pronunciation: [ˈpɛtr̩ ˈtʃɛx] (About this sound listen); born 20 May 1982) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Arsenal. He is the former captain for the Czech Republic national team. Čech has previously played for Chmel Blšany, Sparta Prague, Rennes and Chelsea. He is the most capped player in the history of the Czech national team with 124 caps, and represented the country at the 2006 World Cup, as well as the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 European Championships. He was voted into the Euro 2004 all-star team after helping the Czechs reach the semi-finals. Čech also received the individual award of Best Goalkeeper in the 2004–05, 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons of the UEFA Champions League. In addition, he was named in the FIFPro and UEFA Champions League team of the season in 2006. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most respected goalkeepers of his generation.[4][5]
Čech joined Chelsea in 2004 and made 486 official appearances for the club, making him the club’s highest overseas appearance maker and sixth in its all-time appearances list.[6] With Chelsea, Čech won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, one UEFA Europa League and one UEFA Champions League. Čech kept a club record 220 clean sheets for Chelsea in all competitions.
Čech holds a number of goalkeeping records, including the Premier League record for fewest appearances required to reach 100 clean sheets, having done so in 180 league appearances, joint most number of clean sheets in a season (21), as well as the record for the most clean sheets in Premier League history. At the end of the 2016–17 season, the record stood at 190.[7] During the 2004–05 season, Čech went 1,025 minutes without conceding a goal — a Premier League record, until it was surpassed by Edwin van der Sar of Manchester United on 27 January 2009.
Čech is the only goalkeeper to have won the Golden Glove with two separate clubs, winning it a joint record four times; in 2004–05, 2009–10, 2013–14 and the 2015–16. Additionally he holds a Czech professional league record of not conceding a goal in 903 competitive minutes, a club record at his former club Sparta Prague, having gone 928 minutes unbeaten in all competitions in 2001–02, when his unbeaten run in the Czech First League was combined with his performances in the Champions League. On top of this he holds the record for the number of Czech Footballer of the Year and Czech Golden Ball wins.
Born in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia, Čech started playing football aged seven for Škoda Plzeň (later known as Viktoria Plzeň). In his early days, he played as a striker, although he later moved to the goalkeeper position.[8] Čech joined Czech First League team Chmel Blšany in June 1999[9] and made his league debut at the age of 17 in October 1999, in a 3–1 loss against Sparta.[8][9]
Čech signed a 5 1⁄2-year contract with Sparta Prague at the age of 18 in January 2001, although he remained at Blšany until the end of the 2000–01 season.[10] In November 2001, Čech broke the record formerly held by Theodor Reimann for the longest time elapsed without conceding a goal in the Czech professional league, stretching his run to 855 minutes.[11] His clean sheet record finally ended when he was beaten by a goal from Marcel Melecký of Bohemians on 17 November 2001, ending his record at 903 consecutive minutes without conceding.[12]
Despite Čech not winning the league title in the spring of 2002 with Sparta, he attracted interest from English clubs including Arsenal due to his international performances. Due to difficulties in obtaining a work permit, however, a proposed deal with the Gunners fell through.
Last summer, things changed and I understood I was no longer the first-choice keeper, but I felt it was not the right time for me to go. During the season it became clear that my situation would not improve and, as I know I am not at the stage of my career where I want to be on the bench, I made my decision to move on and look for new challenges.
— Čech, via open letter on Twitter, about his situation on Chelsea and his move to Arsenal[90]
2015–16 season
Čech signed for Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Arsenal on a four-year contract on 29 June 2015, for a fee of around £10 million.[91] The departure of Wojciech Szczęsny to Roma on loan made Čech first-choice goalkeeper ahead of David Ospina. On 2 August, Čech won his first trophy with Arsenal after beating former side Chelsea 1–0 in the 2015 FA Community Shield.[92] A week later, he made his Premier League debut for Arsenal in a 2–0 home defeat to West Ham.[93] On 20 October, he made his first Champions League appearance for Arsenal in a 2–0 win against Bayern Munich.[94] Čech recorded his 170th Premier League clean sheet in a 2–0 win against AFC Bournemouth on 28 December 2015, setting a new league record and overtaking previous record holder David James.[95][96] On 2 March 2016, he was sidelined due to a calf injury while playing against Swansea.[97] On 2 April, he returned as an unused substitute against Watford and returned to pitch on 17 April against Crystal Palace in a narrow 1–1 draw[97] and guided Arsenal to its 500th Premier League win on 21 April against West Brom.[98]
2016–17 season
Čech was given the captain’s armband for Arsenal in their 4–3 opening day home loss to Liverpool.[99] In November 2016, he featured for the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 rout by Arsenal of his former side Chelsea at the Emirates.[100] In April 2017, Čech played in the 2016–17 FA Cup semi final against Manchester City on 24 April at Wembley, which Arsenal won 2–1.[101] Čech again held the captain’s armband on 10 May 2017 in a 2–0 win over Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium.[102] Čech was sidelined for the FA Cup Final due to injury, but Arsenal beat Chelsea 2–1.[103] Čech won his 5th FA Cup, and Arsenal became the most successful club in the history of the competition with 13 tournament wins.[104][105]
2017–18 season
Čech was the goalkeeper for the 2017 Community Shield, which Arsenal won in a penalty shootout against Chelsea.[106]
He then held the armband to captain Arsenal in their 4–3 opening day home win over Leicester City.[107]
International career
Čech playing for the Czech national football team in 2010
Wikinews has related news: Petr Čech retires from international football
Čech first represented his country in November 1997 with the under-15 team, working his way up through different age groups before making his senior debut for the Czech Republic in February 2002. He first came to prominence as a 20-year-old at the 2002 U-21 European Championships when his penalty shoot-out heroics in the final against France, letting in only one of the penalty kicks, earned the Czech Republic their first title at youth level.[108]
After establishing himself as the senior team’s first choice goalkeeper, Čech was selected in the Czech Republic’s squad for UEFA Euro 2004. Čech’s saves helped his team progress as far as the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners Greece on the silver goal rule. He was named in the all-star team as best goalkeeper at the tournament.[109]
The Czech Republic qualified for the 2006 World Cup, held in Germany, and were placed in Group E, alongside Ghana, Italy and the United States. The Czech Republic finished third in their group, following a 3–0 win against the United States, and two losses against Ghana and Italy, the score 2–0 in both games, thus not qualifying for the knock-out stages of the tournament.
On 17 October 2007, Čech captained the Czech Republic team in their Euro 2008 Group D qualifier against Germany. He kept a clean sheet and the Czechs defeated Germany 3–0 away to book their place for the finals in Austria and Switzerland. In the last group game of the final tournament, Čech was beaten three times in the final 15 minutes as Turkey overcame a two-goal deficit to knock the Czechs out. Čech had a cross slip through his hands, allowing Nihat Kahveci to score Turkey’s equalizing goal.[110]
On 29 May 2012, Čech was named in the Czech Republic’s squad for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.[111] In the Czech Republic’s group match against Greece, a fumble from Čech allowed the Greeks a goal.[112] The match, however, finished 2–1 in the Czech Republic’s favour. Čech deputised for the injured Tomáš Rosický as captain in the final group match against Poland, as the Czech Republic qualified for the quarter-final with a 1–0 win.[113] Čech’s captaincy continued in the quarter-final, as Portugal eliminated the Czechs through a 79th-minute Cristiano Ronaldo goal.[114]
On 26 March 2013, Čech made his 100th appearance for the Czech Republic, keeping a clean sheet in a 3–0 win over Armenia.[115] He equalled the national record of former teammate Karel Poborský on 17 November 2015, when he earned his 118th cap in a 3–1 loss to neighbours Poland in Wrocław.[116] The following 27 May, he took the record outright by playing in a 6–0 friendly win over Malta.[117]
On 8 July 2016, Čech announced his retirement from international football. He is the most capped player in the history of the Czech team, with 124 caps. (Czech pronunciation: [ˈpɛtr̩ ˈtʃɛx] (About this sound listen); born 20 May 1982) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Arsenal. He is the former captain for the Czech Republic national team. Čech has previously played for Chmel Blšany, Sparta Prague, Rennes and Chelsea. He is the most capped player in the history of the Czech national team with 124 caps, and represented the country at the 2006 World Cup, as well as the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 European Championships. He was voted into the Euro 2004 all-star team after helping the Czechs reach the semi-finals. Čech also received the individual award of Best Goalkeeper in the 2004–05, 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons of the UEFA Champions League. In addition, he was named in the FIFPro and UEFA Champions League team of the season in 2006. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most respected goalkeepers of his generation.[4][5]
Čech joined Chelsea in 2004 and made 486 official appearances for the club, making him the club’s highest overseas appearance maker and sixth in its all-time appearances list.[6] With Chelsea, Čech won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, one UEFA Europa League and one UEFA Champions League. Čech kept a club record 220 clean sheets for Chelsea in all competitions.
Čech holds a number of goalkeeping records, including the Premier League record for fewest appearances required to reach 100 clean sheets, having done so in 180 league appearances, joint most number of clean sheets in a season (21), as well as the record for the most clean sheets in Premier League history. At the end of the 2016–17 season, the record stood at 190.[7] During the 2004–05 season, Čech went 1,025 minutes without conceding a goal — a Premier League record, until it was surpassed by Edwin van der Sar of Manchester United on 27 January 2009.
Čech is the only goalkeeper to have won the Golden Glove with two separate clubs, winning it a joint record four times; in 2004–05, 2009–10, 2013–14 and the 2015–16. Additionally he holds a Czech professional league record of not conceding a goal in 903 competitive minutes, a club record at his former club Sparta Prague, having gone 928 minutes unbeaten in all competitions in 2001–02, when his unbeaten run in the Czech First League was combined with his performances in the Champions League. On top of this he holds the record for the number of Czech Footballer of the Year and Czech Golden Ball wins.
Born in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia, Čech started playing football aged seven for Škoda Plzeň (later known as Viktoria Plzeň). In his early days, he played as a striker, although he later moved to the goalkeeper position.[8] Čech joined Czech First League team Chmel Blšany in June 1999[9] and made his league debut at the age of 17 in October 1999, in a 3–1 loss against Sparta.[8][9]
Čech signed a 5 1⁄2-year contract with Sparta Prague at the age of 18 in January 2001, although he remained at Blšany until the end of the 2000–01 season.[10] In November 2001, Čech broke the record formerly held by Theodor Reimann for the longest time elapsed without conceding a goal in the Czech professional league, stretching his run to 855 minutes.[11] His clean sheet record finally ended when he was beaten by a goal from Marcel Melecký of Bohemians on 17 November 2001, ending his record at 903 consecutive minutes without conceding.[12]
Despite Čech not winning the league title in the spring of 2002 with Sparta, he attracted interest from English clubs including Arsenal due to his international performances. Due to difficulties in obtaining a work permit, however, a proposed deal with the Gunners fell through.
Last summer, things changed and I understood I was no longer the first-choice keeper, but I felt it was not the right time for me to go. During the season it became clear that my situation would not improve and, as I know I am not at the stage of my career where I want to be on the bench, I made my decision to move on and look for new challenges.
— Čech, via open letter on Twitter, about his situation on Chelsea and his move to Arsenal[90]
2015–16 season
Čech signed for Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Arsenal on a four-year contract on 29 June 2015, for a fee of around £10 million.[91] The departure of Wojciech Szczęsny to Roma on loan made Čech first-choice goalkeeper ahead of David Ospina. On 2 August, Čech won his first trophy with Arsenal after beating former side Chelsea 1–0 in the 2015 FA Community Shield.[92] A week later, he made his Premier League debut for Arsenal in a 2–0 home defeat to West Ham.[93] On 20 October, he made his first Champions League appearance for Arsenal in a 2–0 win against Bayern Munich.[94] Čech recorded his 170th Premier League clean sheet in a 2–0 win against AFC Bournemouth on 28 December 2015, setting a new league record and overtaking previous record holder David James.[95][96] On 2 March 2016, he was sidelined due to a calf injury while playing against Swansea.[97] On 2 April, he returned as an unused substitute against Watford and returned to pitch on 17 April against Crystal Palace in a narrow 1–1 draw[97] and guided Arsenal to its 500th Premier League win on 21 April against West Brom.[98]
2016–17 season
Čech was given the captain’s armband for Arsenal in their 4–3 opening day home loss to Liverpool.[99] In November 2016, he featured for the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 rout by Arsenal of his former side Chelsea at the Emirates.[100] In April 2017, Čech played in the 2016–17 FA Cup semi final against Manchester City on 24 April at Wembley, which Arsenal won 2–1.[101] Čech again held the captain’s armband on 10 May 2017 in a 2–0 win over Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium.[102] Čech was sidelined for the FA Cup Final due to injury, but Arsenal beat Chelsea 2–1.[103] Čech won his 5th FA Cup, and Arsenal became the most successful club in the history of the competition with 13 tournament wins.[104][105]
2017–18 season
Čech was the goalkeeper for the 2017 Community Shield, which Arsenal won in a penalty shootout against Chelsea.[106]
He then held the armband to captain Arsenal in their 4–3 opening day home win over Leicester City.[107]
International career
Čech playing for the Czech national football team in 2010
Wikinews has related news: Petr Čech retires from international football
Čech first represented his country in November 1997 with the under-15 team, working his way up through different age groups before making his senior debut for the Czech Republic in February 2002. He first came to prominence as a 20-year-old at the 2002 U-21 European Championships when his penalty shoot-out heroics in the final against France, letting in only one of the penalty kicks, earned the Czech Republic their first title at youth level.[108]
After establishing himself as the senior team’s first choice goalkeeper, Čech was selected in the Czech Republic’s squad for UEFA Euro 2004. Čech’s saves helped his team progress as far as the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners Greece on the silver goal rule. He was named in the all-star team as best goalkeeper at the tournament.[109]
The Czech Republic qualified for the 2006 World Cup, held in Germany, and were placed in Group E, alongside Ghana, Italy and the United States. The Czech Republic finished third in their group, following a 3–0 win against the United States, and two losses against Ghana and Italy, the score 2–0 in both games, thus not qualifying for the knock-out stages of the tournament.
On 17 October 2007, Čech captained the Czech Republic team in their Euro 2008 Group D qualifier against Germany. He kept a clean sheet and the Czechs defeated Germany 3–0 away to book their place for the finals in Austria and Switzerland. In the last group game of the final tournament, Čech was beaten three times in the final 15 minutes as Turkey overcame a two-goal deficit to knock the Czechs out. Čech had a cross slip through his hands, allowing Nihat Kahveci to score Turkey’s equalizing goal.[110]
On 29 May 2012, Čech was named in the Czech Republic’s squad for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.[111] In the Czech Republic’s group match against Greece, a fumble from Čech allowed the Greeks a goal.[112] The match, however, finished 2–1 in the Czech Republic’s favour. Čech deputised for the injured Tomáš Rosický as captain in the final group match against Poland, as the Czech Republic qualified for the quarter-final with a 1–0 win.[113] Čech’s captaincy continued in the quarter-final, as Portugal eliminated the Czechs through a 79th-minute Cristiano Ronaldo goal.[114]
On 26 March 2013, Čech made his 100th appearance for the Czech Republic, keeping a clean sheet in a 3–0 win over Armenia.[115] He equalled the national record of former teammate Karel Poborský on 17 November 2015, when he earned his 118th cap in a 3–1 loss to neighbours Poland in Wrocław.[116] The following 27 May, he took the record outright by playing in a 6–0 friendly win over Malta.[117]
On 8 July 2016, Čech announced his retirement from international football. He is the most capped player in the history of the Czech team, with 124 caps.
