Lothar Herbert Matthäus is a German football pundit, former professional football player and manager. After captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 FIFA World Cup where he lifted the World Cup trophy, he was awarded the Ballon d'Or. In 1991, he was named the first FIFA World Player of the Year, and remains the only German to have received the award. He was also included in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team in 2020.
Vladimír Šmicer is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He started his senior career at Slavia Prague, the only Czech club he ever played for. In 1999, Šmicer moved to England where he played for Liverpool, winning multiple honours. He is perhaps best remembered at Liverpool for his long-range goal in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final victory against Milan. At Liverpool he also won an UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup treble in 2001 as well as the 2003 League Cup.
Milan Baroš is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a striker for FK Vigantice.
Karel Poborský is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a right winger. He was most noted for his technical ability and pace.
Vratislav Lokvenc is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a striker. After playing youth football for Náchod and Hradec Králové, he began his senior club career with the latter team. After moving to Sparta Prague he won five league titles and one cup, as well as the 1999–2000 league top scorer award. He subsequently played abroad, playing club football in Germany, Austria and Switzerland for 1. FC Kaiserslautern, VfL Bochum, Red Bull Salzburg, FC Basel and FC Ingolstadt 04. He retired in 2009.
FC Slovan Liberec, commonly referred to as Slovan Liberec or simply Slovan, is a Czech football club based in the city of Liberec. The club is one of the most successful in the Czech Republic, having won three league titles and the domestic cup since 1993. Glass-making company Preciosa a.s. is the current main sponsor of the club.
Antonín Panenka is a Czech retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He spent most of his career representing Czechoslovak club Bohemians Prague. Panenka won UEFA Euro 1976 with the national team of Czechoslovakia. In the final against West Germany, he notably scored the winning penalty in the shootout with a softly-chipped ball up the middle of the goal as the goalkeeper dove away; a style of penalty now known as a panenka, named after him. In 1980, he won Czechoslovak Footballer of the Year and his team finished third at Euro 1980.
Olaf Thon is a German former professional football player and coach.
Radoslav Látal is a Czech football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is in charge of Czech First League side Jablonec.
Ladislav Novák was a Czech football defender and later a football manager. He played 75 matches for Czechoslovakia, 71 of them as a team captain.
Ladislav Jurkemik is a former Slovak football player and later a football manager. He played in the Czechoslovak First League for Inter Bratislava and Dukla Banská Bystrica. Jurkemik played internationally for Czechoslovakia; he played a total of 57 matches and scored 3 goals. He managed Slovakia in 2002 and 2003.
Michal Horňák is a Czech football manager and former player. He played for the Czech Republic, for which he played 38 matches and scored 1 goal.
Luboš Kozel is a Czech football manager and former player. Following a playing career where he was associated with Slavia Prague, he spent seven years as manager of FK Dukla Prague, overseeing their transition from the Second League to the Czech First League. Kozel played for the Czech Republic, appearing in nine matches and scoring one goal.
Ladislav Petráš is a former Slovak football player. He played 19 matches for Czechoslovakia national team and scored six goals. Petráš was a participant at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, where he played three matches and scored two goals. Petráš also took part in the Euro 1976, where his team won the tournament. After scoring Czechoslovakia's only goal against Brazil, Petráš celebrated kneeling and doing the sign of the cross, demonstrating his Catholic faith in defiance against the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia, which was contrary to any religious belief. Petras continues to be a Roman Catholic. In the second match of the tournament, Petráš scored the first goal of the match against Romania at the 4th minute.
Ladislav Krejčí is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a left-winger for Hradec Králové.
Radim Nečas is a Czech football manager and former player. He played for the Czech Republic four times between 1995 and 2000. Nečas made more than 300 top-flight appearances spanning the existence of the Czechoslovak First League and the Gambrinus liga. He also played top-flight football in Greece and Slovakia.
Tomáš Rosický is a Czech former professional footballer who was the captain of the Czech Republic national team for a ten-year period. He played club football for Sparta Prague, Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal. Currently, he serves at the sports director of AC Sparta Prague.
Patrik Schick is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and the Czech Republic national team.
Ladislav Krejčí is a Czech footballer who plays as a midfielder for Sparta Prague and the Czech Republic national team.
Adam Hložek is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and the Czech Republic national team.
