Country profile
Czech Republic
Czech Republic
Key facts
Capital
Prague
Population
10,500,000
Confederation
UEFA
FIFA code
CZE
Overview
The Czech Republic, a landlocked nation in the heart of Central Europe, is a country of fairy-tale castles, Gothic spires and a proud industrial heritage. Its capital, Prague, ranks among Europe's most beautiful cities, straddling the Vltava river beneath the watchful Charles Bridge.
Football here carries the weight of two distinct legacies — the artistry of the old Czechoslovakia and the resilience of the modern Czech state. Beer halls and town squares fill with red-clad supporters whenever the national team plays.
From Bohemia to Moravia, the game is woven into community life, played on frosty pitches and celebrated with a fervour that belies the nation's modest size.
Football culture
Football and ice hockey compete for the national heart, but the football pyramid is fiercely tribal, led by the Prague rivalry between Slavia and Sparta. Czech fans value hard work, organisation and a touch of clever craft, and they revere the golden generations of the past.
World Cup history
As Czechoslovakia, the nation reached two World Cup finals, in 1934 and 1962, finishing runners-up both times. Since the split, the independent Czech Republic has struggled to recapture that pinnacle, with Euro 1996 runners-up and Euro 2004 semi-final runs their finest modern moments. They notably missed out on the 2022 World Cup at the qualifying stage.
Location
Did you know
- Czechoslovakia reached two World Cup finals before the country even existed in its current form.
- Czechs drink more beer per capita than any nation on Earth.
- Pavel Nedvěd won the 2003 Ballon d'Or, a Czech footballing icon.
- The soft contact lens and the word 'robot' both originated in Czech lands.
- Prague's Strahov Stadium was once the largest stadium in the world by capacity.
From Wikipedia
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The Czech Republic has a hilly landscape that covers an area of 78,871 square…
Source: Wikipedia →