Karel Poborský

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Karel Poborský (help·info) (born March 30, 1972 in Třeboň) is a former Czech footballer. Karel is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team. He is famous for his technical ability.

[edit] Clubs

Poborský has played for Dynamo České Budějovice, FK Viktoria Žižkov, Slavia Praha, Manchester United, Benfica, Lazio, Sparta Praha and Dynamo České Budějovice, the club where he started his professional career with and where he announced his end of career after the match against SK Slavia Praha on 28 May 2007. His first international appearance, against Turkey on February 23, 1994, was also the first match for the Czech team after the partition of Czechoslovakia. He played for his country at Euro 96, Euro 2000, and Euro 2004, and was in the Czech Republic's World Cup squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup after which he retired from international competition. Following the end of 2006/2007 season, he ended his active career. He currently works as a technical leader of the Czech national football team.

[edit] Manchester United

Manchester United fans were impressed by Poborský's great skill to the extent that he was compared him to the biggest names in Czech Football. He played one season at Man Utd, but due to David Beckham's rising stardom, Karel left for another European giant SL Benfica.

[edit] SL Benfica success

At SL Benfica Poborský was at his best form alongside João Vieira Pinto, he became an instant hit and a fan favourite.

Czech Republic flags with his face were seen and are still seen in the supporter groups, whenever he didn't get in the starting 11 the supporters chanted his name until he was brought in.

In a league game against Maritimo after a corner against Benfica Poborsky picked the ball sprinted all the way to the other goal and scored.

[edit] The Poborský-lob

Poborský's name is often attached to his performance in Euro 96, where during a quarter-final match against Portugal, during a Czech attack, he cold-headedly chipped the ball and lobbed it over the advancing Vítor Baía, not entirely unlike one of his predecessors, Antonín Panenka. The goal became a trademark shot for Poborský, and shot-style soon began to be attributed to him. In 2008 The Lob was voted the best individual goal in the Carlsberg Goal of the Day poll on Euro2008.com. [1]

Another one of Poborský's lob-shots was against FC Porto while he was at SL Benfica. At the time 60,000 fans roared on when Benfica equalized against FC Porto.

[edit] References

• (Czech) ČMFS entry

v • d • e Czech Republic squad - UEFA Euro 2004 1 Čech • 2 Grygera • 3 Mareš • 4 Galásek • 5 Bolf • 6 Jankulovski • 7 Šmicer • 8 Poborský • 9 Koller • 10 Rosický • 11 Nedvěd • 12 Lokvenc • 13 Jiránek • 14 Vachoušek • 15 Baroš • 16 Blažek • 17 Hübschman • 18 Heinz • 19 Týce • 20 Plašil • 21 Ujfaluši • 22 Rozehnal • 23 Kinský • Coach: Brückner

v • d • e Czech Republic squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Čech • 2 Grygera • 3 Mareš • 4 Galásek • 5 Kováč • 6 Jankulovski • 7 Sionko • 8 Poborský • 9 Koller • 10 Rosický • 11 Nedvěd • 12 Lokvenc • 13 Jiránek • 14 Jarolím • 15 Baroš • 16 Blažek • 17 Štajner • 18 Heinz • 19 Polák • 20 Plašil • 21 Ujfaluši • 22 Rozehnal • 23 Kinský • Coach: Brückner