Karel Poborský

Karel Poborský
Personal information
Full name Karel Poborský
Date of birth 30 March 1972 (1972-03-30) (age 39)
Place of birth Jindřichův Hradec, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Winger
Youth career
1978–1984 TJ Třeboň
1984–1987 České Budějovice
1987–1988 Jiskra Třeboň
1988–1990 České Budějovice
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1991–1994 České Budějovice 82 (15)
1994–1995 Viktoria Žižkov 28 (10)
1995–1996 Slavia Praha 26 (11)
1996–1997 Manchester United 32 (5)
1998–2001 Benfica 61 (11)
2001–2002 Lazio 47 (5)
2002–2005 Sparta Prague 87 (26)
2006–2007 České Budějovice 26 (10)
Total 389 (93)
National team
1994–2006 Czech Republic 118 (8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Karel Poborský (Czech pronunciation: [ˈkarɛl ˈpoborskiː] ( listen)) (born 30 March 1972 in Jindřichův Hradec) is a former Czech footballer. A right winger, Poborský is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team, and was most noted for his technical ability.

Contents

Club career

Poborský began playing professionally with S.K. Dynamo České Budějovice, FK Viktoria Žižkov and SK Slavia Praha (the season Patrik Berger left for Borussia Dortmund).

In July 1996, Poborský signed with Manchester United but, due to David Beckham's rising stardom, would only manage one-and-a-half seasons at Old Trafford. He did collect a Premier League title winner's medal in the 1996–97 season, however, playing in 22 out of 38 league games and scoring three goals, also helping United reach the Champions League semi-finals.[1]

In January 1998, he left for Portuguese Liga side Benfica, where he was at his best form, playing alongside João Vieira Pinto, and became an instant hit and a fan favourite.

After a string of impressive performances, Poborský moved sides in January 2001, joining Serie A's Lazio. In July 2002, he returned to his homeland, signing with Sparta Prague, retiring at his first club (which he had rejoined in January 2006, helping it achieve promotion to the Czech 2. Liga), after a match against another former side, Slavia Prague, on 28 May 2007.

International career

Poborský's first international appearance, against Turkey on 23 February 1994, was also the first match for the Czech team after the partition of Czechoslovakia. He played for his country at Euro 96, where he was one of the most valuable players of Czech team and even the whole tournament, scoring there his well-known "Poborský lob", Euro 2000, and Euro 2004, and was also in the nation's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where his performances was far below, due to his age and contract with SK Dynamo České Budějovice, which played "only" Czech 2. Liga. After 2006 FIFA World Cup Poborský retired from international competition.

Following his 2007 club retirement, Poborský started working as a technical leader for the national team.

The Poborský-lob

Poborský's name is often attached to his performance in Euro 96, where during the quarter-final match against Portugal, he chipped the ball and lobbed it over the advancing Vítor Baía. The goal became a trademark shot for Poborský, as that shooting style was soon attributed to him.

In 2008, it was voted the best individual goal in the Carlsberg goal of the day poll on Euro2008.com.[2] As a club player, Poborský scored a similar goal against FC Porto (again with Vítor Baía as the goalkeeper) while at Benfica.

Honours

Club

International

Individual

Career statistics

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Czechoslovakia League Cup League Cup Continental Total
1991–92 Dynamo České Budějovice Czechoslovak League 26 0 – –
1992–93 29 7 – –
Czech Republic League Czech Republic Cup League Cup Europe Total
1993–94 Dynamo České Budějovice Czech League 27 8 – –
1994–95 Viktoria Žižkov Czech League 27 10 – –
1995–96 1 0 – –
1995–96 Slavia Prague Czech League 26 11 2 0 – – 11 2 39 13
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
1996–97 Manchester United Premier League 22 3
1997–98 10 2
Portugal League Taça de Portugal Taça da Liga Europe Total
1998–99 Benfica Portuguese League 19 5
1999–2000 29 5
2000–01 13 1
Italy League Coppa Italia League Cup Europe Total
2000–01 Lazio Italian League 19 1
2001–02 27 4
Czech Republic League Czech Republic Cup League Cup Europe Total
2002–03 Sparta Prague Czech League 29 8 – –
2003–04 28 11 – –
2004–05 24 6 – –
2005–06 6 1 – –
2005–06 Dynamo České Budějovice Second Division 14 8 – –
2006–07 Czech League 12 2 – –
Total TCH 55 7
Czech Republic 194 65
England 32 5
Portugal 61 11
Italy 46 5
Career total 388 93

[6][7][8]

Czech Republic national team
Year Apps Goals
1994 6 0
1995 5 0
1996 12 1
1997 9 0
1998 8 0
1999 11 1
2000 10 2
2001 11 0
2002 10 1
2003 8 2
2004 11 0
2005 10 0
2006 7 3
Total 118 8

[9]

International goals

Scores and results list Czech Republic's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 23 June 1996 Villa Park, Birmingham  Portugal 1–0 1–0 Euro 1996
2. 8 September 1999 Na Stínadlech, Teplice  Bosnia and Herzegovina 3–0 3–0 Euro 2000 qualifying
3. 16 June 2000 Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges  France 1–1 1–2 Euro 2000
4. 2 September 2000 Georgi Asparuhov Stadium, Sofia  Bulgaria 1–0 1–0 2002 World Cup qualification
5. 16 October 2002 Na Stínadlech, Teplice  Belarus 1–0 2–0 Euro 2004 qualifying
6. 10 September 2003 Toyota Arena, Prague  Netherlands 2–0 3–1 Euro 2004 qualifying
7. 15 November 2003 Na Stínadlech, Teplice  Canada 3–0 5–1 Friendly
8. 1 March 2006 Atatürk Olympic Stadium, İstanbul  Turkey 2–0 2–2 Friendly

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ Poborský voted best solo strike
  3. ^ [2]
  4. ^ [3]
  5. ^ [4]
  6. ^ WorldSoccer stats
  7. ^ SK Slavia Praha stats – 1995
  8. ^ SK Slavia Praha stats – 1996
  9. ^ http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/poborsky-intl.html

External links