Pavel Nedved joined the professional game’s elite list of Ballon d’Or winners in 2003 off the back of an inspirational season in Turin.
Aged 31, the award capped a fine year for the two-footed attacking midfielder, instrumental for Juventus as they picked up their 27th Scudetto in 2002-03. Nedved’s most memorable contribution to the Bianconeri that season however was in Europe, where almost single-handedly he led Juventus to the 2003 Champions League Final.
Nedved shone at the tip of Marcello Lippi’s diamond midfield, having moved there during 2001-02 after initially struggling to adjust to Juve’s style of play from the left of midfield – one that demanded more pressing and aggression in possession than he was used to after the traditional counter-attacking approach at Lazio. From here he would go on in 2002-03 to dictate games and earn the nickname the Furia Ceca, Czech Fury, from the Bianconeri faithful.
Based in the trequartista role, Nedved excelled. With the strikers he formed a devastating trident attack, with the midfielders he formed an unbreakable defensive unit, whilst the trequarti in between the two were his playground.
With David Trezeguet and Alessandro Del Piero providing equal measures of movement and creativity, Nedved’s vision, energetic off-the-ball running and late bursts into the box saw the three men destroy defences through the season both in the peninsula and across Europe.
Creatively, Nedved was at the peak of his powers, able to find teammates with a mixture of lofted passes over the top of high-line defences, perfectly-weighted slide-rule passes or via incisive cut-backs from bursts down the wing. During the season Nedved’s contribution saw Del Piero scoring a League goal every 117 minutes and Trezeguet one every 121 minutes.
As well as presenting chances for others, Nedved also cropped up to finish moves himself, netting crucial goals against Roma, Inter, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Deportivo. It was Nedved’s most prolific season in front of goal for the Bianconeri, netting 14 goals in all competitions across 2002-03, finishing with a one-in-three goal ratio he would only match at the club four years later in Serie B.
His ability in front of goal, particularly from range, developed as a youngster when smaller than his friends and struggling to get by with the ball, he took to just shooting from distance, developing a repertoire of shots and comfortable at testing goalkeepers with either foot.
His ambidexterity saw defenders struggle to predict which way he would turn when running at them with pace, Nedved’s balance and strength on the ball combined making it almost impossible to take the ball from him. Able to feed off unrivaled energy levels, as often as fans would see Nedved central to flowing attacking moves, they would see the blond bomber harrying back, determinedly pestering opponents for possession of the ball.
Whilst best remembered for his role in their European run that season, Nedved’s form was also paramount to Juve’s title win. Lippi’s team was involved in a tight four-way battle for the Scudetto. Ultimately it was one game that proved the turning point in the Old Lady’s season, with Nedved at the centre of it.
The March 2 meeting between Juve and Inter arrived with the two separated only by Juve’s superior goal difference and head-to-head record. Nedved turned in an inspirational display, first with a fifth-minute, right-footed free-kick that forced an own goal, before a left-footed long-range effort caught Francesco Toldo cold for 2-0. Nedved’s run down the left wing and deflected pass into the box then found Mauro Camoranesi for the game-killing third.
Juve held the lead through to May 10 when they were crowned champions for the 27th time on the weekend before Nedved’s other significant contribution the following midweek in the Champions League semi-final second leg win over Real Madrid.
After a quiet first leg, Nedved was part of a Bianoconeri team full of inspirational turns on a memorable night, with the No 11 involved in the first goal before clinching the tie with the third in a 3-1 win.
Nedved’s celebration, running to the curva before dropping to his knees, arms outstretched, summed up what this moment meant to both fans and footballer. Nedved’s career ambition was to lift the European Cup and here he had just secured the right to play for it in Manchester at the same time as cementing his place in the hearts of the curva. The fact that Zinedine Zidane – the man Nedved replaced at Juve – was in the opposition line-up was immaterial.
The midfielder appeared in 15 of the 17 games Juventus played in the marathon edition of the tournament that saw two group stages before grueling knock-out ties against Barcelona and Real Madrid. That the Final against Milan was a drab 0-0 affair was almost fitting of the Czech midfielder’s absence, sitting it out through suspension after a late yellow card against Real.
In receiving the Ballon d’Or in December 2003, Nedved said: “I have never been interested in individual awards. When I was younger, there were so many guys more skilful than me. I had to work really hard to improve my skills just to be at their level. My game is simple – there are no secrets to it, just work and more work.”
The 2003 Golden Ball podium
Pavel Nedved (Juventus) 190 points
Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 128 points
Paolo Maldini (Milan) 123 points
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