Pavel Nedved (13 Viewers)
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Nedved to retire after Serbia friendly
PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved said on Tuesday that he will end his national team career after Wednesday's international friendly against Serbia.
"It isn't easy for me, I don't have any health problems that are forcing this. It is because of a lot of other reasons, and I would like to give other younger players a chance. Wednesday's match will be my last for the national team," he told reporters.
The 2003 European Footballer of the Year suffered a knee injury in the Euro 2004 semi-final with Greece and retired afterwards saying he no longer wanted to play for his country because of the toll it was taking on his body.
But the Juventus player was coaxed back to help the Czechs qualify for the World Cup finals, returning for the two-legged playoffs against Norway in November.
The comeback ended bitterly as the Czechs failed to progress from the group stage in Germany and Nedved, who turns 34 at the end of this month, has been mulling his future ever since.
"I will be 34 and I want to be with my family and play only for Juventus.
It would be very difficult to prepare for tough international matches while playing in Italy's second division," Nedved added.
Wednesday's match will be Nedved's 91st for the national team. He has scored 18 goals.
Reuters
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PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved said on Tuesday that he will end his national team career after Wednesday's international friendly against Serbia.
"It isn't easy for me, I don't have any health problems that are forcing this. It is because of a lot of other reasons, and I would like to give other younger players a chance. Wednesday's match will be my last for the national team," he told reporters.
The 2003 European Footballer of the Year suffered a knee injury in the Euro 2004 semi-final with Greece and retired afterwards saying he no longer wanted to play for his country because of the toll it was taking on his body.
But the Juventus player was coaxed back to help the Czechs qualify for the World Cup finals, returning for the two-legged playoffs against Norway in November.
The comeback ended bitterly as the Czechs failed to progress from the group stage in Germany and Nedved, who turns 34 at the end of this month, has been mulling his future ever since.
"I will be 34 and I want to be with my family and play only for Juventus.
It would be very difficult to prepare for tough international matches while playing in Italy's second division," Nedved added. Wednesday's match will be Nedved's 91st for the national team. He has scored 18 goals.
Reuters
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Great man
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Some facts about Pavel:
Nedved started his career in the Czech league in October 1991 in the match of Dukla Praha against Vitkovice (3-1); first goal in the first score in spring 1992.
He has played 114 matches for Czechoslovak and Czech national teams, scored 26 goals.
Best successes: - at European Cup in 1996 - winner of Cup of Cup Winners (Lazio), winner of Super Cup (Lazio, 1999), final of UEFA Cup (Lazio), of Champions' League (Juventus, 2003); - triple Italian champion, 2000; Juventus, 2002, 2003), double winner of Italian Cup Lazio, 2000), champion of Czechoslovak league (Sparta), double winner of league (Sparta, 1994, 1995), winner of Cup (Sparta, 1996); - of British monthly World Soccer for the best world footballer 2003 - Czech Footballer of the Year (1998, 2000), four-time winner of Ball (1998, 2000, 2001, 2003), winner of Czech Television poll Footballer of the Decade, 2003.
Family: married, wife Ivana, two children: Ivana, 6, and Pavel, 3.
Nedved started his career in the Czech league in October 1991 in the match of Dukla Praha against Vitkovice (3-1); first goal in the first score in spring 1992.
He has played 114 matches for Czechoslovak and Czech national teams, scored 26 goals.
Best successes: - at European Cup in 1996 - winner of Cup of Cup Winners (Lazio), winner of Super Cup (Lazio, 1999), final of UEFA Cup (Lazio), of Champions' League (Juventus, 2003); - triple Italian champion, 2000; Juventus, 2002, 2003), double winner of Italian Cup Lazio, 2000), champion of Czechoslovak league (Sparta), double winner of league (Sparta, 1994, 1995), winner of Cup (Sparta, 1996); - of British monthly World Soccer for the best world footballer 2003 - Czech Footballer of the Year (1998, 2000), four-time winner of Ball (1998, 2000, 2001, 2003), winner of Czech Television poll Footballer of the Decade, 2003.
Family: married, wife Ivana, two children: Ivana, 6, and Pavel, 3.
