Karel Poborský

He was most noted for his technical ability and pace.

Karel Poborský

Poborský in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Karel Poborský
Date of birth	(1972-03-30) 30 March 1972 (age 52)
Place of birth	Jindřichův Hradec, Czechoslovakia
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	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 Prague	26	(11)
1996–1998	Manchester United	32	(5)
1998–2000	Benfica	61	(11)
2000–2002	Lazio	46	(5)
2002–2005	Sparta Prague	87	(26)
2005–2007	České Budějovice	26	(10)
Total		388	(93)
International career
1994–2006	Czech Republic	118	(8)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Czech Republic UEFA European Championship Runner-up 1996 England 2004 Portugal FIFA Confederations Cup 1997 Saudi Arabia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He began and finished his club career at Dynamo České Budějovice, where his kit number (8) is retired in his honour. He also won the Czech First League titles at the two largest clubs in Prague - Slavia and Sparta. Between these domestic triumphs, he won a Premier League title at Manchester United and also played for Benfica and Lazio.

After Petr Čech, Poborský ranks second in appearances for the Czech national team, with 118 between 1994 and 2006, retiring from international football after playing at the country's first World Cup. He also played in three European Championships, being named in the Team of the Tournament at UEFA Euro 1996 after helping the Czechs to the final.

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

Poborský was one of a number of the Czech squad at UEFA Euro 1996 who left the Czech Republic to play in another country after the tournament. In July 1996 he signed with Manchester United but, due to David Beckham's rising stardom, Poborský 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 four goals, also helping United reach the Champions League semi-finals.

In January 1998, he left for Primeira Divisão side Benfica, where he was at his best form, playing alongside João 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. Whilst at Lazio he played a key role in the destination of the 2001–02 Serie A title. On the final day of the season Inter Milan were playing at Lazio knowing a win would give them the title. However Lazio won 4–2, with Poborský scoring twice, and the title went to Juventus instead. In July 2002, he returned to his homeland, signing with Sparta Prague, where he became the highest-paid footballer playing in the Czech Republic. He subsequently returned to his first club, Dynamo České Budějovice, scoring two goals and setting up a third on the way to a 4–0 victory against Sigma Olomouc B in his first match. He retired on 28 May 2007 after a match against another former side, Slavia Prague.

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 the entire tournament, Euro 2000, and Euro 2004, and was also in the nation's squad for the 2006 World Cup. After the 2006 World Cup, Poborský retired from international competition.

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

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.

In 2016, Poborský was put into a medically-induced coma after contracting a brain infection that left the muscles in his face paralysed and with a hypersensitivity to light. He spent three weeks quarantined in hospital before making a full recovery, but he said if he had arrived at the hospital a day later, he might have died.

Club

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