Tomáš Ujfaluši

He operated as either a central defender or a right back.

Tomáš Ujfaluši

Ujfaluši playing for Galatasaray in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Tomáš Ujfaluši
Date of birth	(1978-03-24) 24 March 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth	Rýmařov, Czechoslovakia
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1988–1991	TJ Rýmařov
1991–1996	Sigma Olomouc
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2000	Sigma Olomouc	100	(4)
2000–2004	Hamburger SV	105	(2)
2004–2008	Fiorentina	123	(2)
2008–2011	Atlético Madrid	92	(0)
2011–2013	Galatasaray	41	(1)
2013–2014	Sparta Prague	0	(0)
Total		461	(9)
International career
1997–1999	Czech Republic U21	26	(0)
2001–2009	Czech Republic	78	(2)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Czech Republic UEFA European Championship 2004 Portugal
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Other than in his country he played professionally in Germany (four years), Italy (four), Spain (three) and Turkey (two), winning six major titles between Hamburger SV, Atlético Madrid and Galatasaray. He started his career in 1996 with Sigma Olomouc.

Ujfaluši played 78 times for the Czech Republic, representing the nation at the 2006 World Cup and two European Championships.

Early years / Hamburg / Fiorentina

Born in Rýmařov, Czechoslovakia, Ujfaluši made his professional debut with SK Sigma Olomouc, at the age of 18. In December 2000, he moved abroad and signed with German club Hamburger SV: his debut came on 10 December by playing 90 minutes in a 2–1 home win against FC Energie Cottbus, and 16 of his 17 appearances in that season were complete, but the team could only rank 13th and 11th the following campaign, with respectively 58 and 57 goals conceded.

In 2002–03 Ujfaluši helped Hamburg finish in fourth position, but the team fared worse in the following season (again conceding in the region of 50 Bundesliga goals). Subsequently, he signed with ACF Fiorentina, freshly returned to Serie A after successfully emerging from a bankruptcy situation.

Atlético Madrid

 

After nearly 150 official appearances for the Viola (albeit without silverware), being mainly used as a centre back by coach Cesare Prandelli, Ujfaluši joined Atlético Madrid as a free agent, helping the capital team repeat its fourth position in La Liga in his debut season, subsequently qualifying for the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League.

In the 2009–10 league campaign Atlético only finished ninth, but won the newly created UEFA Europa League, with Ujfaluši appearing in eight complete matches in the latter competition. On 19 September 2010, during injury time of a 1–2 league loss against FC Barcelona at the Vicente Calderón Stadium, he made a late challenge on Lionel Messi, injuring his right ankle. The defender received a straight red card for his foul, and was subsequently banned for two games by the Spanish League's disciplinary committee; he was an undisputed starter during the season – mostly as right-back – as the Colchoneros finished seventh and qualified to the Europa League.

Galatasaray

On 20 June 2011, aged 33, Ujfaluši signed for Süper Lig club Galatasaray, for a €2 million transfer fee. He was an undisputed starter in his first season, being sent off in the final game of the campaign, a 0–0 away draw against Fenerbahçe SK, as Gala won a record-equalling 18th league title.

Ujfaluši left Galatasaray at the end of 2012–13, after a lengthy injury. He retired in December at the age of 35, after a few months back in his homeland with AC Sparta Prague.

On 18 December 2013 Ujfaluši returned to Galatasaray, being appointed director of football. He left his post in June of the following year.

 

Ujfaluši gained his first cap for the Czech Republic in 2001, whilst at Hamburg. He represented the nation at UEFA Euro 2004 (appearing in four matches for the semifinalists), the 2006 FIFA World Cup – being sent off against Ghana in an eventual group stage exit– and Euro 2008 (three games, being named Man of the match in the first game of the tournament, a 1–0 win against Switzerland).

After nine years with the national team, during which he eventually gained captaincy, Ujfaluši ended his international career on 8 April 2009 after being criticised for visiting a restaurant, accompanied by five other players, following the Czech Republic's defeat to Slovakia on 1 April for the World Cup qualification.

Club