Football: Czech team captain Vladimír Darida steps down

Following the Czech Republic’s loss to Denmark in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals on Saturday, team captain Vladimír Darida unexpectedly announced his retirement. The 30-year-old midfielder for German club Hertha BSC said he wants to spend more time with his family.

Darida was first included in the Czech squad for the Euro 2012 tournament. In the quarter-final match against Portugal, he earned his second cap, his first in an official tournament, starting in place of the injured Tomáš Rosický.

Born in Plzeň, Darida came through at Viktoria Plzeň, also spending time on loan at FK Baník Sokolov in 2011. He joined Freiburg in 2013. Darida signed for Hertha BSC from relegated Freiburg ahead of the 2015-16 season.