Pavel Nedvěd: One of only two Czechs named European Footballer of Year
Renowned Czech footballer Pavel Nedvěd, from Cheb in the Karlovy Vary region, known as the “Czech Cannon” and “Czech Master,” gained widespread recognition for his standout performances while playing for the Italian club Juventus Turin and for clinching the prestigious Golden Ball award as Europe's best footballer in 2003.
“It means a lot to me [to win the Ballon d’Or], but not just for me, it means a lot for my country and for our football. It's a thing that is not easy to get and we know that because it took us 41 years.” These were the words of Pavel Nedvěd when he was awarded the Ballon d’Or, one of the most prestigious individual awards in the team sport of soccer.
Starting his journey in a youth team in Skalná near Cheb, Nedvěd later joined Plzeň via Rudá hvězda Cheb, where Škoda, the team he played for, competed in both the second and first Czech league. In interviews, he fondly reminisces about Josef Žaloudek, his mentor from Plzeň, whom he affectionately regards as his “second dad.” According to Czech sports reporter, Luděk Mádl, it was Žaloudek who played a pivotal role in guiding the promising young talent in the right direction:
“For him, Josef Žaloudek was an extremely important person. Pavel Nedvěd still likes to remember how he and the other boys would come to practice 50 minutes early and Mr. Žaloudek would give them the ball to dribble. They were grateful to him. Even when he talks about it now, decades later, his eyes sparkle and you can see that he experienced genuine boyish happiness during those moments on the field.”
And that seems to have predisposed young Pavel to strive to reach the highest levels in football. He joined the military club FK Dukla Praha from the second league Plzeň for his compulsory military service, which opened the way to the first league. For the 1992/93 season, he moved to AC Sparta, where he stayed for four seasons and won three Czech championship titles. However, Mádl recalls that Nedvěd did not do well at first:
“He ‘managed’ to get expelled three times in the first month of his stay in Sparta, which is absolutely unprecedented. Coach Karel Dobiáš was very angry with him and made it clear to him and the media that if he didn’t calm down, he would only spend one season in Sparta and it would be on the substitute bench.”
Evidently, the warning had an impact, prompting Nedvěd to channel his fierce determination into his playing style. His displays on the field started attracting attention from across Europe. Nevertheless, a significant moment in his career came when he competed for Czechia at the 1996 European Championship. Despite Czechia’s defeat to Germany in the final, Nedvěd’s incredibly dynamic performances caught the eye of European clubs, ultimately paving the way for his move to Lazio Rome. Remaining with the club until 2001, he amassed a large and devoted fan base.
“All the Roman derbies, which have huge ratings and remain in the memory of all the fans, have definitely contributed to this. They really live the game and it's the highlight of the year for them.”
After five seasons and speculation about Nedvěd’s possible transfer to either Manchester United or Chelsea, his new home team became Juventus Turin.
Mádl discusses Nedvěd’s transfer to Juventus:
“That's so typical Pavel Nedvěd, who has a habit of thinking a lot and then wobbling again. The main context of the transfer, when it was made, was that the star playmaker of Juventus, Zidane, transferred to Real Madrid. So Juventus were looking for a replacement for his vacant place. I think Italian agent Mino Raiola played a big role. He was not only an agent but a confidant and advisor to Nedvěd. Nedvěd really didn't want to be there.
“Raiola told him if you really want to be a great player, you can't be afraid and you have to make that last step. And that's what provoked him. It is, if I'm not mistaken to this day, the most expensive transfer of a Czech footballer in the history of football. At Juventus, Pavel really blossomed. There were great seasons, lots of games, and spectacular goals. Really, transferring to Juventus was a brilliant move on his part.”
Mádl said that Nedvěd matched perfectly into Juventus:
“I think he just fit in. He gave Juventus a new form, somehow it was connected. He was a footballer who you couldn't help but notice. He had a real enthusiasm, a tremendous power of will, the power of his shots. Juventus played completely differently than they did with Zidane. I dare to say that Juventus was definitely not weaker than in Zidane's time, and maybe even stronger.”
Although he was dogged by injuries, especially in later years, he remained a key player for the club until 2009. This was even during a period when Juventus was relegated to the second Italian league for corruption and many famous teammates went elsewhere:
“This was a feat that Juventus fans will never forget. It was players like Pavel Nedvěd who stayed and showed how strong their love for the club was. They sacrificed for the club and became immortal legends in the eyes and hearts of Juventus supporters.”
Nedvěd has triumphed in numerous surveys conducted by the media, and in a notably successful year, 2003, he became the second Czech footballer, following in the footsteps of Josef Masopust four decades earlier, to claim the prestigious European Ballon d’Or award.
“When you get the Ballon d'Or, you become immortal. Of course, it is difficult to compare footballers from different eras. But if Josef Masopust and Pavel Nedvěd have any common ground, it is the dedication, effort, energy, and love they gave to football.”
Nedvěd served in the management of Juventus Turin after his active career and was its vice-president from 2015 to 2022.
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