World Cup 2026: Jiří Hošek on Czechia’s chances, key players and potential breakout stars
The biggest event in football, the World Cup, gets underway this week. Czechia, appearing in the tournament for the first time in two decades, will take on South Korea in their first game in Mexico’s Guadalajara on Thursday. But what are the Czechs’ chances of making a splash in North America? I discussed their prospects with journalist Jiří Hošek of Canal+ Sport.
“It’s very difficult to predict. Because I believe the team has really gelled together under Miroslav Koubek, their new coach, who took Czechia to the World Cup at the very last moment.
“At the same time, I think it’s a very demanding World Cup, considering that the Czechs have to travel the fourth most miles among all the 48 teams, commuting between their base in Dallas and the cities where they play their fixtures.
“And of course there is the extreme heat and the high altitude may play a role.
“But I think they benefit from a not simple but playable group, featuring Mexico, South Korea and South Africa.
“So I do believe that with one win and one draw they could make it into the Round of 32.”
Who are the main players the Czechs will be relying on?
“I think the fundamental philosophy of the Czech team is to avoid unforced errors at the back, so a really solid defence is the key to success.
“And of course they will hope that their star attacker Patrik Schick, who is very fragile with injuries and illnesses, will perform.
“So I think these two pillars are absolutely essential.
“Also of course a good goalkeeping performance in a tournament like the World Cup or the Euros is absolutely a must.
“Matěj Kovář took the team to the World Cup with his stellar performances in penalty shootouts against Ireland and Denmark.
“But still I am among the experts who kind of doubt whether he really has the quality to be a long-term number one goalkeeper for Czechia.”
As you know, big tournaments are often the place where young players first make a splash on the international stage. Are there any young Czechs who you think could be breakout stars at the World Cup?
“There is a big PR communication story [laughs] coming from the call-up of the Czech squad, namely in the form of the freshly 18-year-old Hugo Sochůrek from Sparta Prague.
“He’s a young guy who actually until recently was only performing in the Under 19 squad of Sparta; I believe he featured for the first time for the A team in February this year.
“So his story is nothing short of a Cinderella story.
“I believe he will not feature in the starting lineup, but he will get a few minutes under his belt.
“And I wonder whether his strong standing in club football and an amazing season with Olympique Lyon will bring Patrik Šulc, the attacking midfielder, to the world stage.”
If you were the coach of South Korea or South Africa or Mexico, what would you be identifying as the weaknesses in this Czech squad?
“I believe it would probably be the lack of mobility of the Czech squad.
“Maybe the speed of the centre backs – I think this is a liability.
“So I would strongly recommend the opposition side to keep the ball moving and to rotate and to just offer agility and speed against the Czech defence.
“This is something, in combination with the extreme weather conditions, that can prove very difficult for the Czech team.”
The Czech coach, Miroslav Koubek, wasn’t the first choice of the Czech FA and he hasn’t had many games in charge. And one doesn’t want to be ageist, but he is in his mid-70s. Is he the right man for this job?
“Well, he took the country to the World Cup for the first time in 20 years, so he deserves credit.
“We saw how disjointed the team were a couple of months ago, so he did an amazing job. And having qualified, I think there was no doubt that he would not be replaced only for the tournament.
“But his future after the World Cup is very questionable. I think for the next qualification cycle – also given his age, as you mentioned – I think the Czech Football Association will pick another manager.”
Finally, what would you consider a success for Czechia this summer?
“I think real success would be reaching the Round of 16. The Round of 32, which means qualifying from the group stage, would be an OK result.
“And of course packing their luggage after three games, after the group stage, would be very disappointing.
“But the group is very even and everyone can qualify, so it’s really hard to predict.”
