Karel Poborský
Encyclopedia
Karel Poborský (ˈkarɛl ˈpoborskiː) (born 30 March 1972 in Jindřichův Hradec
) is a former Czech
footballer
. A right winger, Poborský is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team
, and was most noted for his technical ability.
, FK Viktoria Žižkov
and SK Slavia Praha
(the season Patrik Berger
left for Borussia Dortmund
).
In July 1996, Poborský signed with Manchester United
but, due to David Beckham
's rising stardom, 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 three goals, also helping United reach the Champions League
semi-finals.
In January 1998, he left for Portuguese Liga
side Benfica, where he was at his best form, playing alongside João Vieira 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
. In July 2002, he returned to his homeland, signing with Sparta Prague, retiring at his first club (which he had rejoined in January 2006, helping it achieve promotion to the Czech 2. Liga
), after a match against another former side, Slavia Prague, on 28 May 2007.
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 Czech team and even the whole tournament, scoring there his well-known "Poborský lob", Euro 2000, and Euro 2004, and was also in the nation's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
, where his performances was far below, due to his age and contract with SK Dynamo České Budějovice, which played "only" Czech 2. Liga
. After 2006 FIFA World Cup
Poborský retired from international competition.
Following his 2007 club retirement, Poborský started working as a technical leader for the national team.
, 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. As a club player, Poborský scored a similar goal against FC Porto (again with Vítor Baía as the goalkeeper) while at Benfica.
|1991–92||rowspan="2"|Dynamo České Budějovice||rowspan="2"|Czechoslovak League
||26||0||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1992–93||29||7||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1993–94||Dynamo České Budějovice||Czech League
||27||8||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1994–95||rowspan="2"|Viktoria Žižkov
||rowspan="2"|Czech League
||27||10||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1995–96||1||0||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1995–96||Slavia Prague||Czech League
||26||11||2||0||–||–||11||2||39||13
|-
|1996–97||rowspan="2"|Manchester United
||rowspan="2"|Premier League||22||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98||10||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99||rowspan="3"|Benfica||rowspan="3"|Portuguese League
||19||5||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999–2000||29||5||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000–01||13||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000–01||rowspan="2"|Lazio
||rowspan="2"|Italian League
||19||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001–02||27||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002–03||rowspan="4"|Sparta Prague||rowspan="4"|Czech League
||29||8||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2003–04||28||11||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2004–05||24||6||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2005–06||6||1||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2005–06||rowspan="2"|Dynamo České Budějovice||Second Division
||14||8||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2006–07||Czech League
||12||2||||||–||–||||||||
55||7||||||||||||||||
194||65||||||||||||||||
32||5||||||||||||||||
61||11||||||||||||||||
46||5||||||||||||||||
388||93||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994||6||0
|-
|1995||5||0
|-
|1996||12||1
|-
|1997||9||0
|-
|1998||8||0
|-
|1999||11||1
|-
|2000||10||2
|-
|2001||11||0
|-
|2002||10||1
|-
|2003||8||2
|-
|2004||11||0
|-
|2005||10||0
|-
|2006||7||3
|-
!Total||118||8
|}
Jindrichuv Hradec
Jindřichův Hradec is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has approximately 22,700 inhabitants.- History :The first written mention of the town is in 1220. Before that, it was probably a Slavic settlement. At the end of the 12th century more people arrived...
) is a former Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. A right winger, Poborský is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
, and was most noted for his technical ability.
Club career
Poborský began playing professionally with S.K. Dynamo České BudějoviceS.K. Dynamo Ceské Budejovice
SK Dynamo České Budějovice is a football club from České Budějovice, Czech Republic. It was founded in 1905. The club was promoted to the first division in 2006. Current chairman and a share holder of the club is the former Czech international footballer Karel Poborský, who played his last...
, FK Viktoria Žižkov
FK Viktoria Žižkov
FK Viktoria Žižkov ranks among the oldest football clubs in the Czech Republic. It plays in the Gambrinus liga, the top level of football in the country.The team was founded by a group of students in 1903 in the town of Žižkov...
and SK Slavia Praha
SK Slavia Praha
Sportovní Klub Slavia Praha is a Czech professional football club founded in 1892 in the city of Prague.They play in the Gambrinus liga—the highest competition in the Czech Republic. Alongside Sparta Prague, they are considered one of the top Czech clubs and the rivalry between the two clubs is...
(the season Patrik Berger
Patrik Berger
Patrik Berger is a retired Czech footballer. He has played in Czech Republic, Germany, and England. He is best remembered for his time at Liverpool....
left for Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
).
In July 1996, Poborský signed with Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
but, due to David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
's rising stardom, would only manage one-and-a-half seasons at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
. 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 three goals, also helping United reach the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
semi-finals.
In January 1998, he left for Portuguese Liga
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
side Benfica, where he was at his best form, playing alongside João Vieira Pinto
João Vieira Pinto
João Manuel Vieira Pinto is a retired Portuguese footballer who played mostly as a forward.Blessed with formidable skills and scoring ability, he made his name mostly at a domestic level and as a key figure in the Portuguese national team's "Golden Generation", collecting 138 caps and scoring 35...
, and became an instant hit and a fan favourite.
After a string of impressive performances, Poborský moved sides in January 2001, joining Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
's Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
. In July 2002, he returned to his homeland, signing with Sparta Prague, retiring at his first club (which he had rejoined in January 2006, helping it achieve promotion to the Czech 2. Liga
Czech 2. Liga
The 2. liga or Druhá liga is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in the Czech Republic. The top two teams are promoted to the Gambrinus liga.-Structure:There are 16 clubs in the Czech 2. Liga...
), after a match against another former side, Slavia Prague, on 28 May 2007.
International career
Poborský's first international appearance, against TurkeyTurkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
on 23 February 1994, was also the first match for the Czech team after the partition of Czechoslovakia
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on 1 January 1993, was an event that saw the self-determined separation of the federal state of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, entities which had arisen in 1969 within the framework of Czechoslovak federalisation, became...
. He played for his country at Euro 96, where he was one of the most valuable players of Czech team and even the whole tournament, scoring there his well-known "Poborský lob", Euro 2000, and Euro 2004, and was also in the nation's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, where his performances was far below, due to his age and contract with SK Dynamo České Budějovice, which played "only" Czech 2. Liga
Czech 2. Liga
The 2. liga or Druhá liga is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in the Czech Republic. The top two teams are promoted to the Gambrinus liga.-Structure:There are 16 clubs in the Czech 2. Liga...
. After 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
Poborský retired from international competition.
Following his 2007 club retirement, Poborský started working as a technical leader for the national team.
The Poborský-lob
Poborský's name is often attached to his performance in Euro 96, where during the quarter-final match against PortugalPortugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
, he chipped the ball and lobbed it over the advancing Vítor Baía
Vítor Baía
Vítor Manuel Martins Baía, OIH , is a retired Portuguese footballer who played as a goalkeeper.His career was intimately connected with F.C...
. 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. As a club player, Poborský scored a similar goal against FC Porto (again with Vítor Baía as the goalkeeper) while at Benfica.
Club
- Premier League (1): 1996–97
- Gambrinus ligaGambrinus LigaThe Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
(3): 1995–96, 2002–03, 2004–05 - Gambrinus ligaGambrinus LigaThe Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
Runner-up : 2003-04 - Czech CupCzech Republic Football CupThe Czech Republic Football Cup is the major football cup competition in the Czech Republic. It is organised by the Czech Football Association....
(1): 2004 - Serie ASerie ASerie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
3rd place: 2000-01 - Primeira Liga 3rd place (2): 1998-99, 1999-00,
- Czech 2. LigaCzech 2. LigaThe 2. liga or Druhá liga is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in the Czech Republic. The top two teams are promoted to the Gambrinus liga.-Structure:There are 16 clubs in the Czech 2. Liga...
runner-up: 2005-06
International
- UEFA Euro 1996 Runner up
- 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup1997 FIFA Confederations Cup-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-Top scorers:7 goals Romário5 goals Vladimír Šmicer4 goals Ronaldo-References:...
3rd place - All-time leader in appearances for Czech national teamCzech Republic national football teamThe Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
(118 starts)
Individual
- Czech Footballer of the YearCzech Footballer of the YearThe Czech Footballer of the Year is awarded in the Czech Republic by the Football Association of the Czech Republic . Eligible are Czech players in the Czech Republic and abroad...
(1) (alongside with Patrik BergerPatrik BergerPatrik Berger is a retired Czech footballer. He has played in Czech Republic, Germany, and England. He is best remembered for his time at Liverpool....
) : 1996 - UEFA Team of the Tournament (1): UEFA Euro 1996
- Ballon d'Or 10th place in 1996 (The highest ranking for Czech player until Pavel NedvědPavel NedvedPavel Nedvěd is a retired Czech football midfielder. He is one of the most successful Czech players to emerge from the newly formed Czech Republic, winning numerous accolades with Lazio and Juventus, including the last ever Cup Winners' Cup...
won Ballon d´Or in 2003Ballon d'Or 2003The 2003 Ballon d'Or, given to the best football player in Europe as judged by a panel of sports journalists from UEFA member countries, was awarded to Pavel Nedvěd on 23 December 2003....
season) - Gambrinus ligaGambrinus LigaThe Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
Best eleven of the season (4): 1995-96, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05 - Czech Footballer of the YearCzech Footballer of the YearThe Czech Footballer of the Year is awarded in the Czech Republic by the Football Association of the Czech Republic . Eligible are Czech players in the Czech Republic and abroad...
personality of the Gambrinus ligaGambrinus LigaThe Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
(3): 2003, 2004, 2005 - All stars team of Sparta Prague between the period 1980-2010
- 4th best Czech footballer of the decade (2000–10) by the readers of Czech journal Lidové novinyLidové novinyLidové noviny is a daily newspaper published in the Czech Republic. It is the oldest Czech daily. Its profile is nowadays a national news daily covering political, economic, cultural and scientific affairs, mostly with a centre-right, conservative view...
- 6th best Czech footballer of the decade (1993-03) by the readers of Czech journal Mladá fronta DNESMladá fronta DNESMladá fronta Dnes, also known as MF DNES or simply Dnes , is the second most sold daily newspaper in the Czech Republic. Its name could be translated into English as Youth Front Today...
Career statistics
|-|1991–92||rowspan="2"|Dynamo České Budějovice||rowspan="2"|Czechoslovak League
Czechoslovak First League
The Czechoslovak First League was the premier football league in the Czechoslovakia from 1925 to 1993, with the exception of World War II. Czechoslovakia was occupied by German forces who formed Gauliga Sudetenland and Gauliga Böhmen und Mähren leagues on occupied territories...
||26||0||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1992–93||29||7||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1993–94||Dynamo České Budějovice||Czech League
Gambrinus Liga
The Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
||27||8||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1994–95||rowspan="2"|Viktoria Žižkov
FK Viktoria Žižkov
FK Viktoria Žižkov ranks among the oldest football clubs in the Czech Republic. It plays in the Gambrinus liga, the top level of football in the country.The team was founded by a group of students in 1903 in the town of Žižkov...
||rowspan="2"|Czech League
Gambrinus Liga
The Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
||27||10||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1995–96||1||0||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|1995–96||Slavia Prague||Czech League
Gambrinus Liga
The Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
||26||11||2||0||–||–||11||2||39||13
|-
|1996–97||rowspan="2"|Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
||rowspan="2"|Premier League||22||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98||10||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99||rowspan="3"|Benfica||rowspan="3"|Portuguese League
Portuguese Liga
The Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
||19||5||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999–2000||29||5||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000–01||13||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2000–01||rowspan="2"|Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
||rowspan="2"|Italian League
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
||19||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|2001–02||27||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|2002–03||rowspan="4"|Sparta Prague||rowspan="4"|Czech League
Gambrinus Liga
The Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
||29||8||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2003–04||28||11||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2004–05||24||6||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2005–06||6||1||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2005–06||rowspan="2"|Dynamo České Budějovice||Second Division
Czech 2. Liga
The 2. liga or Druhá liga is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in the Czech Republic. The top two teams are promoted to the Gambrinus liga.-Structure:There are 16 clubs in the Czech 2. Liga...
||14||8||||||–||–||||||||
|-
|2006–07||Czech League
Gambrinus Liga
The Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
||12||2||||||–||–||||||||
55||7||||||||||||||||
194||65||||||||||||||||
32||5||||||||||||||||
61||11||||||||||||||||
46||5||||||||||||||||
388||93||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994||6||0
|-
|1995||5||0
|-
|1996||12||1
|-
|1997||9||0
|-
|1998||8||0
|-
|1999||11||1
|-
|2000||10||2
|-
|2001||11||0
|-
|2002||10||1
|-
|2003||8||2
|-
|2004||11||0
|-
|2005||10||0
|-
|2006||7||3
|-
!Total||118||8
|}
International goals
- Scores and results list Czech Republic's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 23 June 1996 Villa Park Villa ParkVilla Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
, Birmingham1–0 1–0 Euro 1996 2. 8 September 1999 Na Stínadlech Na StínadlechNa Stinadlech is a multi-purpose stadium in Teplice, Czech Republic. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FK Teplice. The stadium holds 18,221 and was built in 1973. The Czech Republic national football team often plays qualification games at the stadium and...
, Teplice3–0 3–0 Euro 2000 qualifying 3. 16 June 2000 Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges 1–1 1–2 Euro 2000 4. 2 September 2000 Georgi Asparuhov Stadium Georgi Asparuhov StadiumGeorgi Asparuhov Stadium , also known as Gerena , is a football stadium situated in the Suhata reka neighbourhood of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. It has been the home of PFC Levski Sofia since 1963....
, Sofia1–0 1–0 2002 World Cup qualification 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)Listed below are the dates and results for the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the European zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification....5. 16 October 2002 Na Stínadlech, Teplice 1–0 2–0 Euro 2004 qualifying 6. 10 September 2003 Toyota Arena Toyota ArenaThe Generali Arena is a football stadium in Prague. It is the home venue of Sparta Prague and often the home stadium of the Czech Republic national football team...
, Prague2–0 3–1 Euro 2004 qualifying 7. 15 November 2003 Na Stínadlech, Teplice 3–0 5–1 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...8. 1 March 2006 Atatürk Olympic Stadium, İstanbul 2–0 2–2 Friendly