Petr Čech

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3 Mar 2024

Petr Čech

Petr Čech, born on May 20, 1982, is a Czech former professional footballer acclaimed for his role as a goalkeeper and current ice hockey player, currently serving as a goaltender for Belfast Giants on loan from Oxford City Stars. Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time and acknowledged as one of the best in Premier League history, Čech has left an indelible mark on the footballing world.

Čech commenced his senior career at Chmel Blšany in 1999 before moving to Sparta Prague in 2001. At the age of 19, he secured a regular spot in the first team, and his standout performance in a single campaign with the club included setting a league record of not conceding a goal for 903 competitive minutes. This remarkable achievement led to his transfer to Ligue 1 side Rennes in France in 2002 for a fee of €5.5 million.

Upon joining Chelsea in the Premier League in 2004 for a then club-record transfer fee of £7 million , Čech became a pivotal figure during his eleven-year tenure, making 494 appearances and helping the club secure four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, one UEFA Champions League title, and one UEFA Europa League title. He holds Chelsea's all-time record for clean sheets, amassing a total of 228. In 2015, Čech moved to Arsenal for a fee of £10 million, winning another FA Cup before retiring in 2019.

On the international stage, Čech represented the Czech Republic, earning 124 caps and becoming the most capped player in the history of the national team. He participated in multiple FIFA World Cups and UEFA European Championships, earning recognition in the Euro 2004 All-Star team and serving as the team's captain until his retirement from international competition in 2016. Notably, Čech holds the record for the most Czech Footballer of the Year and Czech Golden Ball wins.

His goalkeeping prowess is reflected in numerous records, including the Premier League record for reaching 100 clean sheets in the fewest appearances (180), the most clean sheets in a single season , and the overall record for the most clean sheets in Premier League history. Čech is the only goalkeeper to have won the Premier League Golden Glove with two different clubs and has clinched the honor a joint-record four times. He was named the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper in 2005 and received the Best Goalkeeper award in multiple editions of the UEFA Champions League. In the 2004–05 season, he set a league record by going 1,025 minutes without conceding a goal. His contributions place him third among all goalkeepers in clean sheets since 2000.

Petr Čech's journey in football began at the age of seven when he started playing for Škoda Plzeň, later known as Viktoria Plzeň. Initially a striker, his trajectory took a turn when he shifted to the goalkeeper position at the age of ten following a leg injury. In June 1999, Čech joined the Czech First League team Chmel Blšany, making his league debut at the age of 17 in October 1999 in a 3–1 loss against Sparta.

At the age of 18, in January 2001, Čech signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with Sparta Prague. However, he continued to play for Blšany until the conclusion of the 2000–01 season. In November 2001, Čech achieved a significant milestone by breaking the record held by Theodor Reimann for the longest time without conceding a goal in the Czech professional league. His remarkable run extended to 855 minutes, and he concluded the record with 903 consecutive minutes without conceding when Marcel Melecký of Bohemians scored against him on November 17, 2001.

Even though Čech did not secure the league title with Sparta in the spring of 2002, his outstanding performances drew interest from English clubs, including Arsenal. However, due to challenges in obtaining a work permit, a proposed deal with Arsenal did not materialize.

Upon joining Chelsea, Petr Čech initially found Carlo Cudicini established as the first-choice goalkeeper. However, a pre-season elbow injury to Cudicini provided an opportunity for Chelsea manager José Mourinho to elevate Čech into the starting spot, making him the first-choice goalkeeper in his debut season. In his Premier League debut, Čech secured a clean sheet in a 1–0 victory over Manchester United.

On March 5, 2005, Čech achieved a remarkable feat by setting a new Premier League record of 1,025 minutes without conceding a goal. Although this record was later surpassed by Edwin van der Sar of Manchester United, it was a testament to Čech's exceptional goalkeeping prowess. His streak finally came to an end when he conceded to Leon McKenzie of Norwich City, marking the first goal since December 12, 2004, when Thierry Henry scored for Arsenal. In recognition of this accomplishment, Čech received a special award from the Premier League, and he was also honored with the Premier League Golden Glove at the conclusion of the 2004–05 season for keeping a record 24 clean sheets in the Premier League.

The success continued for Chelsea in the 2005–06 season, with Čech playing in 34 league matches as the team secured the Premier League title. Chelsea conceded a mere 22 goals throughout the season, highlighting the defensive solidity with Čech as the last line of defense. In January 2006, he was recognized as the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper for 2005, solidifying his status as one of the top goalkeepers globally. In February 2006, Čech signed a two-year contract extension, extending his stay at Chelsea until 2010. Additionally, he received the Czech Footballer of the Year award for the first time, acknowledging his contributions both domestically and internationally.

However, Čech faced a brief setback as he underwent minor shoulder surgery on June 27, 2006, addressing a long-standing injury from the previous season. After the successful surgery, he returned to action on August 27, 2006, resuming his role as Chelsea's reliable goalkeeper.