In the history of the Premier League, several talented Czech players have made a significant impact on the English top-flight. These individuals have showcased their abilities and left a lasting legacy in one of the most competitive leagues in the world.
How many Czech players have won the Premier League?
By the end of the 2022/23 English domestic season, three Czech players had won the Premier League. Petr Cech claimed the title with Chelsea, while Karel Poborsky was a winner with Manchester United, and Jiri Jarosik made a small contribution to Chelsea’s title win of 2004/05.
Greatest Czech Players in the Premier League History
Tomás Rosicky
Tomas Rosicky was a hugely talented and creative midfielder who spent ten years in the Premier League with Arsenal. The Czech Republic international began his professional career with Sparta Prague, but made his name in Germany with Borussia Dortmund, where he won the Bundesliga in 2002.
While he didn’t enjoy as much success with the Gunners, Rosicky’s skills transferred naturally to the Premier League, and he was always an entertaining player to watch. Tomas Rosicky won the FA Cup and the Community Shield while with Arsenal, before he returned to finish his career where it started, with Sparta Prague.
Milan Baros
Striker Milan Baros played for three Premier League teams in his career. He first appeared in England after Liverpool secured a transfer from Banik Ostrava in 2002. A broken ankle restricted his early appearances for the Reds, but he was part of the team that won the League Cup final in 2003.
Baros recovered to score 13 goals in the 2004/05 season, and this would prove to be his most effective campaign in a Liverpool shirt. He also played in the Champions League final of 2005, when his team came from three goals down to beat AC Milan in a penalty shootout.
Milan Baros was transferred to Aston Villa ahead of the 2005/06 season, and he later appeared on loan for Portsmouth. English fans didn’t quite see the best of him, but he scored some important goals in his EPL career.
Patrik Berger
A teammate of Karel Poborsky’s at Euro 96, Patrik Berger also made the switch to England when the tournament was over. Liverpool swooped for his signature and the winger would spend the next seven years at Anfield.
Berger was a powerful striker of the ball with his left foot, and would become known for his surging runs and spectacular goals from distance. He was never a prolific scorer, but his 35 goals across his Liverpool career was a respectable return for somebody who played behind the main strikers.
While at Anfield, Patrick Berger won five major honours including the FA Cup and UEFA Cup in 2001. He also played for Aston Villa and Portsmouth in the Premier League, before returning home to finish his career with Sparta Prague.
Vladimír Smicer
Vladimir Smicer was another Czech player to have featured for Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final, and he scored in his club’s incredible second half comeback. The Merseyside club had signed the attacking midfielder from Lens in 1999 and Smicer would spend the next six years at Anfield.
He was purchased as a direct replacement for Steve McManaman who had left for Real Madrid and, while Smicer didn’t score as many goals as his predecessor, his link up play and assists made him a vital member of the Liverpool squad.
Vladimir Smicer won five major honours at Liverpool, but the 2005 Champions League was the highlight. Not only did he score a crucial goal in normal time, the Czech international struck the decisive penalty as his team won the shoot out.
Petr Cech
He’s the best Czech goalkeeper to have played in the Premier League and arguably the best overall player from his country. Petr Cech picked up multiple honours during his time in England, while setting new records for clean sheets.
Chelsea originally brought Cech to the Premier League after being impressed by his performances in France with Rennes. Success on the pitch was instant and his presence in the Chelsea side led to a Premier League win in Cech’s first season in England. In total, Petr Cech won four EPL titles, and his long list of major honours includes the Champions League trophy in 2012.
Cech later joined Arsenal where he continued to produce exceptional performances for his new club. Along with those team honours, Petr Cech also won individual accolades. He retired with the most clean sheets in Premier League history and the most in a single season. He’s also the only player to have won the EPL’s prestigious Golden Glove award with two clubs.
Karel Poborsky
Manchester United were inspired to sign Karel Poborsky after the winger shone during the Euro 96 tournament in England. A stunning chipped goal for the Czechs against Portugal was the highlight, and the player headed to the EPL from Slavia Prague before the start of the next season.
Poborsky continued to show flashes of brilliance, but he wasn’t so consistent during his time at Old Trafford. Across two seasons with United, he played in just 32 league matches before transferring to Benfica in 1998. The 1996/97 campaign was his most productive with 22 games and three goals, which saw Karel Poborsky claim an EPL winner’s medal.
Tomás Repka
A commanding Czech international centre half, Tomas Repka became an important player at the heart of West Ham’s defence. By the time the Hammers signed the player in 2001, he was already an established international and a sought-after name among top European clubs.
Repka played at Upton Park between 2001 and 2006, and he helped the club return to the Premier League via the Championship playoffs in 2005. He was a fearsome tackler and, while he had some issues with red cards throughout his career, Tomas Repka helped West Ham return to the EPL and consolidate their position in the English top flight.
Pavel Srnícek
He was a popular figure at Newcastle United during the Premier League era, and part of a team that came so close to winning the title. Pavel Srnicek was the first choice goalkeeper for much of his time at St James’s Park after joining from Banik Ostrava in 1991.
He was a flamboyant figure at times, and that helped to build his reputation among fans, but Srnicek was also extremely reliable between the posts. He played at Newcastle until 1998 and later had spells back in England with Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth and West Ham United. Fittingly, Pavel Srnicek’s playing career finished with a brief spell back at his beloved Newcastle during the 2006/07 season.
Tomás Soucek
Defensive midfielder Tomas Soucek is one of the current crop of Czech internationals currently playing in the English Premier League. He joined West Ham United from Slavia Prague in 2020, and he is a standout performer for the Hammers and the senior Czech Republic side.
Soucek is a tall and commanding figure in front of the West Ham back line and his large frame gives him a strong physical presence. He’s a typical ‘box-to-box’ midfielder who also scores more goals than most players in his position. His impressive West Ham career was highlighted by victory in the Europa League at the end of the 2022/23 season.
Vladimír Coufal
Another Czech international player to pull on the claret and blue of West Ham United, Vladimir Coufal slots into the side at right back. He’s also active in the Premier League at the time of writing, having joined the Hammers from Slavia Prague in 2020.
Coufal is reliable in defence, but he’s also a threat going forward, and he creates a surprising number of assists for a full back. Vladimir Coufal was also part of the West Ham side that won the Europa Conference League in 2023, and it’s clear that supporters hold their Czech internationals in high regard. In the fans’ Player of the Year poll in 2021, Tomas Soucek was the winner with Coufal in second place.
Final Thoughts
In most cases, the players on this list brought their best form across from the Czech Republic and replicated it in the English Premier League. Some would have wanted to show fans more of their talent and will have left the EPL feeling that they could have offered better statistics.
In each case, they were high-quality individuals who represented the best of Czech football. There’s room for more honours among the current players, and the challenge is on to be the next Czech international to win a Premier League medal. Who will represent the future generations as they look to make their mark on England’s top division moving forward?
