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The best European player of 2003, 32-year-old Pavel Nedved, announced the end of his career in the Czech national team on Friday.
Nedved gave more than ten years of his career to the Czech team, playing 83 matches and scoring 17 goals. He made his debut in the national team in June 1994.
After just two years, the energetic midfielder became one of the main players and helped the team reach the final of Euro-96. Later, the Czechs did not succeed in Euro-2000, failed to qualify for the final stage of the 2002 World Cup, and this year, during Euro-2004, Nedved again looked impressive with the Czech Republic and reached the semifinals of the tournament.
It was precisely that unsuccessful semifinal that became Nedved's last match in the national team. Midway through the game, he had to leave the field due to a knee injury, and without their leader, the Czechs lost to the future champions, the Greeks.
Shortly after being named Czech Player of the Year, Nedved announced that he was considering retirement, then was ready to come back, but ultimately decided to end his career in the national team due to exhaustion: "My physical condition no longer allows me to bear the huge burden of representing my country and dedicating myself to club work at the same time."
