 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Zdeněk Grygera[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1980-05-14)14 May 1980 (age 45)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Přílepy,Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft1⁄2 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1987–1990 | TJ Holešov | ||
| 1990–1997 | FK Svit Zlín | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–1998 | Svit Zlín | 20 | (1) |
| 1998–2000 | Petra Drnovice | 54 | (3) |
| 2000–2003 | Sparta Prague | 65 | (2) |
| 2003–2007 | Ajax | 78 | (8) |
| 2007–2011 | Juventus | 87 | (3) |
| 2011–2012 | Fulham | 5 | (0) |
| Total | 309 | (17) | |
| International career | |||
| 2001–2009 | Czech Republic | 65 | (2) |
Medal record | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Zdeněk Grygera (Czech pronunciation:[ˈzdɛɲɛkˈɡrɪɡɛra]; born 14 May 1980) is a Czech former professionalfootballer who played as adefender. He spent his early professional football career in the Czech Republic before moving abroad to play forAjax in the Netherlands,Juventus in Italy andFulham in England.
Grygera also represented theCzech Republic national football team at twoUEFA European Championships (2004 and 2008) as well as the2006 FIFA World Cup.
Grygera began his career atPetra Drnovice before moving toSparta Prague.[3]
In July 2003, Grygera was signed by Dutch clubAjax for an undisclosed fee, estimated to be around €3.5 million.[4] His first goal came for the club came in September 2004, a 5–0 thrashing away atDen Bosch.[citation needed] He soon became a fan favorite, especially after scoring against bitter rivalsFeyenoord in the AprilKlassieker.[5]
On 10 January 2007, Ajax Technical Director Martin van Geel announced that Grygera leftJuventus on a Bosman transfer when his contract with Ajax expired in June 2007. He was supposed to transfer after the2006 FIFA World Cup, but theCalciopoli scandal prevented him from doing so.[6] On 18 April 2019, Grygera scored a last-gasp equalizer in the club'sDerby d'Italia fixture against rivalsInternazionale on 18 April 2009.[7]
In summer 2011, Grygera still had one year left to run on his contract at Juventus, but it was rescinded by mutual consent the same year on 30 August. The following day, he joinedPremier League clubFulham.[8][9] He received the number 26 jersey and made his Fulham debut on 15 September 2011 in theUEFA Europa League againstTwente.[10] Grygera suffered ananterior cruciate ligament rupture during a league match againstTottenham Hotspur on 6 November 2011, which kept him out for the rest of the season.[11]
Grygera's contract with Fulham was up for renewal at the end of the2011–12 season. ManagerMartin Jol said: "Hopefully he can prove himself before the end of August. If he proves he's, fit I would like to keep him."[12] On 6 December 2012, Jol confirmed that Grygera had decided to retire from football to concentrate instead on returning to full fitness.[13]
Grygera was part of the which won theUEFA U-21 Championships in 2002.[14] In 2001, he debuted for thesenior squad during afriendly match againstSouth Korea.[15] At the2006 FIFA World Cup, Grygera's run and cross set up the opening goal forJan Koller in the Czechs' first match against theUnited States, which they 3–0.[16] AtUEFA Euro 2008 Grygera was involved in a rough challenge withSwiss strikerAlexander Frei during the first half of the tournament's opening game, which tore Frei's knee ligaments and forced the person out for the rest of the tournament.[17]
Grygera was known for his work-rate, competitiveness, and versatility, and usually played as afull-back,wing-back, orwinger along right flank, although he was also capable of playing on the left, or as acentre-back; while being solid defensively, he was also known for his ability to get forward and for his all-round good quality of play.[18][19][20][21]
Sparta Prague
Ajax
Czech Republic squads | |||||||||||||
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| International | |
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| National | |
