Feature
Czechia did it the hard way, scrapping through the playoffs to reach the finals, and Miroslav Koubek arrives with a side built on organisation rather than flair. The experienced spine gives them a fighting chance of escaping a winnable group, but the lack of genuine technical quality means they'll lean on work rate, aggression and set pieces. The question is simple: can muscle and a hot striker carry them past sides with more on the ball?
That's that, then. Czechia are out at the group stage — the maths finally caught up. A disappointing end, but there'll be stories to tell and lessons to take from it.
Patrik Schick
Bagged 16 Bundesliga goals this season and carries Czechia's hopes in front of goal.
Tomas Soucek
The experienced engine in midfield around whom the whole side is organised.
Age profile
Club homes
Slavia Praha13
1899 HoffenheimDefenders
Hradec Králové2
Plzen2
Bayer Leverkusen1
Lyon1+4 more clubs
26 Other
Experience
The most-capped head in the squad — Lyon.
Who's getting on the scoresheet.
