Vladimír Šmicer
Encyclopedia
Vladimír Šmicer is a former Czech
football midfielder
and forward
player. Šmicer was a devout player of Slavia Prague, the only Czech club he ever played for. He also played notably for Lens
in France, with whom he won the Ligue 1
title. In 1999, Šmicer moved to England, where he played several seasons for Liverpool
and won various trophies there. He is best remembered for his time in Liverpool, particularly a great goal in the 2005 Champions League Final
. Internationally he played 81 times for the Czech national team. In 2009 he ended his professional career.
Šmicer didn’t have to wait for notice at Euro 96. He signed a contract with the French club Lens
prior to the championship. While at Lens, he enjoyed more success, inspiring the club to a first ever-French title in 1997/98. That season he scored seven goals and was a leader on the ground. He played in the Champions League
and played a pivotal role in the side's successes in this tournament.
He left Lens to move to Liverpool
in June 1999.
to Real Madrid
. Upon arriving at Anfield in 1999, Šmicer was given the famous Number 7 shirt although he would later wear number 11. When he left Liverpool in 2005, Šmicer said "Just signing for Liverpool in itself was a dream because I supported them as a kid. It was a dream come true". He made his debut for Liverpool
in a game against Sheffield Wednesday
at Hillsborough
. Liverpool won the game 2–0 and Šmicer impressed with his initial input. However his first campaign in the Premiership was a difficult one as he struggled to come to terms with the pace of the English game and his cause was not helped by a succession of injuries.
The 2000/2001 season saw Šmicer or "Vladi", as the Liverpool fans affectionately called him, fare much better; whether he played on the flanks or behind the front two. Having got to grips with life in the Premiership and regaining full fitness he showed in glimpses just what he is really capable of and played an important role in the Reds treble cup triumph.
Unfortunately he was plagued with injury problems and a lack of consistency meant he was in and out of the team. However, there were some memorable moments for the Czech Republic international, including the last minute winner against Chelsea
in 2002, and a stunning volley against Borussia Dortmund
in Europe along with his impressive performance in the 2–0 win over Roma in the Champions League at Anfield. A serious injury suffered in late 2003 however blighted the rest of his Liverpool career. He managed to battle his way back to fitness in the 2004–2005 season and due to a severe injury crisis at the club, Šmicer began to feature prominently for Liverpool under new manager Rafael Benítez
. His playing return coincided with Liverpool's quest for the Champions League
as he made substitute appearances against Bayer Leverkusen
, Juventus and Chelsea
as Liverpool qualified for the Champions League Final against A.C. Milan
.
Prior to the final, it was decided by Benitez that Šmicer's contract was not to be renewed. Furthermore, Šmicer, who celebrated his 32nd birthday the day before, didn't start the final. However, after 22 minutes, an injury to Harry Kewell
gave him his opportunity to end his Liverpool career in style: "Before the final, I so was eager to get on. It was my last match for Liverpool so I was determined to end it in style. I was free in my head and that was my motivation – to do well for the club in my last match. I wanted to enjoy the big game."
Despite being named as a substitute, Šmicer was soon brought on for Kewell, who had suffered an injury. At that time the scoreline was 1–0 to Milan and Liverpool then went on to go 3-0 down at half time, but in the second half, Liverpool managed to command more of the pitch and just past the hour mark when Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
pulled a goal back from a John Arne Riise
cross. Less than two minutes later, Šmicer struck a 20-yard shot which flew past Dida into the far right corner. After Xabi Alonso
scored the eqauliser, the match went into extra-time and then penalties, in which Šmicer scored the decisive penalty for Liverpool. He celebrated his converted spot kick with a kiss of his shirt's badge in front of the Liverpool fans. Moments later, Jerzy Dudek
saved Andriy Shevchenko
's penalty to win both the shoot-out and the final for Liverpool.
in the summer of 2005. In the 2006–07 Champions League, Bordeaux were drawn against Liverpool in the group stages. He indicated his delight at returning to Anfield, although injury barred him from playing a part in either of the two matches between the sides. Šmicer suffered a serious knee injury that sidelined him for more than a year. The injury was the worst moment of his career and he even considered retiring. As a result, he missed the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but he did not retire. After another long recovery, Šmicer did not extend his contract in Bordeaux and left the club in the summer of 2007. He made 28 appearances and scored three goals during his time at the club.
, where he signed a one year contract. His return to Slavia sparked joy among the club's supporters. That season, Slavia won its first league title after 12 years, a triumph which Šmicer was also part of. Overall, he has not played much because of injuries. In 2008 he won the Personality of the League award at the Czech Footballer of the Year
awards. He ended his football career after draw 0–0 with Viktoria Plzeň on 9 November 2009. He officially made farewell with professional football career at Synot Tip Arena in Prague on 11 May 2010, at the friendly match Slavia Prague – Sparta Prague, featuring legendary players of both clubs. 15,000 fans attended his last match.
for the Czech Republic
. In total earning 81 caps, scoring 27 goals. He also has one cap for the old Czechoslovakia national team
.
Šmicer was part of the Czech Republic squad for Euro 1996
. The then-22-year-old midfielder started the country’s stunning campaign in England
. The Czechs were down 3–2 in a game against Russia
and needed to draw in order to qualify for the play-off rounds. Šmicer scored the all important equalizer two minutes before the end of the game. The Czechs then advanced through the play-offs to the final game, which they lost to Germany
after extra-time.
Four years later, in Euro 2000
. Šmicer scored both goals in the national team’s only victory, 2–0 against Denmark
. At Euro 2004
, he scored the winning goal in the team’s 3–2 win over the Netherlands
. In that game, the Czechs were 2–0 down after 20 minutes of play but still managed to recover. The comeback began an impressive march to the tournament’s semi-finals. Šmicer has said the game against Netherlands was the most memorable moment in his international career.
Šmicer holds the distinction of being one of only four players to score at three UEFA European Championships – Euro '96, Euro 2000 and Euro 2004. The others being Jürgen Klinsmann
(Euro 88, Euro 92 and Euro 96), Thierry Henry
and Nuno Gomes
(both Euro 2000, Euro 2004 and Euro 2008).
Although he didn't play at Euro 2008, Šmicer made his debut as a television commentator during the Euro 2008 opening match between the home team Switzerland and his native Czech Republic, held 7 June in Basel.
.
|1992–93
||Slavia Prague||First League
||21||9||||||||||||||||
|-
|1993–94
||rowspan="3"|Slavia Prague||rowspan="3"|Gambrinus liga
||18||6||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994–95
||16||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995–96
||28||9||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996–97
||rowspan="3"|Lens
||rowspan="3"|Division 1
||33||5||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98
||28||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99
||30||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999–00||rowspan="6"|Liverpool
||rowspan="6"|Premier League||21||1||2||0||2||0||0||0||||
|-
|2000–01
||27||2||5||1||6||4||11||0||||
|-
|2001–02
||22||4||1||0||1||0||11||1||||
|-
|2002–03
||21||0||1||0||5||0||6||1||||
|-
|2003–04
||20||3||1||0||1||1|||3||0|||||
|-
|2004–05
||10||0||0|0||0||0||0||6||1|||||
|-
|2005–06||rowspan="2"|Girondins Bordeaux
||rowspan="2"|Ligue 1
||25||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006–07||3||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2007–08
||rowspan="3"|Slavia Prague||rowspan="3"|Gambrinus liga
||12||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2008–09
||8||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|2009–10
||3||0||||||||||||||||
|-
21||9||||||||||||||||
85||23||||||||||||||||
119||19||||||||||||||||
121||10||||||||||||||||
346||61||||||||||||||||
Winner:
Winner:
Winner:
Runner-up:
Winner:
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
football midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
player. Šmicer was a devout player of Slavia Prague, the only Czech club he ever played for. He also played notably for Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
in France, with whom he won the Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
title. In 1999, Šmicer moved to England, where he played several seasons for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and won various trophies there. He is best remembered for his time in Liverpool, particularly a great goal in the 2005 Champions League Final
2005 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2005 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Liverpool of England and Milan of Italy at the Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on 25 May 2005...
. Internationally he played 81 times for the Czech national team. In 2009 he ended his professional career.
Early career
An attacking midfielder, Šmicer first shot to prominence in 1996, helping Slavia Prague reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup and then starring for the Czech Republic during their run to the final of Euro 96.Šmicer didn’t have to wait for notice at Euro 96. He signed a contract with the French club Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
prior to the championship. While at Lens, he enjoyed more success, inspiring the club to a first ever-French title in 1997/98. That season he scored seven goals and was a leader on the ground. He played in the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and played a pivotal role in the side's successes in this tournament.
He left Lens to move to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in June 1999.
Liverpool
Šmicer joined Liverpool for a fee of £4.2 million, recruited to fill the void left by the departure of Steve McManamanSteve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
to Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. Upon arriving at Anfield in 1999, Šmicer was given the famous Number 7 shirt although he would later wear number 11. When he left Liverpool in 2005, Šmicer said "Just signing for Liverpool in itself was a dream because I supported them as a kid. It was a dream come true". He made his debut for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in a game against Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
. Liverpool won the game 2–0 and Šmicer impressed with his initial input. However his first campaign in the Premiership was a difficult one as he struggled to come to terms with the pace of the English game and his cause was not helped by a succession of injuries.
The 2000/2001 season saw Šmicer or "Vladi", as the Liverpool fans affectionately called him, fare much better; whether he played on the flanks or behind the front two. Having got to grips with life in the Premiership and regaining full fitness he showed in glimpses just what he is really capable of and played an important role in the Reds treble cup triumph.
Unfortunately he was plagued with injury problems and a lack of consistency meant he was in and out of the team. However, there were some memorable moments for the Czech Republic international, including the last minute winner against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in 2002, and a stunning volley against Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
in Europe along with his impressive performance in the 2–0 win over Roma in the Champions League at Anfield. A serious injury suffered in late 2003 however blighted the rest of his Liverpool career. He managed to battle his way back to fitness in the 2004–2005 season and due to a severe injury crisis at the club, Šmicer began to feature prominently for Liverpool under new manager Rafael Benítez
Rafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....
. His playing return coincided with Liverpool's quest for the Champions League
UEFA Champions League 2004-05
The 2004–05 UEFA Champions League was the 50th season of UEFA's premier European club football tournament, and the 13th since it was rebranded as the UEFA Champions League in 1992. The competition was won by Liverpool, who beat Milan on penalties in the final, having come back from 3–0 down...
as he made substitute appearances against Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen is a German football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the most well-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports.-Origins and early years:On 27 November...
, Juventus and Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
as Liverpool qualified for the Champions League Final against A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
.
Prior to the final, it was decided by Benitez that Šmicer's contract was not to be renewed. Furthermore, Šmicer, who celebrated his 32nd birthday the day before, didn't start the final. However, after 22 minutes, an injury to Harry Kewell
Harry Kewell
Harold "Harry" Kewell is an Australian professional football midfielder who plays for Melbourne Victory in the A-League. Internationally he has received 55 caps, and scored 16 goals, while playing for the Australian national team...
gave him his opportunity to end his Liverpool career in style: "Before the final, I so was eager to get on. It was my last match for Liverpool so I was determined to end it in style. I was free in my head and that was my motivation – to do well for the club in my last match. I wanted to enjoy the big game."
Despite being named as a substitute, Šmicer was soon brought on for Kewell, who had suffered an injury. At that time the scoreline was 1–0 to Milan and Liverpool then went on to go 3-0 down at half time, but in the second half, Liverpool managed to command more of the pitch and just past the hour mark when Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
pulled a goal back from a John Arne Riise
John Arne Riise
John Arne Semundseth Riise is a Norwegian footballer who currently plays as a left wing-back for Fulham and the Norwegian national team. Riise spent seven years playing for Premier League side Liverpool before moving to Roma in 2008...
cross. Less than two minutes later, Šmicer struck a 20-yard shot which flew past Dida into the far right corner. After Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso
Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano is a Spanish World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Real Madrid as a midfielder.Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home region Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at Eibar he returned to Sociedad where then manager John Toshack appointed...
scored the eqauliser, the match went into extra-time and then penalties, in which Šmicer scored the decisive penalty for Liverpool. He celebrated his converted spot kick with a kiss of his shirt's badge in front of the Liverpool fans. Moments later, Jerzy Dudek
Jerzy Dudek
Jerzy Henryk Dudek is a retired Polish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.After beginning his career in his home country, he went on to have successful spells in Netherlands and England, winning the UEFA Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, appearing in 186 official games for the club over...
saved Andriy Shevchenko
Andriy Shevchenko
Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko is a Ukrainian footballer who plays for Dynamo Kyiv and the Ukraine national team as a striker. He is the third-highest scorer in the history of European club competition with 67 goals as of 2011-03-10, behind Filippo Inzaghi and Raúl. With 175 goals scored with A.C...
's penalty to win both the shoot-out and the final for Liverpool.
Bordeaux
Šmicer moved on to BordeauxFC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....
in the summer of 2005. In the 2006–07 Champions League, Bordeaux were drawn against Liverpool in the group stages. He indicated his delight at returning to Anfield, although injury barred him from playing a part in either of the two matches between the sides. Šmicer suffered a serious knee injury that sidelined him for more than a year. The injury was the worst moment of his career and he even considered retiring. As a result, he missed the 2006 World Cup in Germany, but he did not retire. After another long recovery, Šmicer did not extend his contract in Bordeaux and left the club in the summer of 2007. He made 28 appearances and scored three goals during his time at the club.
Slavia Prague
In July 2007, Šmicer returned to SK Slavia PrahaSK Slavia Praha
Sportovní Klub Slavia Praha is a Czech professional football club founded in 1892 in the city of Prague.They play in the Gambrinus liga—the highest competition in the Czech Republic. Alongside Sparta Prague, they are considered one of the top Czech clubs and the rivalry between the two clubs is...
, where he signed a one year contract. His return to Slavia sparked joy among the club's supporters. That season, Slavia won its first league title after 12 years, a triumph which Šmicer was also part of. Overall, he has not played much because of injuries. In 2008 he won the Personality of the League award at the Czech Footballer of the Year
Czech Footballer of the Year
The Czech Footballer of the Year is awarded in the Czech Republic by the Football Association of the Czech Republic . Eligible are Czech players in the Czech Republic and abroad...
awards. He ended his football career after draw 0–0 with Viktoria Plzeň on 9 November 2009. He officially made farewell with professional football career at Synot Tip Arena in Prague on 11 May 2010, at the friendly match Slavia Prague – Sparta Prague, featuring legendary players of both clubs. 15,000 fans attended his last match.
International career
Šmicer began his International career in 1993. He was an essential player in three European ChampionshipsUEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
for the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
. In total earning 81 caps, scoring 27 goals. He also has one cap for the old Czechoslovakia national team
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
.
Šmicer was part of the Czech Republic squad for Euro 1996
1996 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1996 UEFA European Football Championship was hosted by England, who won the right to host the tournament ahead of bids from Austria, Portugal and the Netherlands. It was the tenth European Football Championship, which is held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. It was the first to use the...
. The then-22-year-old midfielder started the country’s stunning campaign in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Czechs were down 3–2 in a game against Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
and needed to draw in order to qualify for the play-off rounds. Šmicer scored the all important equalizer two minutes before the end of the game. The Czechs then advanced through the play-offs to the final game, which they lost to Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
after extra-time.
Four years later, in Euro 2000
2000 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, or Euro 2000, was the 11th UEFA European Football Championship, which is held every four years and organized by UEFA, association football's governing body in Europe....
. Šmicer scored both goals in the national team’s only victory, 2–0 against Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
. At Euro 2004
2004 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, better known as Euro 2004, was the 12th European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament for European national teams. It was hosted in Portugal, for the first time, between 12 June and 4 July 2004, following its selection by UEFA, in...
, he scored the winning goal in the team’s 3–2 win over the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
. In that game, the Czechs were 2–0 down after 20 minutes of play but still managed to recover. The comeback began an impressive march to the tournament’s semi-finals. Šmicer has said the game against Netherlands was the most memorable moment in his international career.
Šmicer holds the distinction of being one of only four players to score at three UEFA European Championships – Euro '96, Euro 2000 and Euro 2004. The others being Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
(Euro 88, Euro 92 and Euro 96), Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
and Nuno Gomes
Nuno Gomes
Nuno Miguel Soares Pereira Ribeiro , commonly known as Nuno Gomes, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for S.C. Braga as a striker.He was given the nickname Gomes during childhood after F.C...
(both Euro 2000, Euro 2004 and Euro 2008).
Although he didn't play at Euro 2008, Šmicer made his debut as a television commentator during the Euro 2008 opening match between the home team Switzerland and his native Czech Republic, held 7 June in Basel.
Managerial career
Just one day after retiring from football, Šmicer became sports manager of the Czech national football team working alongside coach Michal BílekMichal Bílek
Michal Bílek is a retired Czech football right midfielder, and a current coach of the Czech Republic national football team.-Club career:...
.
Statistics
|-|1992–93
Czechoslovak First League 1992-93
-Overview:It was contested by 16 teams, and Sparta Prague won the championship. This was the last league championship of a unified Czechoslovakia.-League standings:-References:*...
||Slavia Prague||First League
Czechoslovak First League
The Czechoslovak First League was the premier football league in the Czechoslovakia from 1925 to 1993, with the exception of World War II. Czechoslovakia was occupied by German forces who formed Gauliga Sudetenland and Gauliga Böhmen und Mähren leagues on occupied territories...
||21||9||||||||||||||||
|-
|1993–94
Gambrinus liga 1993-94
Statistics of Gambrinus liga for the 1993/1994 season. This was the first season of a separate Czech league. It started August 14, 1993 and ended June 8, 1994.-League standings:...
||rowspan="3"|Slavia Prague||rowspan="3"|Gambrinus liga
Gambrinus Liga
The Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
||18||6||||||||||||||||
|-
|1994–95
Gambrinus liga 1994-95
-League standings:P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points-Top goalscorers:-References:...
||16||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1995–96
Gambrinus liga 1995-96
-League standings:P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points-Top goalscorers:-References:...
||28||9||||||||||||||||
|-
|1996–97
Division 1 season 1996-97
AS Monaco won Division 1 season 1996–1997 of the French Association Football League with 79 points. Four teams were relegated to Second division and only two were promoted because in 1997–1998, only 18 would participate the championship.-Participating teams:...
||rowspan="3"|Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
||rowspan="3"|Division 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
||33||5||||||||||||||||
|-
|1997–98
Division 1 season 1997-98
RC Lens won Division 1 season 1997/1998 of the French Association Football League with 68 points.-Participating teams:-Final table:Promoted from Ligue 2 , who will play in Division 1 season 1998/1999** AS Nancy : champion of Ligue 2...
||28||7||||||||||||||||
|-
|1998–99
Division 1 season 1998-99
FC Girondins de Bordeaux won Division 1 season 1998/1999 of the French Association Football League with 72 points..-Participating teams:-Results:-Final table:Promoted from Ligue 2 , who will play in Division 1 season 1999/2000...
||30||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1999–00||rowspan="6"|Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
||rowspan="6"|Premier League||21||1||2||0||2||0||0||0||||
|-
|2000–01
FA Premier League 2000-01
The FA Premier League 2000-01 season was the third season running which ended with Manchester United as champions and Arsenal as runners-up. Sir Alex Ferguson became the first manager to win three successive English league titles, although three teams had achieved that feat in the past - but with...
||27||2||5||1||6||4||11||0||||
|-
|2001–02
FA Premier League 2001-02
The 2001–02 FA Premier League season was the tenth season of the competition. It began with a new sponsor, Barclaycard, and was titled the FA Barclaycard Premiership, replacing the previous sponsor, Carling...
||22||4||1||0||1||0||11||1||||
|-
|2002–03
FA Premier League 2002-03
The 2002–03 FA Premier League was the eleventh season of the Premier League, the top division in English football. The first matches were played on 17 August 2002 and the last were played on 11 May 2003...
||21||0||1||0||5||0||6||1||||
|-
|2003–04
FA Premier League 2003-04
The 2003–04 FA Premier League season was the twelfth season of the Premier League. In the end, Arsenal went through the season without a single defeat – only the second ever team to do so and were crowned champions once more, at the expense of Chelsea, who had spent heavily throughout the...
||20||3||1||0||1||1|||3||0|||||
|-
|2004–05
FA Premier League 2004-05
The 2004–05 season of the FA Premier League began on 14 August 2004 and ended on 15 May 2005. Arsenal were the defending champions after going unbeaten the previous season....
||10||0||0|0||0||0||0||6||1|||||
|-
|2005–06||rowspan="2"|Girondins Bordeaux
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....
||rowspan="2"|Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
||25||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|2006–07||3||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|2007–08
Gambrinus liga 2007-08
The 2007–08 Gambrinus liga was the fifteenth season of Czech Republic's top-tier of football. The season started on August 4, 2007 and concluded on May 17, 2008.-League standings:* 1...
||rowspan="3"|Slavia Prague||rowspan="3"|Gambrinus liga
Gambrinus Liga
The Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
||12||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|2008–09
Gambrinus liga 2008-09
The 2008–09 Gambrinus liga was the sixteenth season of Czech Republic's top-tier of football. It began on 2 August 2008 and ended on 30 May 2009. Slavia Prague were the defending champions. Slavia secured their 17th title overall after a 3–1 win away against Viktoria Žižkov in 28th round...
||8||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|2009–10
2009–10 Gambrinus liga
Gambrinus liga 2009–10 was the seventeenth season of the Czech Republic's top-tier football. It started on 24 July 2009 and ended on 15 May 2010...
||3||0||||||||||||||||
|-
21||9||||||||||||||||
85||23||||||||||||||||
119||19||||||||||||||||
121||10||||||||||||||||
346||61||||||||||||||||
SK Slavia Praha
Winner:- Gambrinus ligaGambrinus LigaThe Gambrinus liga is a Czech professional league for football clubs. At the top of the Czech football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 16 clubs, operating a system of promotion and relegation with the Czech 2. Liga. Seasons run from August to May,...
: (3) 1995–96Gambrinus liga 1995-96-League standings:P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points-Top goalscorers:-References:...
, 2007–08Gambrinus liga 2007-08The 2007–08 Gambrinus liga was the fifteenth season of Czech Republic's top-tier of football. The season started on August 4, 2007 and concluded on May 17, 2008.-League standings:* 1...
, 2008–09Gambrinus liga 2008-09The 2008–09 Gambrinus liga was the sixteenth season of Czech Republic's top-tier of football. It began on 2 August 2008 and ended on 30 May 2009. Slavia Prague were the defending champions. Slavia secured their 17th title overall after a 3–1 win away against Viktoria Žižkov in 28th round...
RC Lens
Winner:- Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
: (1) 1997–98Division 1 season 1997-98RC Lens won Division 1 season 1997/1998 of the French Association Football League with 68 points.-Participating teams:-Final table:Promoted from Ligue 2 , who will play in Division 1 season 1998/1999** AS Nancy : champion of Ligue 2... - Coupe de la LigueCoupe de la LigueThe Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
: (1) 1999Coupe de la Ligue Final 1999The Coupe de la Ligue Final 1999 was a football match held at Stade de France, Saint-Denis on May 8, 1999, that saw RC Lens defeat FC Metz 1-0 thanks to a goal by Daniel Moreira.-Match details:...
Liverpool
Winner:- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: (1) 2001 - Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: (2) 20012001 Football League Cup FinalThe 2001 Worthington Cup Final was a football match played between Liverpool and Birmingham City at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on Sunday 25 February 2001...
, 20032003 Football League Cup FinalThe 2003 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2002–03 Football League Cup, a football tournament for teams in the Premier League and the Football League. The match was contested by Liverpool and Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 2 March 2003... - FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
: (1) 20012001 FA Charity ShieldThe 2001 FA Charity Shield was the 79th FA Charity Shield, a football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was played on 12 August 2001 between 2000–01 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2000–01 FA Cup winners... - UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
: (1) 2001 - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: (1) 20052005 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2005 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Liverpool of England and Milan of Italy at the Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on 25 May 2005... - UEFA Super Cup: (1) 20012001 UEFA Super CupThe 2001 UEFA Super Cup was a football match between German team Bayern Munich and English team Liverpool on 24 August 2001 at Stade Louis II, the annual UEFA Super Cup contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup. Bayern were appearing in the Super Cup for the third...
Runner-up:
- FA Premier LeagueFA Premier LeagueThe Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
: 2001-02 - FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
: 20022002 FA Community ShieldThe 2002 FA Community Shield was a football match played on 11 August 2002 between 2001-02 Double winners Arsenal and 2001-02 Premier League runners-up Liverpool. Arsenal won the game 1–0 in normal time. Gilberto Silva scored the only goal of the game in the 69th minute... - Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: 2005
Bordeaux
Winner:- Coupe de la LigueCoupe de la LigueThe Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
: (1) 2007Coupe de la Ligue Final 2007The Coupe de la Ligue Final 2007 was a football match held at Stade de France, Saint-Denis on March 31, 2007, that saw FC Girondins de Bordeaux defeat Olympique Lyonnais 1-0 thanks to a goal by Henrique.-Match details:...
National Team Czech
- European Championships 1996: Runner-up
- European Championships 2004: 3rd Place
External links
- Past Player Profile, liverpoolfc.tv. Accessed 19 August 2008.
- Guardian Football
- Profile and pictures on Sitercl.com
- Player profile at LFChistory.net