Petr Cech: A Living Legend

He might not be a household name amongst the non-football section of the society, but true football fans will indeed respect and admire Petr Cech. Petr Cech was born on the 20th of May 1982 in Plze?, Czechoslovakia. His parents were very supportive even in his early years, providing him with all the equipment he needed. Cech enjoyed ice-hockey as a child and his dad would often accompany him to such games. After his transition to football, he initially started out as a striker for Viktoria Plzen. His height naturally made him a suitable target man but he soon realised that his future lay in goalkeeping.

After rapidly earning plaudits at the youth academy of Plzen, he was acquired by Chmel Blšany, where he made his league début at the age of 17 in October 1999. The match ended in a 3-1 loss but Cech was undeterred. After a successful stint in Blsany, Sparta Prague, one of the powerhouses of Czech Football, made an inquiry about Cech’s availability and he soon became a Rudi. Cech was immediately pushed into the first team, despite 19 years old. Yet, he didn’t let his age stop him. He set a Czech professional record of not conceding for an astounding 903 consecutive minutes. He would better this record later in the Premier League under the tutelage of the Special One, José Mourinho. Despite not winning the domestic league with Prague, Cech became hot property in the European transfer market, attracting interest from the likes of Arsenal and other English clubs. However, some discrepancy with his work visa prevented further discussions and Cech eventually joined the French team Rennes. Here, he met Christophe Lollichon, the goalkeeping coach who would accompany him to Chelsea. He became accustomed to the intensity of the French Ligue, garnering a Man of the Match award for his performance against Paris St Germain. Although Cech’s reputation rose with each game, Rennes found life in the First Division very hard, having to struggle to avoid relegation in the 2003/04 season.

In June 2003, Cech had a trial with Chelsea, impressing the then Coach Claudio Ranieri. He envisioned Cech as a future star and quickly splurged 7 million to sign him. This was a very large amount, the largest Chelsea had ever paid for a keeper. This was also rather surprising considering the fact that Carlo Cudicini was a world-class keeper who had been first choice at Chelsea for a rather long time. Nevertheless, Cech was soon propelled into first team action, making his debut against Manchester United. Cech was coolness personified in the match and a star was born.

In that very season, Cech and Chelsea conceded a measly 15 goals in the Premier League, a record.

The records didn’t stop there as he set a new Premier League record of 1,025 minutes without letting in a goal. He also kept an astounding 21 clean sheets, another record. Cech won the Premier League in the 2004/05 season as well as the 05/06 season, further boosting his reputation as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

Cech was en route to becoming a serious contender for major honours but that was when tragedy struck. On 14 October 2006, Cech and Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt collided whilst trying to get the ball. Hunt kneed Cech right in the skull, leaving it fractured. Cech underwent surgery, one which saved his life. Cech pondered retirement, which would’ve been a shame considering the fact that he was one of the best in the world. Through sheer grit and commitment, Cech made his comeback against Liverpool in January, barely 3 months after his near-death injury.

“When I woke up after the operation and even a few days later, football was the last thing on my mind. I had no memory of the injury itself.”

Although his form dipped after the injury, his reflexes and shot stopping remained ever intact. His strength in the air however was not what it used to be. Nevertheless, Cech continued to see success with Chelsea, winning the Premier League again in the 2009/10 season, and the FA Cup in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012. Cech also played a major part in Chelsea’s maiden UEFA Champions League victory, putting in impressive performances against Barcelona in the semis as well as Bayern in the finals. He saved Arjen Robben’s spot kick in extra-time and also saved Ivica Olic’s and Bastian Scheinsteiger’s penalties in the shootout.

He may not be the best player on the planet but he certainly is among the elite. Apart from his endeavours on the field, Cech donates generously to charities and takes part in various camps for the young and differently-abled. He is an inspiration not only to footballers, but also to others, and is a living example of how perseverance can overcome even the most challenging hurdles.

Be it for his exceptional goalkeeping or his immaculate behaviour off the pitch, Petr Cech truly is my footballing idol!