Michal Kadlec facts for kids
Kadlec playing for Sparta Prague in 2017
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 December 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Vyškov, Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left back, centre back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1991–1993 | SV Alsenborn | ||
| 1993–1998 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern | ||
| 1998–2001 | Slovácko | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2005 | Slovácko | 34 | (1) |
| 2005–2008 | Sparta Prague | 94 | (7) |
| 2008–2013 | Bayer Leverkusen | 128 | (8) |
| 2013–2016 | Fenerbahçe | 31 | (3) |
| 2016–2018 | Sparta Prague | 36 | (3) |
| 2018–2024 | Slovácko | 155 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 2002 | Czech Republic U18 | 7 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Czech Republic U19 | 10 | (0) |
| 2004–2007 | Czech Republic U21 | 26 | (1) |
| 2007–2016 | Czech Republic | 67 | (8) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 June 2024 | |||
Michal Kadlec (born December 13, 1984) is a former professional soccer player from the Czech Republic. He was known for being a skilled defender. He played for famous clubs like Sparta Prague, Bayer Leverkusen, and Fenerbahçe.
Kadlec also played for his country's national team. He played 67 games for the Czech Republic and scored eight goals. He represented his country in three UEFA European Championships, which is a major tournament for European countries.
Contents
Early Life
Michal Kadlec was born in the town of Vyškov in what was then Czechoslovakia. His father, Miroslav Kadlec, was also a famous soccer player. In 1990, when Michal was a young boy, his family moved to Germany because his father started playing for the German team 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
Living in Germany, Michal learned to speak German in kindergarten. He attended a German elementary school (Grundschule) and later a type of high school called a Gymnasium. In 1998, his family moved back to the Czech Republic when his father joined a new team there.
Club Career
Starting in the Czech Republic
Kadlec began his professional soccer journey with the team Slovácko. He played his first league game against a team called Baník Ostrava. His talent was quickly noticed, and in January 2005, he moved to one of the biggest clubs in the country, Sparta Prague. He played there for over three years and became an important player for the team.
Moving to Germany and Turkey
In August 2008, Kadlec made a big move to Germany to play for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, one of Europe's top soccer leagues. He spent five successful years there.
In 2013, he joined the Turkish club Fenerbahçe. The team paid €4.5 million to sign him. He signed a three-year contract and helped the team win the league title.
Return Home and Retirement
After his time in Turkey, Kadlec returned to the Czech Republic in 2016 to play for Sparta Prague again. Later, he went back to Slovácko, the club where his career first started. On May 12, 2024, after a long and successful career, Kadlec announced he was retiring from professional soccer.
International Career
Kadlec was first chosen to play for the Czech national team on November 17, 2007. His first game was against Slovakia. In a strange twist, he accidentally scored an own goal in that game, but his team still won 3–1. He scored his first official goal for his country on May 30, 2008, in another 3–1 win, this time against Scotland.
One of his most famous moments happened during the 2012 European Championship. In a game against Poland, an opponent's shot was heading into the empty net. In the final seconds of the game, Kadlec cleared the ball off the goal line with his head. This amazing save kept the score 1-0 and allowed the Czech Republic to advance to the next round of the tournament. If the goal had been scored, his team would have been eliminated.
Sponsorship
Kadlec's popularity earned him a special honor. In 2013, the video game company EA Sports announced that he would be on the Czech cover of the popular soccer game FIFA 14. He appeared on the cover alongside the world-famous player Lionel Messi.
Honours
Club
Sparta Prague
- Czech First League: 2004–05, 2006–07
- Czech Cup: 2005–06, 2006–07
Fenerbahçe
- Süper Lig: 2013–14
- Turkish Super Cup: 2014
Slovácko
- Czech Cup: 2021–22
See also
In Spanish: Michal Kadlec para niños
