Tomáš Rosický facts for kids
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Rosický with Arsenal in 2016
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 4 October 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Prague, Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 1.79 m | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1986–1988 | ČKD Kompresory Prague | ||
| 1988–1998 | Sparta Prague | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998–2001 | Sparta Prague | 41 | (8) |
| 2001–2006 | Borussia Dortmund | 149 | (20) |
| 2006–2016 | Arsenal | 170 | (19) |
| 2016–2017 | Sparta Prague | 12 | (1) |
| Total | 372 | (48) | |
| National team | |||
| 1995–1996 | Czech Republic U15 | 10 | (0) |
| 1996 | Czech Republic U16 | 12 | (5) |
| 1997–1998 | Czech Republic U17 | 16 | (6) |
| 1998–1999 | Czech Republic U18 | 9 | (3) |
| 1999 | Czech Republic U21 | 2 | (0) |
| 2000–2016 | Czech Republic | 105 | (23) |
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Tomáš Rosický (born 4 October 1980) is a former professional footballer from the Czech Republic. He was the captain of the Czech Republic national team for ten years. He played for famous clubs like Sparta Prague, Borussia Dortmund, and Arsenal. After retiring from playing, he became the sports director for Sparta Prague.
Tomáš was a midfielder, known for his creative play. He started his career at his hometown club, Sparta Prague. In 2001, he moved to Borussia Dortmund in Germany for a record fee for a Bundesliga club at the time. In his first season, he helped his team win the league title. He also played in the 2002 UEFA Cup Final. In 2006, Rosický joined Arsenal in England, where he played 247 games. He won the 2014 FA Cup Final with Arsenal. He spent ten seasons in the Premier League, but he faced several long-term injuries during this time.
For his country, Tomáš first played for the Czech Republic in 2000. He became their captain in 2006. He played in four UEFA European Championships and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. On 12 June 2015, he played his 100th game for the national team. Rosický is the fourth highest goalscorer for the Czech Republic.
Contents
Club Career
Sparta Prague
Tomáš Rosický started his football journey at Sparta Prague. His father, Jiří, also played for the club in the 1970s. His brother, also named Jiří, was a trainee there. Tomáš played for Sparta's youth teams before joining the senior team in 1998. He played three matches in his first season, helping Sparta win the national title.
In the 1999–2000 season, he scored five goals as the team won the league again. He was named the "Talent of the Year" in 1999. During the Champions League group stage, he scored against Shakhtar Donetsk and Arsenal. This caught the eye of German club Borussia Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund
On 9 January 2001, Rosický joined Borussia Dortmund on a five-year contract. His transfer fee was about £8 million, making him the most expensive player in Bundesliga history. He was also the most expensive Czech player sold to a foreign team. In his first full season, Rosický helped Dortmund win the 2001–02 league title. He also played in the 2002 UEFA Cup Final, which Dortmund lost 3–2.
He played 75 league matches in his first two and a half seasons, scoring nine goals and making 20 assists. In July 2003, he extended his contract until 2008. He won the Czech Republic's Golden Ball award that year. The 2003–04 season was tough for him, as Dortmund did not qualify for the UEFA Champions League. He scored his first goal of the 2005–06 season in February 2006. In March 2006, he scored twice against Hamburg. This was his last season in Germany.
Arsenal
On 23 May 2006, Arsenal signed Rosický. He made his first game for Arsenal on 8 August 2006 in a 3–0 win. He scored his first Arsenal goal on 13 September 2006 against Hamburg in the Champions League. On 6 January 2007, he scored twice against Liverpool in the FA Cup. In February 2007, he was named Czech Footballer of the Year for the third time. He scored his first Premier League goal on 11 February 2007. He finished his first season with six goals in 37 games.
In the 2007–08 season, Rosický scored against his old club Sparta Prague in a Champions League qualifier. He scored several Premier League goals, including one against Portsmouth and two against Bolton and Wigan. His last goal of the season was against Fulham in January. A tendon injury in an FA Cup game in January 2008 meant he missed the rest of that season.
Rosický missed the entire 2008–09 season due to his injury. He returned to play in September 2009, making an assist and scoring a goal against Manchester City. On 4 January 2010, he signed a new contract with Arsenal. He scored an equaliser against Everton and helped Arsenal win against Bolton. He finished the season with three goals in 33 games.
In the 2010–11 season, Rosický helped Arsenal get an equalising goal against Liverpool. He scored his only goal of the season in an FA Cup game against Leyton Orient. He played in the 2011 League Cup Final, which Arsenal lost 2–1.
In the 2011–12 season, Rosický scored against Tottenham Hotspur in a 5–2 win. He also scored in a 3–0 Champions League win against A.C. Milan. On 12 March 2012, he signed a new two-year contract. He got injured in Arsenal's last game of the season.
After an injury at Euro 2012, Rosický returned to play for Arsenal in December 2012. He scored in a Champions League game against Olympiacos. In April 2013, he scored both goals in a 2–1 win against West Brom. He played 16 games and scored three goals in the 2012–13 season.
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On 4 January 2014, Rosický scored his first goal of the 2013–14 season in an FA Cup win against Tottenham Hotspur. He broke his nose in a game against Aston Villa. In February, he scored a fantastic goal against Sunderland. In March 2014, he signed another contract extension. He also scored the winning goal in a 1–0 derby win against Tottenham. Rosický won his first trophy in England, the FA Cup, coming on as a substitute in the final.
In the 2014–15 season, Rosický won his second trophy, the Community Shield. He scored his first league goal of the season in December 2014. In January 2015, he captained Arsenal in an FA Cup game, scoring a goal and getting an assist. Arsenal won the FA Cup again that season.
Rosický missed the first half of the 2015–16 season due to a knee injury. He returned in January 2016 but got another thigh injury. It was announced that he would leave Arsenal in July 2016 after ten years. On 15 May, he received a special farewell from the club.
Return to Sparta Prague and Retirement
On 30 August 2016, Rosický returned to Sparta Prague. He played his first game back on 10 September 2016 but got injured again. This injury kept him out for the rest of the 2016–17 Czech First League season.
On 10 September 2017, Rosický started a game for Sparta Prague after 17 years and scored the winning goal. On 20 December 2017, he announced his retirement from football at age 37. He said his body could no longer handle the demands of professional football due to constant injuries. He played 12 games in his final season.
International Career
Early Senior Career
On 23 February 2000, Rosický played his first international game for the Czech Republic. It was a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland. He scored his first goal on 6 October 2001 in a friendly against Bulgaria.
Rosický was part of the Czech Republic squad for UEFA Euro 2000. He played in their first two matches.
World Cup and Euro Appearances
Rosický helped his country try to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He scored twice in a 6–0 win against Bulgaria. He played a big part in Euro 2004, where the Czech team did well but lost to Greece in the semi-finals. He also helped the team qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, scoring seven goals in 12 qualifying matches.
At the 2006 World Cup, Rosický scored two goals in the Czech Republic's first game, a 3–0 win over the United States. He was named the best player of the match. The Czech Republic lost their next two games and did not move past the group stage.
In August 2006, Rosický became the captain of the Czech Republic national team. He missed UEFA Euro 2008 due to injury. He returned to international football on 9 September 2009 in a World Cup qualifier against San Marino.
100 Appearances and Retirement
Rosický was the captain for the Czech Republic at UEFA Euro 2012. An achilles tendon injury in a game against Greece ended his tournament early. The Czechs were knocked out in the quarter-finals.
On 12 June 2015, Rosický played his 100th international game in a loss to Iceland. The next year, at Euro 2016, he became the oldest player to represent the Czech Republic in the competition at 35 years old. He also holds the record for being the youngest player to do so, having played at UEFA Euro 2000 when he was 19.
Tomáš Rosický retired from international football on 20 December 2017. He said that ongoing injuries made it hard for him to play at the highest level.
Functionary Career
In January 2018, Tomáš Rosický became the assistant to the new sports director at AC Sparta Prague. On 17 December 2018, he took over as the sporting director himself.
Style of Play
Before his first big international tournament, Euro 2000, Rosický was called a "solid playmaker." Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said Rosický had "great technique, skill on the ball and sharp passing." Wenger also called him a "special talent" with "remarkable vision and touch."
Rosický was known for using the outside of his foot to pass and shoot. In Germany, people called him "The Little Mozart" because he could control the game on the field like a conductor. David Hytner, a sports writer, said he was "the all-round midfielder who brings balance, organisation and urgency to the team."
Personal Life
Tomáš Rosický's father, Jiří Rosický, was also a professional footballer. Tomáš has a son, also named Tomáš, who was born in June 2013. He married his girlfriend, Radka Kocurová, in May 2014. They had been together for 11 years. Tomáš also plays the guitar. He even performed live with a rock band in March 2010, after practicing a lot during his injury breaks.
Images for kids
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Rosický (right) playing in the Premier League against Birmingham City in October 2010
