Tomáš Ujfaluši facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tomáš Ujfaluši

Ujfaluši playing for Galatasaray in 2012
Personal information
Date of birth	(1978-03-24) 24 March 1978 (age 47)
Place of birth	Rýmařov, Czechoslovakia
Height	1.85 m
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1988–1991	TJ Rýmařov
1991–1996	Sigma Olomouc
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1996–2000	Sigma Olomouc	100	(4)
2000–2004	Hamburger SV	105	(2)
2004–2008	Fiorentina	123	(2)
2008–2011	Atlético Madrid	92	(0)
2011–2013	Galatasaray	41	(1)
2013–2014	Sparta Prague	0	(0)
Total		461	(9)
National team
1997–1999	Czech Republic U21	26	(0)
2001–2009	Czech Republic	78	(2)
Honours Men's football Representing  Czech Republic UEFA European Championship Bronze 2004 Portugal
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Tomáš Ujfaluši (born March 24, 1978) is a former professional football player from the Czech Republic. He was a strong defender, playing as either a central defender or a right back. Tomáš started his career in 1996 with SK Sigma Olomouc. He played for many big clubs in different countries like Germany, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. During his career, he won six major trophies with teams like Hamburger SV, Atlético Madrid, and Galatasaray. He also played for the Czech Republic national team 78 times, representing his country in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and two European Championships.

Club Career Highlights

Playing for Atlético Madrid

Ujfaluši playing for Atlético Madrid in 2009.

After playing almost 150 games for Fiorentina, Tomáš Ujfaluši joined Atlético Madrid for free. He mostly played as a centre-back for Fiorentina. On September 19, 2010, during a game against FC Barcelona, Ujfaluši made a strong tackle on Lionel Messi. This resulted in a red card for Ujfaluši and a two-game ban.

Time with Galatasaray

On June 20, 2011, when he was 33 years old, Ujfaluši signed with the Turkish club Galatasaray. He joined for a transfer fee of €2 million. In his first season (2011–12), he was a key player for the team. Galatasaray won their 18th league title that season, which was a record for the club.

Ujfaluši left Galatasaray at the end of the 2012–13 season because of a long injury. After a few months playing back in his home country with AC Sparta Prague, he decided to retire from football in December 2013 at the age of 35. Later that same year, on December 18, Ujfaluši returned to Galatasaray. This time, he was appointed as the club's sporting director.

International Career

Ujfaluši with the Czech Republic national team in 2009.

Tomáš Ujfaluši played his first game for the Czech senior team in 2001. It was a friendly match against Macedonia. He played in four matches for his country at the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament, where the Czech Republic reached the semifinals. He also played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In that tournament, he received a red card against Ghana, and the Czech team was knocked out in the group stage.

After nine years playing for the national team, where he eventually became the captain, Ujfaluši decided to end his international career on April 8, 2009. This decision came after he faced criticism for an off-field incident after a game where the Czech Republic lost to Slovakia.

Honours and Achievements

Tomáš Ujfaluši won several important trophies during his football career:

With Hamburger SV

• DFB-Ligapokal: 2003 (a German league cup)

With Atlético Madrid

• UEFA Europa League: 2009–10 (a major European club competition)
• UEFA Super Cup: 2010 (a match between the winners of the Champions League and Europa League)

With Galatasaray

• Süper Lig: 2011–12, 2012–13 (the top football league in Turkey)
• Turkish Super Cup: 2012 (a Turkish football super cup)

Individual Awards

• Fiorentina All-time XI (he was chosen as one of the best players in Fiorentina's history)

See also

In Spanish: Tomáš Ujfaluši para niños