Tomáš Ujfaluši facts for kids
Ujfaluši playing for Galatasaray in 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Tomáš Ujfaluši | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 24 March 1978 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rýmařov, Czechoslovakia | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | 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) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1999 | Czech Republic U21 | 26 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2001–2009 | Czech Republic | 78 | (2) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Tomáš Ujfaluši (born on March 24, 1978) is a former professional footballer from the Czech Republic. He was a strong defender who could play as a central defender (in the middle of the defense) or a right-back (on the right side).
Tomáš started his football journey in 1996 with SK Sigma Olomouc. He then played for big clubs in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. During his career, he won six major titles with teams like Hamburger SV, Atlético Madrid, and Galatasaray. He also played 78 times for the Czech Republic national team, representing his country in the 2006 World Cup and two European Championships.
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Playing for Clubs
Tomáš Ujfaluši joined the German team Hamburger SV in December 2000. He signed a contract for four and a half years. In 2004, he moved to Italy, signing a four-year deal with Fiorentina. The transfer fee was about €6.3 million.
Time at Atlético Madrid
After playing almost 150 games for Fiorentina, Tomáš Ujfaluši joined Atlético Madrid in Spain. He moved as a free agent, which means his contract with Fiorentina had ended. He mostly played as a central defender for Atlético.
On September 19, 2010, during a game against FC Barcelona, Ujfaluši made a challenge that caused Lionel Messi to injure his right ankle. Tomáš received a red card for this and was banned for two games.
Playing for Galatasaray
On June 20, 2011, when he was 33 years old, Ujfaluši signed with Süper Lig club Galatasaray in Turkey. The transfer fee was €2 million. He was a key player in his first season. Galatasaray won their 18th league title that year, which was a record for the club.
In the final game of that season, Tomáš was sent off (given a red card) during a match against Fenerbahçe SK. He left Galatasaray at the end of the 2012–13 season because of a long injury.
Return to Sparta Prague
In August 2013, Ujfaluši returned to the Czech Republic and signed a one-year contract with AC Sparta Prague. He played his first game for Sparta Prague in September 2013 in a Czech Cup match.
After a few months back in his home country, he decided to retire from playing football on December 2, 2013, at the age of 35. Soon after, on December 18, 2013, Tomáš Ujfaluši went back to Galatasaray, but this time as their sporting director.
Playing for His Country
Tomáš Ujfaluši first played for the Czech senior national team in a friendly match against Macedonia in 2001. He played for his country in the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament, where the Czech team reached the semifinals.
He also played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In that tournament, he received a red card during a game against Ghana, and the Czech team was knocked out in the group stage.
After nine years with the national team, where he became the team's captain, Ujfaluši decided to stop playing for his country on April 8, 2009. This decision came after some criticism he received for visiting a restaurant with other players after the Czech Republic lost a World Cup qualification game against Slovakia.
Career Achievements
Hamburger SV
- DFB-Ligapokal: 2003
Atlético Madrid
- UEFA Europa League: 2009–10
- UEFA Super Cup: 2010
Galatasaray
- Süper Lig: 2011–12, 2012–13
- Turkish Super Cup: 2012
Individual Awards
- Fiorentina All-time XI (meaning he was chosen as one of the best players in Fiorentina's history)
See also
In Spanish: Tomáš Ujfaluši para niños
