Zdeněk Grygera facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Zdeněk Grygera | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 14 May 1980 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Přílepy, Czechoslovakia | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft +1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1990 | TJ Holešov | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1997 | FK Svit Zlín | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Svit Zlín | 20 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2000 | Petra Drnovice | 54 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2003 | Sparta Prague | 65 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2007 | Ajax | 78 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Juventus | 87 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Fulham | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 309 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2009 | Czech Republic | 65 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Zdeněk Grygera (born May 14, 1980) is a former professional football player from the Czech Republic. He played as a defender and was known for his strong and versatile play.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting His Football Journey
Zdeněk Grygera began his football career at a club called Petra Drnovice. After playing there, he moved to Sparta Prague, one of the biggest football clubs in the Czech Republic.
Playing for Ajax
In July 2003, Grygera joined the Dutch club Ajax. He quickly became a favorite among the fans. He scored his first goal for Ajax in September 2004 during a big 5–0 win. He also scored an important goal against their rivals, Feyenoord, in a match called the Klassieker.
After his time at Ajax, Grygera moved to the Italian club Juventus in 2007. He scored a very late goal for Juventus in a big game against their rivals Internazionale in April 2009.
Time at Fulham
In 2011, Grygera joined the English club Fulham, which plays in the Premier League. He made his first appearance for Fulham in a UEFA Europa League match.
However, his time at Fulham was cut short. In November 2011, he suffered a serious knee injury that kept him from playing for the rest of the season. After working hard to recover, Grygera decided to retire from football in December 2012 to focus on his health.
International Career
Zdeněk Grygera also played for his country, the Czech Republic.
Youth and Senior Teams
He was part of the Czech Republic's Under-21 team that won the UEFA U-21 Championships in 2002. This was a big achievement for him and his team.
In 2001, he played his first game for the senior Czech Republic national team.
World Cup and Euro Appearances
Grygera played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In their first match against the United States, he helped set up the first goal, and the Czech team won 3–0.
He also played in UEFA Euro 2008. During the opening game of the tournament, he was involved in a play that unfortunately led to an injury for a Swiss player, Alexander Frei.
Style of Play
Zdeněk Grygera was known for being a very hard-working and competitive player. He was also very versatile, meaning he could play in many different positions on the field.
He usually played as a full-back or wing-back on the right side of the field. This meant he helped defend, but also ran forward to help attack. He could also play on the left side or even as a centre-back (a central defender). People admired his strong defense and his ability to contribute to the team's overall play.
Honours and Achievements
Zdeněk Grygera won several important titles during his career:
Sparta Prague
- Gambrinus Liga:
- 2000–01
- 2002–03
Ajax
- Eredivisie:
- 2003–04
- KNVB Cup:
- 2005–06
- 2006–07
- Johan Cruijff Shield:
- 2005
Images for kids
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Zdeněk Grygera in action.
See also
In Spanish: Zdeněk Grygera para niños
