Match Worn Boots

Sparta Praha A.C.

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These boots were worn by Tomas Rosicky during his last season at Sparta Praha A.C. On 30 August 2016, Rosický announced a return to AC Sparta Prague. He made his second debut for Sparta on 10 September 2016 as a substitute in a 2–2 draw with Mladá Boleslav in a Czech First League game; However, he sustained an injury during that same match and was eventually ruled out for the rest of the 2016–17 Czech First League season. On 10 September 2017, Rosický returned to Sparta Prague’s starting line up after seventeen years away and scored the winning goal of the game against Karviná. On 20 December 2017, Rosický announced his retirement from professional football aged 37, due to persistent injuries hampering his physical condition. He made 12 competitive appearances for Sparta in his final campaign. Rosický made his international debut for the Czech Republic in February 2000 at the age of 19 against the Republic of Ireland. He played two more friendly matches before being named in the Czech Republic’s provisional 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2000. He played in his nation’s first two matches at Euro 2000 during Patrik Berger’s international suspension – both losses – before Berger replaced him ahead of the Czech Republic’s final game, against Denmark. He took part in qualification for the 2002 World Cup, scoring twice in a 6–0 win against Bulgaria.[88] After finishing second in their qualifying group, the Czech Republic played a two-legged playoff against Belgium. Rosický was unable to take part in the first game, a 1–0 loss, due to suspension;[88] in the second match, he played in the 1–0 loss as Belgium qualified for the 2002 World Cup at the Czechs’ expense. Rosický played a prominent role at Euro 2004 where the Czech team defeated Netherlands and Denmark but then surprisingly lost to eventual winners Greece in the semi-finals. He then helped the side qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, scoring seven times in 12 matches during the qualifying process;[85] the last of these was the only goal of the second leg of the Czech Republic’s play-off against Norway, ensuring qualification for the finals. At the 2006 World Cup, Rosický scored two goals in the Czech Republic’s opening match on 12 June 2006 in a 3–0 victory over the United States, the first of which was from 30 yards (27 m) out. He was named as the FIFA Man of the Match for his performance.[94] Rosický played the whole 90 minutes of his country’s subsequent matches, against Ghana and Italy, but the Czech Republic lost both games by a 2–0 scoreline and progressed no further in the tournament. In August 2006, Rosický was made captain of the Czech Republic national side, replacing the retiring Pavel Nedvěd in advance of the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying process. After a defeat to Germany during the campaign in March 2007, he was among a group of players fined 1 million koruna (£25,000) by the Football Association of the Czech Republic (FAČR) for his part in a party involving prostitutes, for which he later apologised in a press conference. His last appearance of the qualifying campaign was against Slovakia in November 2007. Rosický missed Euro 2008 due to injury, announcing his absence in May 2008. He returned to international football when he started for the Czech Republic on 9 September 2009, in a World Cup qualifier against San Marino, following a 20-month absence due to injury. The game finished 7–0 to the Czech Republic. Rosický captained the Czech Republic in their opening two matches at UEFA Euro 2012. However, an achilles tendon injury in the second match, a 2–1 win over Greece ended his tournament, as the Czechs were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Portugal. On 12 June 2015, Rosický earned his 100th international cap[103] in a 2–1 defeat away to Iceland in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying. On 13 June the following year, at the Euro 2016 finals, Rosický became the oldest player to represent Czech Republic in the competition at the age of 35. The record is unique for Rosický as he also holds the record for being the youngest player to have done so, having featured at Euro 2000 for his nation as a 19-year old.