Tomasz Soček led the Czech Republic to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time in 20 years. The Czech team's qualifying journey was quite arduous, finishing as runners-up in their first group stage match, losing to Croatia. In the final two group stage matches, interim coach Jaroslav Kostel took over as head coach Ivan Hašek.

Since taking over as manager in December, Miroslav Koubek has decided to appoint the West Ham United midfielder as captain of the national team after four years. In the second qualifying round, Wolves defender Radyslav Krejci wore the captain's armband. Koubek subsequently excluded Tomas Soček from the starting lineup for the Czech Republic's semi-final against the Republic of Ireland in Prague. This marks the first time in over four years that Soček has failed to start a competitive international match, having previously missed a game in November 2024 due to suspension.

The Czech Republic conceded two goals within the first 2-3 minutes of the match, before Patrick Schick pulled one back for his team. Miroslav Koubek substituted Tomas Soček at halftime, and Radislav Krejčíc equalized late in the game. Both players then converted their penalties in the ensuing shootout, ultimately giving the Czech Republic the victory.

In this match, Miroslav Koubek led the Czech Republic to the lead twice, but were subsequently equalized by their opponents. At the crucial moment, Tomas Soček calmly converted a penalty, securing the victory for his team. This number 28 player has always prioritized team honors over individual achievements, and he played a key role in the Czech Republic's first qualification for the World Cup finals since 2006 – an era dominated by Petr Čech, Tomas Rosicky, and Pavel Nedved.

Tomas Soček said: "I am very happy that the Czech Republic has finally returned to the World Cup after 20 years. We have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. It was a very tough match against strong teams like Ireland and Denmark. We drew both matches 2-2 and won them in exciting penalty shootouts, so the whole result depended on emotions and mentality."

“As a nation, we are very happy to be able to travel to the United States, Mexico and Canada for the World Cup, and I am very grateful for that. The passion of the fans is incredible, and they are so proud of the national team. It is the best experience for me to play for the fans. I am really looking forward to the World Cup.”

Image source: Internet/West Ham United official website