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| Career | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Clubs: | Kovo Decin (1985-87), Slavia Prague (1987-96), Lens (Fra/1996-99), Liverpool (Eng/since 1999) |
| International appearances: | 68 |
| International goals: | 24 |
| International debut: | 27/10/1993, Czech Republic-Cyprus (3-0) |
| Last international appearance: | 02/06/2004, Czech Republic-Bulgaria (3-1) |
| First international goal: | 19/06/1996, Czech Republic-Russia (3-3) |
| Last international goal: | 06/09/2003, Belarus - Czech Republic (1-3) |
Appearances : 2 (1996, 2000), 8 matches, 3 goals
Finalist (1996)
Winner (2001)
Winner (2001)
Winner (1996)
Winner (1998)
Winner (1999)
Winner (2001)
Winner (2001, 2003)
Winner (2001)
Biography
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| Czech midfielder Vladimir Smicer plays 10 November 2001 in Brussels during the 2002 World Cup play-off qualifying soccer match between Belgium and Czech Republic. AFP PHOTO PHILIPPE HUGUEN |
The gifted but unpredictable Vladimir Smicer faces a golden opportunity to revive his career at Euro 2004 after being hit by injuries in recent seasons and also coming under fire from disgruntled fans at Liverpool.
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| Liverpool's forward Vladimir Smicer (R) fights for the ball with Deportivo Alaves' captain Antonio Karmona during their UEFA Cup final at the Dortmund Westfalenstadion 16 May 2001. Liverpool won 5 - 4 in extra-time. AFP PHOTO OLIVIER MORIN |
The Czech Republic midfielder was seen as the ideal man to help bring back the glory years to the Anfield outfit when he signed from French club Lens in 1999. However, apart from a trophy laden season in 2001 when Liverpool won five trophies including the Uefa Cup, Smicer has come in for some abuse from the terraces.
As recently as December, 2003, the veteran international made gestures and shouted at the Liverpool fans after they hounded him during the league clash against Southampton. The player later apologised for his actions.
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| l'attaquant du RC Lens Vladimir Smicer (G) tente d'éviter le taclke du défenseur parisien Igor Yanovski, le 13 février au stade Bollaert de Lens, lors du match Lens/PSG, comptant pour la 24e journée du Championnat de France de football de première division. (IMAGE ELECTRONIQUE) |
Despite this latest blip in Smicer's career, he continues to play a key role in Karel Bruckner's national set-up and the Czech side are one of the leading contenders to have a run at the Euro title in Portugal.
He first began to make a name as a great technical player with offensive talent at Slavia Prague and it was Lens who were quickest to sign him up, bringing the player to France in 1996.
He helped the northern club to their first ever league title in 1998, added the French League Cup one season later and found himself at the heart of a dream move to Liverpool in the summer of 1999.
He has already played at two European championships including the surprise campaign in 1996 where the Czech team upset the form book to reach the final, only to see the title slip away with an Oliver Bierhoff golden goal for Germany.
He even darted back to his country on the eve of the final to marry fiance Pavlina, the daughter of former Czech international Ladislav Vizek.
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| Czech forward Vladimir Smicer (L) fights for an aerial ball with French midfielder and captain Didier Deschamps during the Euro-2000 Group D first round match between France and the Czech Republic, 16 June 2000 at the Jan-Breydel stadium in Bruges. |
Trickery on the ball and a willingness to shoot from distance are his main positive characteristics but on the negative side he has been plagued by injuries.
Euro 2000 was a disappointment for the Czechs drawn in a brutal first round group with France and Holland and they failed to get over the first hurdle despite some impressive displays.
It remains to be seen if he can regain the confidence and respect of the fans at Liverpool but Euro 2004 provides a welcome relief to his Premiership worries and he can still finish his career in style.