An outstanding debut season in the Czech top flight with FC Hradec Králové earned Václav Pilář a call-up to the Czech national squad as well as a loan transfer to champions FC Viktoria Plzeň for the 2011/12 campaign. A crafty, skilful winger, he is scheduled to join German club VfL Wolfsburg after UEFA EURO 2012.

• Made his senior debut for Hradec Králové in the Czech second division during the 2006/07 season.

• Helped Hradec Králové win promotion as second-tier champions in 2009/10, scoring 11 goals, and proved his worth in the top division, registering on his 1. Liga debut in a 2-1 win against champions AC Sparta Praha and helping the club to a top-half finish.

• Prised on loan by Plzeň, he scored in each round of the qualifying competition for the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League – against FC Pyunik, Rosenborg BK and FC København – before going on to start all six group games.

• First capped on a 2011 summer tour to Japan, he made his maiden competitive start in the Czech Republic's final UEFA EURO 2012 group qualifier – a 4-1 win in Lithuania – and then scored a spectacular opening goal in the first leg of the play-off against Montenegro.

• Unable to agree terms for a permanent transfer to Plzeň, he agreed to stay on with the club until the summer of 2012, when he would join Wolfsburg.