Last chance for Nedved

EURO 2004™ in Portugal may prove to be Pavel Nedved's international swansong as the Czech Republic look to make amends for failing to qualify for next summer's FIFA World Cup finals.

International ambitions
The 29-year-old Juventus FC midfielder quite rightly expects to be performing on the world's biggest stage alongside the current crop of Czech starlets. However, since reaching the final of Euro 96 in England, where they were edged out by an extra-time golden goal against Germany, the Czechs have struggled to recreate their winning formula.

Exciting players
Despite having some of the world's most exciting players at their disposal, with the likes of Jan Koller, Tomás Rosický and new striking hope Milan Baros, they have failed to qualify for the last two World Cups and crashed out of EURO 2000™ at the group stages.

Frustration against Belgium
Nedved was deprived of his Far East dream following a play-off defeat to Belgium - now the prospect of a trip to Portugal takes on a whole new dimension.

'I will not be that old'
"After the World Cup, I will not be that old and I would like to play a couple of years more," he said. "I know that it will not be easy - you have to work much harder after you are 30 - but I would like to play until I am 35 if I can avoid picking up any injuries. I hope to leave behind a legacy which other people will admire."

Czech roots
Nedved started his footballing career with FC Dukla Praha in 1991 before moving across town to AC Sparta Praha, where he won the first of his three Czech championship winners medals in 1993.

International stardom
In June of that same year he made his debut with the national team against the Republic of Ireland and he quickly became a regular in the side that went all the way to the EURO 96™ final.

Player of the year
A move to S.S. Lazio in Italy's Serie A soon after saw him hit the big time. In 1998 he helped the Rome club to Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup victories and picked up the award for Czech Player of the Year for the 1997/1998 season.

Winning goal
The following year he scored the winning goal as Lazio lifted the European Cup Winners Cup at Villa Park by beating Spaniards RCD Mallorca 2-1.

Seria A success
In the millennium year, a second Coppa Italia triumph, was topped by Lazio's second ever Scudetto win after a dramatic final day in Serie A saw take the championship by a single point. A second Italian Super Cup victory, however, did not make up for the Czech Republic's disappointing showing at EURO 2000™.

Dramatic transfer
After the departure of Lazio coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, earlier this year, Nedved moved to Juventus in a ?41.2m deal, as a replacement for the departed Zinedine Zidane.

Lingering frustration
Despite being one of the most famous Czech exports in history, the lack of an international honour plays heavy on his mind. "I think the Czech Republic have a really strong generation of players at present," he said. "We have had the advantage of playing in the best clubs in Europe, and we have had quite a bit of success."

A memorable career
If they could turn that into success in just over two years' time, it would put the seal on a memorable career for one of the Czech Republic's most celebrated footballers.