| Outright Odds: 33/1 Group E Winners: 9/4 | | | | Germany into extra time. |
| | | | |
| The Czech Republic may be ranked by FIFA as | | | | Under manager Karel Bruckner, who took charge |
| the second best team in the world behind | | | | in 2001 after a successful spell as under-21 |
| Brazil and the best in Europe but they made | | | | coach, the Czechs can be a real force to be |
| hard work of qualifying for the finals. | | | | reckoned with. Nobody scored more goals in |
| Pitted against Holland in qualifying, they | | | | the European qualifying campaign than |
| lost home and away and also suffered defeat | | | | Bruckner's side and it's hardly surprising, |
| in Romania to finish second in the group. | | | | given his choice of tactics. |
| They won both home and away 1-0 against | | | | |
| Norway in the play-offs to secure their place | | | | The Czechs play a cavalier style of attacking |
| in Germany. | | | | football that can be breathtaking to watch. |
| | | | Who can forget their classic Euro 2004 |
| Despite a nervous qualification, expectations | | | | against Holland in which they battled back |
| are high this time around for the Czech's | | | | from 2-0 down to win the match 3-2? |
| first appearance in the finals since they | | | | |
| entered as Czechoslovakia in 1990. The side | | | | With Nedved, Galasek, Poborsky and Tomas |
| have not been out of FIFA's top six since | | | | Rosicky, the Czechs boast one of the most |
| 2004 and can no longer be dubbed underdogs or | | | | creative midfields in international football. |
| outsiders. Under their old guise they twice | | | | Jan Koller struck nine times in qualifying to |
| finished runners-up in both 1934 and 1962 and | | | | take his tally to 40 goals in 66 appearances |
| they have the ability to go one better this | | | | but he is in danger of missing out on the |
| time around. | | | | finals after suffering cruciate ligament |
| | | | damage in September 2005. |
| For many of the current squad, it's now or | | | | |
| never, as the attacking force of Tomas | | | | While almost unstoppable in attack, where the |
| Galasek, Karel Poborsky, Jan Koller and Pavel | | | | Czechs fall short is in defence. Full backs |
| Nedved, back out of retirement, are all | | | | Marek Jankulovski and Zdenek Grygera offer |
| entering the veteran stage of their careers. | | | | plenty of attacking support from the back but |
| All made their mark a decade ago as the Czech | | | | are prone to being caught out. But given |
| Republic surprised everyone by reaching the | | | | their overall ability they are worth a shout |
| final of Euro 96 and taking eventual winners | | | | to win the tournament at long odds. |