Czechia’s best performance at a World Cup

Ahead of our Nations League meetings, what is Czechia’s best performance at a World Cup to date – and how did England get on that year (or years)?

As Czechoslovakia, the national side actually reached more World Cup finals than we have. They did not take part in the inaugural competition but were one of nine European nations who made their debut at the 1934 edition.

England was not among those nations, having refused to participate due to a dispute with FIFA over the payment of amateur players at the Olympic Games.

Czechoslovakia edged past Romania in the Round of 16 and beat Switzerland by the odd goal in five in the quarter-final, before an Oldřich Nejedlý hat-trick saw off Germany in the semis.

Karel Petrů’s side had one hand on the Jules Rimet when Antonín Puč put them ahead with just nineteen minutes remaining, only for Raimundo Orsi to level for Italy ten minutes later. In extra time, the Azzurri completed the turnaround with an Angelo Schiavio strike, denying Czechoslovakia in heartbreaking fashion.

Czechoslovakia did not participate in qualifying for the first post-war World Cup and were knocked out in the group stages of both the 1954 and 1958 tournaments, but scraped through to the 1962 edition, defeating Scotland with two extra time goals in a play-off for one of the final positions.

They were drawn in a particularly difficult group featuring Spain, Mexico and the much-fancied Brazil. Thanks in no small part to the heroics of goalkeeper Viliam Schrojf, Czechoslovakia did not concede a goal against either Spain or Brazil, the Czechs winning 1-0 in the former fixture and securing a highly creditable goalless draw in the latter.

Schrojf was in inspired form again in the knockouts, shutting out Hungary in a 1-0 win, before a late double from Adolf Scherer saw off Yugoslavia in the semis.

In the Santiago final, they were to meet Brazil once again. The South Americans were very much favourites to lift the trophy, and had knocked out Walter Winterbottom’s England 3-1 at the quarter-final stage.

Slovan Bratislava stopper Schrojf was instrumental in Czechoslovakia’s journey to the final, but errors from the goalkeeper would prove to be their downfall.

The influential Josef Masopust put them ahead after fifteen minutes, but Brazil’s near-instant leveller was down to Amarildo’s ingenuity and Schrojf’s poor positioning. Anticipating a cross from the left, the goalkeeper had stationed himself away from his line, allowing the quick-thinking forward to drive a low effort in at the near post.

The afternoon would get worse for Schrojf in the second half. Amarildo was again involved, floating over a delivery from the left that caught the ‘keeper on his heels. Zito was there to meet the ball, nodding into an empty net to put Brazil ahead with just over twenty minutes on the clock.

Poor positioning on both Brazil goals meant that Schrojf was partly culpable in the turnaround, but an even more significant error would see any hope of lifting the Jules Rimet slip away.

Full-back Djalma Santos sent a high, looping cross into the area: meat and drink for an international goalkeeper of Schrojf’s quality. Whilst going up to retrieve the ball, the sun temporarily blinded the goalkeeper, causing him to drop a routine catch into the path of Vava.

The striker made no mistake, instinctively stabbing the ball home to defend their title.

After that, Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have only made it beyond the group stage once at a World Cup: at Italia ’90, going out to eventual winners West Germany in the quarters.

However, they have enjoyed greater success than England at the European Championship, doing what no Three Lions side could: winning the competition.

They achieved that feat in 1976, knocking out England in the qualifying round by one point. They defeated West Germany on spot kicks in Belgrade, perhaps most famously remembered for Antonin Panenka’s match-winning dink.