Czech Republic return to Wembley seeking a new miracle 30 years after Euro 96 heartbreak
A Wembley return loaded with history
The Czech Republic are heading back to Wembley 30 years after the stadium hosted the most painful and defining night in their football history.
The Czech Republic will face England in Nations League Group A3, with meetings scheduled in Prague on 29 September and London on 6 October. The Wembley fixture brings back memories of the Euro 96 final, when the newly independent Czech side came within 14 minutes of becoming European champions.
From outsiders to finalists
Few expected the Czech team to make a deep run at Euro 96. Several players were still based in the domestic league, while some had already planned holidays after the group stage. Vladimir Smicer was even due to get married during the tournament.
The Czechs lost their opening match 2-0 to Germany but recovered with a 2-1 victory over Italy. A late equaliser from Vladimir Smicer in a 3-3 draw with Russia then secured their passage to the quarter-finals after Italy and Germany drew.
At Villa Park, Karel Poborsky produced one of the tournament’s iconic moments, scooping the ball over goalkeeper Vitor Baia to beat Portugal 1-0. The Czech Republic then overcame France on penalties at Old Trafford, with Pavel Nedved, Patrik Berger and Poborsky among those to score.
Berger’s penalty and Germany’s golden goal
The final at Wembley appeared to be turning in the Czech Republic’s favour when Patrik Berger’s drilled penalty put them ahead after 59 minutes. Berger had not been expected to take the kick but stepped forward after deciding that nobody else wanted the responsibility.
“I’d love to be European champion, but silver for us was like a gold because it opened doors to so many of us,” Berger said.
Germany equalised 14 minutes later through Oliver Bierhoff, who then scored the first golden goal in a major tournament final to settle the contest. The defeat ended the Czech Republic’s dream, but the campaign transformed the careers of several players. Berger’s performances helped him earn a move to Liverpool, while the team’s run inspired a generation of Czech footballers.
A golden generation that remains the benchmark
The Czech Republic reached the semi-finals at Euro 2004 with a squad featuring Petr Cech, Milan Baros and Tomas Rosicky alongside veterans such as Smicer, Berger and Poborsky. They also reached the quarter-finals in 2012 and 2021, but the 1996 team remains the country’s only final-reaching side since the separation of Czechoslovakia.
Prague-based football journalist Ondrej Zlamal believes the 2004 team may even have played better football than the side that reached the Wembley final. However, he argues that the Czech Republic no longer possess the same concentration of elite talent.
A new era has now begun under Spaniard Santi Denia, the first foreign manager in the Czech national team’s history. His initial squad included seven players with either no international caps or only one, offering a clear sign that the team is looking beyond its celebrated past.
Wembley has changed since 1996, but the occasion offers Denia and his players a stage capable of producing another memorable chapter in Czech football.