Patrik Schick will carry much of the Czech Republic’s attacking burden at the 2026 World Cup after head coach Miroslav Koubek named his 26-man squad for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Bayer Leverkusen striker, now 30, arrives with strong club form behind him, having scored 16 goals in the Bundesliga this season. He is expected to be the focal point of a Czech side preparing for only its second World Cup appearance as an independent nation.
Pavel Sulc, who scored 11 goals for Lyon in Ligue 1, is likely to play an important creative role in midfield as Koubek looks for balance between domestic experience and players based abroad.
Kinsky left out after difficult spell
One of the more notable omissions is goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who has remained in the Premier League with Tottenham. His exclusion follows a difficult period, including what was described as a “nightmare match” in the Champions League, according to AFP, cited by Digi24 in its report on the Czech Republic’s World Cup squad.
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Tomas Soucek, however, has been included despite enduring relegation from the Premier League with West Ham. His experience and leadership remain valuable assets for a squad that contains a strong domestic core.
Seventeen of the 26 players are based in the Czech league, with Slavia Prague alone providing nine members of the squad.
Full Czech Republic squad
Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague).
Defenders: Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Hoffenheim), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague).
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Midfielders: Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochurek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Lyon), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzen).
Forwards: Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).
A demanding group ahead
The Czech Republic have been drawn in Group A alongside co-hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. Koubek has called the group “extremely difficult,” and the schedule leaves little room for a slow start.
The Czechs open against South Korea on June 12, before facing South Africa on June 18 and Mexico on June 25.
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Chance to move beyond old limits
As an independent country, the Czech Republic have yet to progress beyond the group stage at a World Cup. Their previous appearance came in 2006, when a side featuring Petr Cech, Pavel Nedved, Tomas Rosicky and Milan Baros also went out in the first round.
The country’s football history runs deeper through Czechoslovakia, which reached the World Cup final in 1934 and 1962. Koubek’s squad now has the chance to add a new chapter of its own, but much will depend on whether Schick and the team’s experienced core can turn potential into results.
Sources: www.digi24.ro
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