:David Rozehnal

{{Infobox football biography

| name = David Rozehnal

| image = Only david.jpg

| caption = Rozehnal with Newcastle United in 2007

| full_name = David Rozehnal{{cite web |url=https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/01e4-0e69fa3be6ab-9af0130fa984-1000/2009_10_uefa_europa_league_disciplinary_chart_prior_to_semi-finals_second_leg.pdf |title=UEFA Europa League 2009/2010: Booking List Semi-Finals, Second Leg Match |page=2 |publisher=UEFA |access-date=18 September 2024}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|7|5|df=y}}

| birth_place = Šternberk, Czechoslovakia

| height = 1.91 m

| position = Centre-back

| currentclub =

| years1 = 1999–2003 | caps1 = 72 | goals1 = 2 | clubs1 = Sigma Olomouc

| years2 = 2003–2005 | caps2 = 50 | goals2 = 1 | clubs2 = Club Brugge

| years3 = 2005–2007 | caps3 = 75 | goals3 = 1 | clubs3 = Paris Saint-Germain

| years4 = 2007–2008 | caps4 = 21 | goals4 = 0 | clubs4 = Newcastle United

| years5 = 2008 | caps5 = 10 | goals5 = 0 | clubs5 = → Lazio (loan)

| years6 = 2008–2009 | caps6 = 28 | goals6 = 0 | clubs6 = Lazio

| years7 = 2009–2011 | caps7 = 23 | goals7 = 1 | clubs7 = Hamburger SV

| years8 = 2010–2011 | caps8 = 13 | goals8 = 1 | clubs8 = → Lille (loan)

| years9 = 2011–2015 | caps9 = 62 | goals9 = 1 | clubs9 = Lille

| years10 = 2015–2018 | caps10 = 50 | goals10 = 1 | clubs10 = K.V. Oostende

| years11 = 2018–? | caps11 = | goals11 = 0 | clubs11 = Sokol Kožušany

| totalcaps = 405 | totalgoals = 8

| nationalyears1 = 2001–2002

| nationalteam1 = Czech Republic U21

| nationalcaps1 = 8

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 2004–2009

| nationalteam2 = Czech Republic

| nationalcaps2 = 60

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's football}}

{{medal|Country|{{fb|CZE}}}}

}}

David Rozehnal (born 5 July 1980) is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He played for a host of European clubs, making over 400 appearances in a career spanning almost two decades, and retired from the professional game in April 2018. Internationally Rozehnal made 60 appearances for the Czech Republic, appearing in three major tournaments: Euro 2004, the 2006 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2008.

Early life

Rozehnal was born in Šternberk and raised in Kožušany. He comes from a sports family, his father was a second-league football player, his mother played competitive handball. His father then trained amateur club Sokol Kožušany, where Rozehnal started with football.{{Cite web|title=David Rozehnal|url=https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/lide/david-rozehnal/|publisher=Czech Television|access-date=7 May 2022|language=cs}}

Club career

=Club Brugge=

In 2003, Rozehnal joined Belgian club Club Brugge. Shortly after joining the club he was part of the side which defeated AC Milan at the San Siro in the UEFA Champions League.{{Cite web|title=Rozehnalův fotbalový sen pokračoval v Miláně|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/pohary/rozehnaluv-fotbalovy-sen-pokracoval-v-milane.A031023_172339_fot_pohary_rav|publisher=Mladá fronta Dnes|date=23 October 2023|access-date=17 December 2024|language=cs}} He won the Belgian Cup in his first season with Brugge and the Belgian League in the 2004–05 season.{{cite book|first=Luboš|last=Jeřábek|title=Český a československý fotbal – lexikon osobností a klubů|publisher=Grada Publishing|language=cs|year=2007|location=Prague, Czech Republic|isbn=978-80-247-1656-5|page=174}}

=Paris Saint-Germain=

File:David Rozehnal & Killian Brennan.jpg in 2006]]

Rozehnal signed for Paris Saint-Germain in June 2005.{{Cite news|title=Rozehnal closes on switch to PSG|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4105494.stm|website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=17 June 2005|access-date=5 October 2007}} His form resulted in reported interest from Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United and Sevilla.{{cite news|title=Newcastle complete Rozehnal deal|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/6232364.stm|website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=29 June 2007}} Sources close to the defender confirmed that he would prefer a move to Newcastle.{{cite news|first=Saj|last=Chowdhury|title=Rozehnal eager to join Newcastle|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/6723321.stm|website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=5 June 2007|access-date=1 October 2014}}

=Newcastle United=

On 22 June 2007, Rozehnal's agent confirmed that a "definite agreement" had been reached for the player to join Newcastle United. Rozehnal underwent a medical check on 25 June and Newcastle confirmed the transfer had been completed on 29 June for a fee of £2.9 million, with the player signing a four-year contract. He made his league debut against Bolton Wanderers the same year on 11 August.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6931059.stm|website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=11 August 2007|access-date=5 October 2007 |title=Bolton 1-3 Newcastle }}

=Lazio=

On 31 January 2008, Rozehnal left Newcastle for Lazio on loan until the end of the 2007–08 Serie A despite having only signed in June 2007.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurosport.com/football/serie-a/2007-2008/rozehnal-in-lazio-loan_sto1464489/story.shtml|title=Rozehnal in Lazio loan|work=Eurosport|date=31 January 2008|access-date=17 December 2024}} After only playing seven times for Lazio during his loan spell, it remained unclear if they wanted to sign him permanently. On 9 June 2008, Lazio officially announced they had signed Rozehnal on a permanent basis,{{Cite news|title=La Lazio riscatta Rozehnal|url=http://www.sslazio.it/cms/view/home/news/archivio/elenco_news/la_lazio_riscatta_rozenhal/s152/c1630|url-status=dead|website=S.S. Lazio|date=10 June 2008|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612024316/http://www.sslazio.it/cms/view/home/news/archivio/elenco_news/la_lazio_riscatta_rozenhal/s152/c1630|archive-date=12 June 2008}} with Newcastle recouping the full £2.9 million which they initially paid for the defender.{{Cite news|title=Rozehnal completes move to Lazio|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7221163.st|website=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=10 June 2008}}

=Later career and retirement=

File:Krasnodar-Lille (28).jpg in 2014]]

After only one year in Italy, Rozehnal left Lazio on 29 July 2009 for German club Hamburger SV, signing a contract until 30 June 2012. Due to a poor season with several costly errors by Rozehnal, he was removed from the first team and asked to find a new club.{{Cite magazine|title=Veh streicht Tavares und Rozehnal|url=https://www.kicker.de/veh-streicht-tavares-und-rozehnal-540694/artikel|magazine=Kicker|date=4 August 2010|access-date=6 August 2010|language=de}}

On 31 August 2010, Hamburg confirmed that Rozehnal had left for French side Lille on loan, with the German club still paying part of his salary.{{Cite news|title=HSV-Ladenhüter Rozehnal geht!|url=http://www.mopo.de/2010/20100831/sport/hsv/hsv_ladenhueter_rozehnal_geht.html|date=31 August 2010|access-date=1 September 2010|website=Hamburger Morgenpost|language=de|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20100902015620/http://www.mopo.de/2010/20100831/sport/hsv/hsv_ladenhueter_rozehnal_geht.html|archive-date=2 September 2010}} He made a permanent move to Lille in June 2011, signing a contract until 2014.{{Cite web|title=Francouzské Lille vykoupilo z Hamburku Davida Rozehnala|url=https://sport.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/fotbal/francouzske-lille-vykoupilo-z-hamburku-davida-rozehnala/5bdfe08c0d663b6fe810e150|website=ČT Sport|publisher=Czech Television|date=23 June 2011|access-date=17 December 2024|language=cs}}

Rozehnal retired from professional football on 4 April 2018 and joined Sokol Kožušany alongside his brother, Marek.{{Cite web|first=Kurt|last=Desplenter|title=Rozehnal kvůli rodině rozvázal smlouvu v Ostende a ukončil kariéru|url=https://sport.ceskatelevize.cz/clanek/fotbal/rozehnal-kvuli-rodine-rozvazal-smlouvu-v-ostende-a-ukoncil-karieru/5bca1ddf59841d79e18aafec|website=ČT Sport|publisher=Czech Television|date=4 April 2018|access-date=17 December 2024|language=cs}} He made his debut for the club the following weekend.{{Cite news|first=Miroslav|last=Mazal|title=Rozehnalova premiéra za Kožušany: ztracené vedení, sporný moment a prohra|url=https://olomoucky.denik.cz/fotbal_region/rozehnalova-premiera-za-kozusany-ztracene-vedeni-sporny-moment-a-prohra-20180409.html|website=Deník|location=Olomouc|publisher=Vltave Labe Media|date=9 April 2018|access-date=8 May 2018|language=cs}}

International career

Rozehnal was part of the Czech Republic national youth football team which won the UEFA U-21 Championships in 2002.{{Cite news|title=European U-21 Championship 2002 {{!}} Final Tournament Details|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/eur-u21-2002det.html|website=RSSSF|access-date=19 April 2022}} In 2004, Rozehnal made his debut for the Czech Republic in a 2–2 friendly draw against Italy on 18 February 2004.{{Cite web|title=David Rozehnal se stal hráčem Hamburku!|url=https://www.efotbal.cz/clanek-59695-David-Rozehnal-se-stal-hracem-Hamburku.html|website=efotbal.cz|date=29 July 2009|language=cs}} He went on to play for his country at Euro 2004, where the team made it to the semi-finals before being knocked out by Greece. He also played in the group stage at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, although his nation did not advance to the knockout stages. Rozehnal played in his third major tournament at Euro 2008.{{Cite news|title=Nejlépe zahrál Sionko, nejhorší známku dostal Rozehnal|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/euro-2008/nejlepe-zahral-sionko-nejhorsi-znamku-dostal-rozehnal.A080611_235934_euro-2008_pes|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=12 June 2008|access-date=17 December 2024|language=cs}} He scored his only international goal in his 57th appearance for his country, finding the net in a 3–1 friendly win against Belgium.{{Cite news|title=Rozehnalův první gól v reprezentaci. Po pěti letech|first=Filip|last=Saiver|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/reprezentace/rozehnaluv-prvni-gol-v-nbsp-reprezentaci-po-peti-letech.A090812_220501_fot_reprez_par|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=13 August 2009|access-date=17 December 2024|language=cs}}

Personal life

Rozehnal is married to Petra with two children.{{Cite news|first=Václav|last=Havlíček|title=David už umí fotbal oželet, říká Rozehnalová. Zášť k Brücknerovi necítí|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/euro-2024/petra-rozehnalova-david-rozehnal-rozhovor-fotbalove-manzelky.A240627_163732_euro-2024_malu|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=11 July 2024|access-date=31 December 2024|language=cs}} Their first child, Luka, was born on 3 October 2007.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10278~1128139,00.html|title=Baby Joy For Czech Mate|date=5 October 2007|publisher=Newcastle United F.C.|via=Premium TV|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070616180251/http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10278~1128139%2C00.html|archive-date=16 June 2007|url-status=dead}}

Honours

Club Brugge

Belgian Pro League: 2004–05
Belgian Cup: 2003–04
Belgian Super Cup: 2003, 2004{{cite news |url=https://www.clubbrugge.be/nl/content/club-brugge-la-louvi%C3%A8re-1-1-0 |title=Club Brugge - La Louvière 1-1|website=Club Brugge|access-date=20 April 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.anderlecht-online.be/en/article/2057 |title=Anderlecht beaten in the Supercup |website=Anderlecht Online|access-date=20 April 2022}}

Paris Saint-Germain