Štěpán Vachoušek

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Štěpán Vachoušek

| image =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1979|7|26}}

| birth_place = Duchcov, Czechoslovakia

| height = 1.86 m

| currentclub =

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1985–1990

| youthclubs1 = Lokomotiva Bílina

| youthyears2 = 1990–1997

| youthclubs2 = Teplice

| years1 = 1997–1998

| clubs1 = Teplice

| caps1 = 11

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1998–1999

| clubs2 = 1.FC Česká Lípa

| caps2 = 6

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 1999

| clubs3 = Teplice

| caps3 = 5

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2000–2001

| clubs4 = SC Xaverov

| caps4 = 24

| goals4 = 6

| years5 = 2001

| clubs5 = Chmel Blšany

| caps5 = 6

| goals5 = 3

| years6 = 2001–2002

| clubs6 = Teplice

| caps6 = 34

| goals6 = 6

| years7 = 2002–2003

| clubs7 = Slavia Prague

| caps7 = 37

| goals7 = 10

| years8 = 2003–2004

| clubs8 = Marseille

| caps8 = 21

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2004–2008

| clubs9 = Austria Wien

| caps9 = 53

| goals9 = 5

| years10 = 2008–2017

| clubs10 = Teplice

| caps10 = 172

| goals10 = 23

| years11 = 2010

| clubs11 = → Sparta Prague (loan)

| caps11 = 4

| goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2017–2018

| clubs12 = FC Oberlausitz Neugersdorf

| caps12 = 33

| goals12 = 8

| totalcaps = 406

| totalgoals = 62

| nationalyears1 = 2000–2002

| nationalteam1 = Czech Republic U21

| nationalcaps1 = 20

| nationalgoals1 = 7

| nationalyears2 = 2002–2006

| nationalteam2 = Czech Republic

| nationalcaps2 = 23

| nationalgoals2 = 2

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

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

}}

Štěpán Vachoušek (born 26 July 1979) is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He spent most of his career playing for FK Teplice, but also spent time abroad playing for clubs in France and Austria. He played internationally for the Czech Republic at youth and full level, winning the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship with the under-21 team before making his way to the full team, for whom he played 23 times between 2002 and 2006, including at Euro 2004. He is a skillful left-wingback or playmaker.

Club career

Vachoušek started playing in the Czech First League for FK Teplice in the 1997–98 season.{{cite book |last=Jeřábek|first=Luboš|title=Český a československý fotbal – lexikon osobností a klubů|year=2007|publisher=Grada Publishing|location=Prague|language=Czech|isbn=978-80-247-1656-5|page=210}}

He left his home country to play for French club Olympique de Marseille in 2003 before moving to FK Austria Wien in 2004. He returned to FK Teplice in 2008. He joined Sparta Prague on loan in 2010,{{cite web|url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/vachouskova-mise-ve-sparte-jevi-se-jako-zbytecna-a-zrejme-brzy-skonci-12o-/fotbal.aspx?c=A101109_113048_fotbal_min|title=Vachouškova mise ve Spartě: jeví se jako zbytečná a zřejmě brzy skončí|language=Czech|work=Mladá fronta DNES|date=9 November 2010|accessdate=29 April 2014}} but spent just four months there before returning in December of the same year.{{cite web|url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/na-letne-jsem-nezklamal-rika-do-teplic-se-vracejici-zaloznik-vachousek-1zd-/fotbal.aspx?c=A101223_084237_fotbal_rou|title=Na Letné jsem nezklamal, říká do Teplic se vracející záložník Vachoušek|language=Czech|work=Mladá fronta DNES|date=23 December 2010|accessdate=29 April 2014}} In March 2014 the player extended his contract with Teplice until the end of the 2014–15 season.{{cite web|url=http://fotbal.idnes.cz/fotbal-teplice-vachousek-0xw-/fotbal.aspx?c=A140321_091649_fotbal_rou|title=Vachoušek prodloužil smlouvu v Teplicích. Mám to tu rád, říká|language=Czech|work=Mladá fronta DNES|date=21 March 2013|accessdate=29 April 2014}} He retired from playing at the end of the 2016–17 Czech First League, describing the move as "the most difficult decision in my life".{{cite web|url=https://teplicky.denik.cz/fotbal_region/konec-kariery-nejtezsi-rozhodnuti-v-mem-zivote-priznava-vachousek-20170526.html|title="Konec kariéry? Nejtěžší rozhodnutí v mém životě," přiznává Vachoušek|language=Czech|work=Deník|date=26 May 2017|accessdate=25 May 2024 |last1=Bílek |first1=František }}

International career

Vachoušek represented his country at youth level, playing in the final of the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, a match in which the Czech Republic won the tournament.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/2012906.stm|title=Czech Republic take U-21 title|work=BBC|date=28 May 2002|accessdate=29 April 2014}}

In June 2004 he was named in his nation's squad for the Euro 2004 tournament.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldsoccer.com/news/czech-republic-name-euro-2004-squad|title=Czech Republic name EURO 2004 squad|work=World Soccer|date=3 June 2004|accessdate=29 April 2014}} He played in the match against Germany at the tournament.

Later career

After finishing his playing career, Vachoušek became sporting director at FK Teplice. His son, Tadeáš, broke into Teplice's first team in the 2022–23 season and was rewarded with a contract extension until 2026.{{cite web|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/tadeas-vachousek-teplice-smlouva.A221205_170455_fotbal_ald|title=Talentovaný útočník Vachoušek prodloužil v Teplicích do roku 2026|language=Czech|work=Mladá fronta DNES|date=5 December 2022|accessdate=25 May 2024}}