Jiří Němec

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jiří Němec

| image =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1966|5|15}}

| birth_place = Pacov, Czechoslovakia

| height = 1.76 m

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1985–1987

| clubs1 = České Budějovice

| caps1 = 58

| goals1 = 2

| years2 = 1987–1990

| clubs2 = Dukla Prague

| caps2 = 81

| goals2 = 5

| years3 = 1990–1993

| clubs3 = Sparta Prague

| caps3 = 83

| goals3 = 6

| years4 = 1993–2002

| clubs4 = Schalke 04

| caps4 = 256

| goals4 = 6

| years5 = 2002–2003

| clubs5 = Chmel Blšany

| caps5 = 27

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2003

| clubs6 = Sparta Prague

| caps6 = 12

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2004

| clubs7 = Viktoria Žižkov

| caps7 = 12

| goals7 = 0

| totalcaps = 529

| totalgoals = 19

| nationalyears1 = 1990–1993

| nationalteam1 = Czechoslovakia

| nationalcaps1 = 20

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1994–2001

| nationalteam2 = Czech Republic

| nationalcaps2 = 64

| nationalgoals2 = 1

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

{{MedalCountry|{{fb|CZE}}}}

}}

Jiří Němec (born 15 May 1966){{Cite web|title=Psali historii fotbalové ligy: "Němej" muž s maskou nemluvy a srdcem nezlomného bojovníka|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/fotbal-ostatni-psali-historii-fotbalove-ligy-nemej-muz-s-maskou-nemluvy-a-srdcem-nezlomneho-bojovnika-474843|website=Sport.cz|date=3 May 2013|access-date=19 January 2025|language=cs}} is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.{{Cite web|title=Jiří Němec|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/1-bundesliga/2011-12/fc-schalke-04-2/44/spieler_jiri-nemec.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114204/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/1-bundesliga/2011-12/fc-schalke-04-2/44/spieler_jiri-nemec.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 March 2016|magazine=Kicker|publisher=Olympia-Verlag GmbH|access-date=13 October 2011|language=de}} He started his professional career playing football in Czechoslovakia, winning two titles with Sparta Prague. He then moved to Germany, where he played until 2002, when he moved back to the Czech Republic and finished his active career.

In an 11-year international career Němec was named in his country's squad for one FIFA World Cup and two UEFA European Championships. He scored once and made a combined total of 84 international appearances for the Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic national teams.

Club career

Němec made his professional club debut with České Budějovice in 1985.{{Cite web|first=Edu|last=Casado|title=Qué fue de... Jiří Němec: Leyenda del Schalke 04 y del fútbol Checo|url=https://www.20minutos.es/deportes/blogs/quefuede/que-fue-jiri-nemec-leyenda-schalke-04-futbol-checo-5596838/|website=20minutos.es|date=30 March 2019|access-date=31 October 2024|language=es}} He played in the Czechoslovak First League for České Budějovice, Dukla Prague and Sparta Prague until 1993, during which time he won national titles with Sparta in 1990–91 and 1992–93.{{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=135}} He moved to German club Schalke 04 in 1993, being an integral part of its defence when it won the 1997 UEFA Cup Final against Inter Milan. In 2001, Němec extended his contract with Schalke 04 until the end of 2001–02 Bundesliga.{{Cite web|first=Adam|last=Marshall|title=Němec Extends Schalke Contract|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/2203502/nemec-extends-schalke-contract|website=Sky Sports|publisher=Sky Group|access-date=19 January 2025}}

Němec returned to the Czech Republic in 2002, signing for Czech First League side Chmel Blšany, for whom he served as captain.{{Cite news|first=Petr|last=Bílek|title=Byl jsem řadový hráč, říká Jiří Němec|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/byl-jsem-radovy-hrac-rika-jiri-nemec.A030605_080053_fotbal_ot|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=5 June 2003|access-date=1 April 2025|language=cs}} Němec moved to Viktoria Žižkov in January 2004.{{Cite news|first=Jaromír|last=Novák|title=Jiří Němec je ve Viktorii Žižkov|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/jiri-nemec-je-ve-viktorii-zizkov.A040120_214043_fotbal_mn|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=20 January 2004|access-date=15 December 2024|language=cs}} He retired from professional football at the age of 39 on 4 July 2005, citing lack of motivation.{{Cite news|first=Petr|last=Procházka|title=Jiří Němec neví. Králův Dvůr, či Dobrovice?|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/domaci-souteze/jiri-nemec-nevi-kraluv-dvur-ci-dobrovice.A050810_073440_fot_dsouteze_rav|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=10 August 2015|access-date=15 December 2024|language=cs}}

International career

At international level, Němec played for Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic, serving as captain of both teams.{{Cite news|first=Petr|last=Bílek|title=Hráči dostali legendárního Němce do saka. Víc už nezažijeme, smál se gólman|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/domaci-souteze/jiri-nemec-fotbal-brozany-sako-sazka.A230613_211016_fot_dsouteze_ald|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=14 June 2023|access-date=31 October 2024|language=cs}} He made a total of 84 appearances for the two teams, scoring one goal for the latter.{{CMFS player|NemecJiri}} His sole international goal came in May 1998, when he scored in a 2–2 friendly game against South Korea.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/nemec-intl.html|title=Jiří Němec - International Appearances|first=Jiří|last=Slavík|work=RSSSF|date=19 November 2024|access-date=1 April 2025}} As a footballer of Czechoslovakia, Němec was part of the 1990 FIFA World Cup squad that reached quarter finals, but did not play in any match.{{Cite news|first=Jaromír|last=Novák|title=Jiřího Němce trénování chytlo. Chci se učit od zkušeného kouče, říká|url=https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/reprezentace/jiriho-nemce-trenovani-chytlo-chci-se-ucit-od-zkuseneho-kouce-rika.A090622_105754_fot_dsouteze_mn|newspaper=Mladá fronta Dnes|publisher=Mafra|date=23 June 2009|access-date=19 January 2025|language=cs}} He went on to play at both the UEFA Euro 1996 and 2000 as a Czech international.{{Cite web|first=Matěj|last=Krager|title=Nejlepší nákup německého velkoklubu a legenda Sparty? To byl úchvatný Jiří Němec!|url=https://www.ruik.cz/nejlepsi-nakup-nemeckeho-velkoklubu-a-legenda-sparty-to-byl-uchvatny-jiri-nemec/|website=Ruik.cz|date=7 March 2019|access-date=19 January 2025|language=cs}}

Coaching

After ending his football career, Němec became head coach of the third-tier club SK Sokol Brozany in Litoměřice District, having been working with minor breaks since 2011.{{Cite web|first=Josef|last=Pešout|title=Vicemistr Evropy a bývalý kapitán reprezentace Jiří Němec trénuje v Brozanech|url=https://medium.seznam.cz/clanek/josef-pesout-vicemistr-evropy-a-byvaly-kapitan-reprezentace-jiri-nemec-trenuje-v-brozanech-58030|website=Seznam.cz|date=18 April 2024|access-date=19 January 2025|language=cs}} He is married to his wife Martina with two children: a daughter named Nikola and son named Patrik.{{Cite web|title=Válel za Schalke i Spartu. Teď je Jiří Němec modlou na Zličíně|url=https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-domaci-souteze-cesky-fotbal-clanky/216009/valel-za-schalke-i-spartu-ted-je-jiri-nemec-modlou-na-zlicine.html|website=Blesk|publisher=Czech News Center|date=8 October 2014|access-date=31 October 2024|language=cs}}

Honours

Sparta Prague

Czechoslovak First League: 1990–91, 1992–93
Czechoslovak Cup: 1989–90, 1991–92

Schalke 04

DFB-Pokal: 2000–01, 2001–02
UEFA Cup: 1996–97

Czech Republic

UEFA European Football Championship: Runner-up Medal 1996

Individual

Czech Footballer of the Year: 1997
Golden Ball (Czech Republic): 1997{{Cite web|title=1997 {{!}} 1. ročník Zlatého míče ČR|url=https://www.ceskenoviny.cz/zpravy/12267|website=České Noviny|access-date=19 January 2025|language=cs}}