František Plánicka
Encyclopedia
František Plánička (ˈfrantiʃɛk ˈplaːnitʃka; 2 June 1904 – 20 July 1996) was a Czech
football
goalkeeper
and one of the most honoured players in the history of Czechoslovakia
n football. He played the majority of his career for Slavia Prague
, during which time the club won the Czech league eight times and the Mitropa Cup
once. He also became a member of the Czechoslovakia national team
and later its captain during the World Cup
finals of 1934
(where the Czech team finished second) and 1938
.
Plánička was a courageous player, to the extent that in Czechoslovakia's 1938 World Cup match against Brazil
, he remained on the field despite having suffered a serious injury. He was a goalkeeper of outstanding reflexes and shot-stopping abilities and was also characterized by his sportsmanship
, never once being cautioned or sent off in his career. He was awarded the UNESCO
International Fair Play Award in 1985
In 1999, the IFFHS elected him the best Czech goalkeeper – and ninth best overall – of the twentieth century. In 2003, he was catalogued as the greatest goalkeeper of an era that included other notable keepers such as Ricardo Zamora
and Giampiero Combi
.
, Plánička played most of his footballing career and lived most of his life in the Czech capital. In the beginning of his career, Plánička played for the clubs Slovan Praha VII, Union VII, Staroměstský SK Olympia, and SK Bubeneč. He played for Slavia Prague from 1923 to 1939, in what has been one of the most successful eras in the club's history. He appeared in 969 matches, of which Slavia won 742. Although he was of below-average height for a goalkeeper, at 1.72m (5 ft 8 in), he was an effective shot stopper, and his acrobatic style earned him the nickname The Cat of Prague.
Plánička won his first league title in 1925, which was the club's first ever professional league championship. Slavia then won three consecutive titles from 1929 to 1931.
In 1932, Slavia reached the semifinals of the Mitropa Cup
. In the first leg, they beat Juventus FC 4-0; in the second leg, Juventus had a 2-0 lead after which, according to RSSSF, Slavia resorted to obstruction and time wasting, which extended to the stands to the point that spectators started throwing stones on the pitch; one of the projectiles hit Plánička, causing him a serious injury. Slavia abandoned the pitch and the game stopped, and this led to their disqualification from the tournament.
Slavia had another streak of three leagues won from 1933 to 1935, and won again 1937, with Plánička still between the goalposts.
Plánička also won six Bohemia cups (a domestic tournament) with Slavia, in 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932, and 1935. His only international title came in 1938, when his club finally won the Mitropa Cup
.
, a world record at the time and a national record that stood until 1966 when Ladislav Novák
earned his 74th cap
. Plánička was the national team captain 37 times. His international debut was on 17 January 1926 in a 1-3 loss against Italy
.
, and was the team's captain in the tournament. After beating Romania
in the first round and Switzerland
in quarterfinals, the Czech played a semifinal against Germany
. The Czech took the lead early in the match, but Germany equalized in the second half when Plánička could not react to a long shot by Rudolf Noack
. Czechoslovakia regained the lead and scored a third goal late in the game to win 3-1 and advance to the final.
On 10 June 1934 Czechoslovakia played the final against hosts Italy, who also had one of the great goalkeepers of the time, Giampiero Combi
, as its captain. The Czechs took the lead in the 71st minute with a goal by Antonín Puč
, but ten minutes later a shot by Raimundo Orsi
beat Plánička for the equalizer, sending the match to extra time, where goal by Angelo Schiavio
gave the Italians the victory. Plánička finished the tournament with six goals against in four matches.
occupied Czechoslovakia
, Plánička captained the Czechs again to the 1938 World Cup. In the first round, they beat the Netherlands
3-0 with all three goals coming in extra time. In the second round, they faced Brazil
on 12 July, in what was one of the most violent matches in World Cup history, known as the "Battle of Bordeaux
." One Czech and two Brazilian playes were sent off, and players from both teams suffered serious injuries. With the game tied 1-1, Plánička's teammate Oldřich Nejedlý
had to abandon the pitch with a broken leg, and then Plánička himself suffered a broken arm, after colliding with Brazil's striker Perácio's kick, as the Brazilian attempted to shoot. Plánička did not leave the pitch, however, and instead played through the pain until the end of regulation and through the subsequent extra time, which had no change in the score. The game was replayed two days later, and Czechoslovakia, without Plánička or forwards
Nejedlý and Antonín Puč
, lost 2-1 and was eliminated.
Plánička only conceded one goal in 240 minutes played, having the lowest goals against average
with 0.38 goals per 90 minutes (better than Aldo Olivieri
of champions Italy). He was selected to the Best XI of the tournament by a group of journalists. The match against Brazil in Bordeaux was the last one of Plánička's international career.
In 1994, after receiving a sports merit award, Plánička stated that he would like to see Slavia win the league while he was still alive. In the 1995/96 season, after a 48-year wait, Slavia won the league title, and Plánička was able to celebrate it. Two months later, he died at the age of 92. At the time of his death, he was the last living member of the Czech squad at the 1934 World Cup
. Czech national team midfielder Karel Poborský
attended his burial, postponing his contract signing with Manchester United, which was scheduled to happen the same day.
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
and one of the most honoured players in the history of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
n football. He played the majority of his career for Slavia Prague
SK Slavia Praha
Sportovní Klub Slavia Praha is a Czech professional football club founded in 1892 in the city of Prague.They play in the Gambrinus liga—the highest competition in the Czech Republic. Alongside Sparta Prague, they are considered one of the top Czech clubs and the rivalry between the two clubs is...
, during which time the club won the Czech league eight times and the Mitropa Cup
Mitropa Cup
The Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
once. He also became a member of the Czechoslovakia national team
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
and later its captain during the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
finals of 1934
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
(where the Czech team finished second) and 1938
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
.
Plánička was a courageous player, to the extent that in Czechoslovakia's 1938 World Cup match against Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
, he remained on the field despite having suffered a serious injury. He was a goalkeeper of outstanding reflexes and shot-stopping abilities and was also characterized by his sportsmanship
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors...
, never once being cautioned or sent off in his career. He was awarded the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
International Fair Play Award in 1985
In 1999, the IFFHS elected him the best Czech goalkeeper – and ninth best overall – of the twentieth century. In 2003, he was catalogued as the greatest goalkeeper of an era that included other notable keepers such as Ricardo Zamora
Ricardo Zamora
Ricard Zamora i Martínez was a Spanish footballer and manager. He played as a goalkeeper for, among others, RCD Espanyol, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. As an international he played for both the Catalan XI and Spain...
and Giampiero Combi
Giampiero Combi
Gianpiero Combi was one of Italian football's greatest goalkeepers of all-time. He spent his entire career at Juventus FC and won the 1934 World Cup with the Italian national team...
.
Club career
Born in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Plánička played most of his footballing career and lived most of his life in the Czech capital. In the beginning of his career, Plánička played for the clubs Slovan Praha VII, Union VII, Staroměstský SK Olympia, and SK Bubeneč. He played for Slavia Prague from 1923 to 1939, in what has been one of the most successful eras in the club's history. He appeared in 969 matches, of which Slavia won 742. Although he was of below-average height for a goalkeeper, at 1.72m (5 ft 8 in), he was an effective shot stopper, and his acrobatic style earned him the nickname The Cat of Prague.
Plánička won his first league title in 1925, which was the club's first ever professional league championship. Slavia then won three consecutive titles from 1929 to 1931.
In 1932, Slavia reached the semifinals of the Mitropa Cup
Mitropa Cup 1932
The 1932 season of the Mitropa Cup football club tournament was won by an Italian club for the first time. The winners were AGC Bologna, who defeated the holders First Vienna in the semi-finals, and then won by default without the final being played...
. In the first leg, they beat Juventus FC 4-0; in the second leg, Juventus had a 2-0 lead after which, according to RSSSF, Slavia resorted to obstruction and time wasting, which extended to the stands to the point that spectators started throwing stones on the pitch; one of the projectiles hit Plánička, causing him a serious injury. Slavia abandoned the pitch and the game stopped, and this led to their disqualification from the tournament.
Slavia had another streak of three leagues won from 1933 to 1935, and won again 1937, with Plánička still between the goalposts.
Plánička also won six Bohemia cups (a domestic tournament) with Slavia, in 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932, and 1935. His only international title came in 1938, when his club finally won the Mitropa Cup
Mitropa Cup
The Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
.
National team
Between 1926 and 1938, Plánička played 73 times in goal for CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
, a world record at the time and a national record that stood until 1966 when Ladislav Novák
Ladislav Novák
Ladislav Novák was a Czech football defender and later a football manager. He played 75 matches for Czechoslovakia, 71 of them as a team captain....
earned his 74th cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
. Plánička was the national team captain 37 times. His international debut was on 17 January 1926 in a 1-3 loss against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
.
1934 World Cup
Plánička helped Czechoslovakia qualify to the 1934 World Cup1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
, and was the team's captain in the tournament. After beating Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
in the first round and Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
in quarterfinals, the Czech played a semifinal against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
. The Czech took the lead early in the match, but Germany equalized in the second half when Plánička could not react to a long shot by Rudolf Noack
Rudolf Noack
Rudolf "Rudi" Noack was a German football player. He played in the 1934 FIFA World Cup, scoring one goal in the tournament against Czechoslovakia in the semi-finals....
. Czechoslovakia regained the lead and scored a third goal late in the game to win 3-1 and advance to the final.
On 10 June 1934 Czechoslovakia played the final against hosts Italy, who also had one of the great goalkeepers of the time, Giampiero Combi
Giampiero Combi
Gianpiero Combi was one of Italian football's greatest goalkeepers of all-time. He spent his entire career at Juventus FC and won the 1934 World Cup with the Italian national team...
, as its captain. The Czechs took the lead in the 71st minute with a goal by Antonín Puč
Antonín Puc
Antonín Puč was a former Czech football player, the all-time leading scorer for the Czechoslovak national team....
, but ten minutes later a shot by Raimundo Orsi
Raimundo Orsi
Raimundo Bibiani "Mumo" Orsi was an Italian Argentine footballer who won the 1934 FIFA World Cup with Italy and the silver medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-Club:...
beat Plánička for the equalizer, sending the match to extra time, where goal by Angelo Schiavio
Angelo Schiavio
Angelo Schiavio was an Italian football player. Schiavio spent his entire career with Bologna FC, the club of the city where he was born and died...
gave the Italians the victory. Plánička finished the tournament with six goals against in four matches.
1938 World Cup
As Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupied Czechoslovakia
German occupation of Czechoslovakia
German occupation of Czechoslovakia began with the Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia's northern and western border regions, known collectively as the Sudetenland, under terms outlined by the Munich Agreement. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's pretext for this effort was the alleged privations suffered by...
, Plánička captained the Czechs again to the 1938 World Cup. In the first round, they beat the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
3-0 with all three goals coming in extra time. In the second round, they faced Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
on 12 July, in what was one of the most violent matches in World Cup history, known as the "Battle of Bordeaux
Battle of Bordeaux (football)
The Battle of Bordeaux is an informal name for the World Cup football match between Brazil and Czechoslovakia on June 12, 1938 in the Parc Lescure in Bordeaux, France, one of the quarter-finals of the 1938 World Cup finals...
." One Czech and two Brazilian playes were sent off, and players from both teams suffered serious injuries. With the game tied 1-1, Plánička's teammate Oldřich Nejedlý
Oldrich Nejedlý
Oldřich Nejedlý was a Czech footballer, who spent his entire career at Sparta Prague as an inside-forward. He is also a former member of the Czechoslovakian national team.-Club career:...
had to abandon the pitch with a broken leg, and then Plánička himself suffered a broken arm, after colliding with Brazil's striker Perácio's kick, as the Brazilian attempted to shoot. Plánička did not leave the pitch, however, and instead played through the pain until the end of regulation and through the subsequent extra time, which had no change in the score. The game was replayed two days later, and Czechoslovakia, without Plánička or forwards
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
Nejedlý and Antonín Puč
Antonín Puc
Antonín Puč was a former Czech football player, the all-time leading scorer for the Czechoslovak national team....
, lost 2-1 and was eliminated.
Plánička only conceded one goal in 240 minutes played, having the lowest goals against average
Goals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
with 0.38 goals per 90 minutes (better than Aldo Olivieri
Aldo Olivieri
Aldo Olivieri was a former Italianfootball goalkeeper from 1931 to 1943, and trainer after World War II.-Career:Olivieri was born in San Michele Extra, Verona....
of champions Italy). He was selected to the Best XI of the tournament by a group of journalists. The match against Brazil in Bordeaux was the last one of Plánička's international career.
After retirement
Plánička continued to play football after his retirement, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and physical condition. On 4 July 1970 Planicka last played in goal in a senior team of former internationals. In 1985, UNESCO presented him with an Honorary Fair Play Award in recognition to his footballing career.In 1994, after receiving a sports merit award, Plánička stated that he would like to see Slavia win the league while he was still alive. In the 1995/96 season, after a 48-year wait, Slavia won the league title, and Plánička was able to celebrate it. Two months later, he died at the age of 92. At the time of his death, he was the last living member of the Czech squad at the 1934 World Cup
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
. Czech national team midfielder Karel Poborský
Karel Poborský
Karel Poborský is a former Czech footballer. A right winger, Poborský is the all-time leader in appearances for the Czech national team, and was most noted for his technical ability.-Club career:...
attended his burial, postponing his contract signing with Manchester United, which was scheduled to happen the same day.
Honours
- Czech league winner: 1925, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1936–37
- Mitropa CupMitropa CupThe Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
winner: 1932 - Bohemia Cup winner: 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1935
- FIFA World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
runner-up: 19341934 FIFA World CupThe 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934.... - UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
International Fair Play Award: 1985 - Czech Fair Play Award: 1994.
External links
- Sports Illustrated's World Cup Hall of Fame - Frantisek Planicka - sportsillustrated.cnn.com - CNN/Sports Illustrated, 2003. Frantisek Planicka bio - club information - web.superslavia.com Short article on Planicka - early years, playing qualities, quotes - www.ewige-wm-elf.de - Der Tagesspiegel Online
- Summary of international appearances - by Jiří Slavík, RSSSF