Antonín Panenka

Football player infobox
playername = Antonín Panenka


fullname = Antonín Panenka
height = height|m=1.78
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1948|12|2
cityofbirth = Prague
countryofbirth = Czechoslovakia
currentclub = "Retired"
clubnumber =
position = Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1967-1981
1981-1985
1985-1987
clubs = Bohemians Praha
Rapid Vienna
VSE St. Pölten
caps(goals) = 0? (?)
0127 (63)
0126 (63)
nationalyears = 1973-1982
nationalteam = Czechoslovakia
nationalcaps(goals) = 0059 (17)
pcupdate = August 22 2008
ntupdate = August 22 2008

Antonín Panenka (born December 2, 1948 in Prague) is a former Czech footballer.

An attacking midfielder known for the quality of his passing and his free kicks, Panenka played for Bohemians Prague for most of his career, joining the club as a youth in 1959. He came to international prominence playing for Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championship; Czechoslovakia reached the final, where they faced Germany. After extra time, the result was 2-2, and so the first penalty shootout in a European Championships final ensued. All the kicks were converted, until Germany's fourth penalty taker, Uli Hoeneß, ballooned his shot over the bar. With the score 4-3, Panenka stepped up to take the fifth and final Czechoslovakian penalty, to win the match. Despite the immense pressure, he fooled German goalkeeper Sepp Maier into diving for a save, before coolly chipping the ball straight down the middle and into the net [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/oct/31/theknowledge.sport Football - Knowledge: the footballers who have moves named after them | Football | guardian.co.uk ] ] . The sheer cheek of the goal led a watching French journalist to dub Panenka "a poet", and to this day his winning kick is one of the most famous ever, making Panenka's synonymous with that particular style of penalty kick.

As well as winning the 1976 European Championship, Panenka helped Czechoslovakia come third in the 1980 tournament, and qualify for the finals of the 1982 World Cup; Panenka scored twice, but his team failed to progress beyond the first group stage.

In 1981 Panenka left Bohemians for Austrian club Rapid Vienna, where he won two Bundesliga titles and an Austrian Cup. In 1985 Rapid reached the Cup Winners' Cup final; Panenka played as a substitute, but his side lost 3-1 to Everton. Later that year Panenka moved to VSE St. Pölten, and played two more seasons there before retiring; today he works as a president for Bohemians 1905.

References

External links

* [http://www.radio.cz/en/article/54779 Antonín Panenka and his famous goal] - photos