Tomas Rosicky, Pavel Nedved & Prague's football legends

Affectionately known as 'Little Mozart', Tomas Rosicky is one of Prague's most famous and talented football sons. The diminutive playmaker comes from a soccer family, with his father Jiri playing for Sparta Prague in the 1970s, while his brother also spent time at the club.

Rosicky broke into the Sparta Prague first team as a teenager and played a part in securing back-to-back league titles in 1999 and 2000, but his ability was such that Europe's elite were forced to sit up and take notice.

Borussia Dortmund came knocking and made him the most expensive player in Bundesliga history when they forked out DM 25 million (equivalent €12.7m today) for his services in 2001. Arsenal was Rosicky's next port of call in 2006 and he earned cult hero status with the Premier League club, helping them to FA Cup glory in 2014.

Pavel Nedved may not be a Prague native, but his performances for Sparta Prague, and indeed the Czech Republic national team, in the 1990s were the catalyst for his future career success. Czech fans of a certain vintage will fondly recall his pivotal role in the national team's run to the final of Euro 96.

A truly complete midfielder, capable of playing anywhere across the line, Nedved played a part in three league titles for Sparta between 1992 and 1995 before moving on to Serie A, where he shone first for Lazio and later Juventus.

Indeed, his displays for Juve earned him the Ballon d'Or in 2003 as he saw off challenges from the likes of Thierry Henry and Paolo Maldini. He remains, to this day, the only Czech player to win the prestigious accolade.

Vladimir Smicer is a Premier League legend for Liverpool fans, but he is also a heroic figure in Prague, where he dazzled in the red and white of Slavia. The 80-cap Czech international began his career in the capital at Slavia and helped them to a league title in 1996.

His career subsequently took him to France and England - he enjoyed a trophy-laden six years at Anfield, even winning the Champions League - but he made a triumphant return to Prague in 2007, helping Slavia to two more titles.

Smicer was born in Decin, but is now an adopted son of Prague having lived there for the last quarter of a century and he proudly showed the city off to us ahead of the 2023 Europa Conference League final - check it out below!

Petr Cech is one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time and Sparta Prague played their part in his remarkable journey when they signed him from Chmel Bisany.

Indeed, while Cech's time in the capital was brief - just one season - his contribution was strongly felt as he went 903 competitive minutes without conceding a goal, setting a new record in the process.

Cech left Sparta Prague for Rennes, joining the French club for a reported €5.5 million and his career went from strength to strength, first at Chelsea, where he won four Premier League titles and the Champions League, then at Arsenal, where he secured an FA Cup.

With 124 caps for Czech Republic, he is the most-capped player in the history of the national team and his status as a legend is unquestioned.

A Prague native, Patrik Schick is the scorer of one of the greatest goals in Czech football history.

The striker's audacious long-range effort against Scotland at Euro 2020 won Goal of the Tournament and is fondly remembered by Czech fans everywhere.

Schick came through the ranks at Sparta, his hometown club, but it was not long before he was plying his trade abroad, with Sampdoria luring him to Serie A.

He has since played for Roma, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen, with his performances earning him recognition as the Czech Footballer of the Year in 2021 and 2022.

Though he began his career as a youth at Sparta Prague, it was at Slavia that Patrik Berger made a name for himself.

An imposing wide midfield playmaker with a wand of a left foot, Berger's knack for scoring goals made him an asset to any team and his stock soared when he played a key part in Czech Republic's run to the final of Euro 96.

He subsequently signed for Liverpool in 1996 and became something of a fan favourite at Anfield as part of the Reds team that won the FA Cup, UEFA Cup and League Cup treble in 2001.

Berger eventually returned to Sparta Prague to see out his career where it all began.

Goalkeeper Jaromir Blazek played for Slavia, Bohemians and Sparta, but it was for the latter that he made the biggest impact, setting records for most league appearances and clean sheets.

While he never quite scaled the heights that his colleague Petr Cech did, Blazek managed to play for his country 14 times and has plenty of trophies on his honours list.

The shot-stopper won a league title with Slavia early in his career before helping Sparta to five titles through the 2000s.

With 55 goals in 91 caps, Jan Koller is, by some considerable distance, Czech Republic's all-time top goalscorer and the Prague native is undoubtedly one of his country's most accomplished players.

Having started out at Sparta Prague, Koller's giant physique and determination marked him out as one of the most unique strikers in Europe, not to mention prolific.

He starred in Belgium for Lokeren and Anderlecht before moving on to Borussia Dortmund, becoming a cult hero in Germany as BVB clinched the title in 2002.

Koller played at three European Championships and one World Cup with Czech Republic, with his best contribution arguably coming in their run to the semi-final at Euro 2004.

The 1995-96 season was when Karel Poborsky announced himself to a European audience. His goals from right wing helped Slavia Prague to the Czech league title and that summer he would go on to sparkle on his country's run to the final of Euro 96.

A move to Manchester United followed and, while his time at Old Trafford was stymied by the ascendancy of David Beckham, Poborsky left with a Premier League winner's medal.

His career took him to Portugal, where he played for Benfica, and then to Italy, where he featured for Lazio alongside the likes of Dejan Stankovic and Gaizka Mendieta.

Poborsky returned to Prague, helping Sparta to two league titles, before winding down his playing days with Ceske Budejovice.