On Thursday evening, Tomáš Souček is set to lead out his country for their biggest game since they bowed out of the UEFA European Championships in summer 2024.
Our No28 and his Czechia teammates are scheduled to host Croatia in a top-of-the-table clash in FIFA World Cup UEFA qualifying Group L, with the winner able to pull three points clear at the summit.
Souček, who recently completed a three-game domestic suspension after being shown a red card in his last Premier League appearance, against Tottenham Hotspur last month, kept up his match sharpness by playing 90 minutes for our U21s in their Vertu Trophy fixture at Reading on 30 September.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon, the midfielder assured supporters he is in ideal condition to face Croatia, and that he can't wait to get stuck back into match action.
“As you all know, I've been preparing myself, training with the team,” he said. “I feel fit after the match against Reading, and it’s important I feel the same tomorrow; I believe I will.
“It’s been a long break from competitive senior football, but when it comes to being in the dressing room or with the boys, everything feels completely normal. We’ve had two good training sessions here and another one today, and we believe we’ll be as prepared as possible for Croatia.”
The stakes could hardly be higher at Prague’s Fortuna Arena, the same ground where Souček lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy with the Hammers in 2023.
When the two nations met in the summer, his equaliser just before the hour mark proved only a brief reprieve as Croatia went on to score four more, winning the tie 5-1.
Victory on Thursday evening will be crucial if Czechia are to steer clear of the play-off route for World Cup qualification, the same path that ended in heartbreak three years ago when an extra-time strike from Sweden’s Robin Quaison denied them a place in the play-off final against Poland for a spot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
As it stands, Czechia and Croatia are level on 12 points in the Group L table, six points clear of third-place Faroe Islands with Croatia ahead on goal difference and having played one game fewer. Following Thursday's clash, Czechia are due to play the Faroe Islands away on Sunday 12 October, before completing their qualifying group-stage campaign at home to Gibraltar in November.
Souček continued: “It’s a great opportunity for us to show what we’re capable of. We all take responsibility, and we don’t want what happened before to happen again. Tomorrow is a big challenge.
“We definitely want to be stronger on the ball, because we know that if we make mistakes, the Croats will punish us. Their quality is huge.
“We’ve analysed the last match and identified what we can improve, and I believe we’ll show that tomorrow.
“We all know what the table looks like. It’s mainly in the Croats’ hands now, but we’ll do everything we can to give ourselves the chance to finish first. Our goal is to reach the World Cup, and as long as that chance exists, we’ll fight for it.”
Since taking over the captaincy from Vladimír Darida in 2021, Souček has worn the armband in 44 of Czechia’s last 47 matches, playing every minute in all but two of those he’s featured in.
The 5-1 defeat in Croatia remains their only loss in the past 12 months, and with the home crowd behind them, Souček is confident his side can build on that record.
“I think the home crowd can help us a lot compared to the last time we faced them,” he said. “In the past year, the Czech fanbase has grown massively.
“We have incredible supporters who sell out the Fortuna Arena and follow us everywhere. We’re not just playing the Croats with eleven players or a 26-man squad, it’s the whole nation. We want to share this experience with everyone.”
