Success 2014: Petr Čech, footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Czech Republic as a goalkeeper

Petr Čech is a Czech footballer, who plays for Chelsea and the Czech Republic as a goalkeeper. Čech previously played for Chmel Blšany, Sparta Prague, and Rennes. He was voted into the all-star team of Euro 2004 after helping his country reach the semi-finals. Čech also received the individual award of Best Goalkeeper in the 2004–05, 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons of the UEFA Champions League. In addition, he was named in the FIFPro and UEFA Champions League teams of the season in 2006. He is considered to be one of the best and most respected goalkeepers of all time.
Čech holds a number of goalkeeping records, including the Premier League record for fewest appearances required to reach 100 clean sheets, having done so in 180 league appearances. He also holds a Czech professional league record of not conceding a goal in 903 competitive minutes. In addition, he has a club record at his former club Sparta Prague, having gone 928 minutes unbeaten in all competitions in 2001–02, when his unbeaten run in Czech league competition was combined with his performances in the UEFA Champions League. During the 2004–05 season, Čech went 1,025 minutes without conceding a goal – a Premier League record, until it was surpassed by Edwin van der Sar of Manchester United on 27 January 2009. Čech also won the Golden Glove in both the 2004–05 and 2009–10 seasons as the Premier League goalkeeper with the most clean sheets. As of 11 January 2014, Čech has kept a club record 209 clean sheets for Chelsea in all competitions.

Čech trialled with Chelsea in 2003. Their then-manager, Claudio Ranieri, wanted Čech to be understudy to Carlo Cudicini, and made a transfer bid for Čech in January 2004. Although an initial bid was rejected, Rennes agreed to Čech's move to Chelsea for £7 million in February. Čech signed a five-year contract, to commence in July 2004, becoming the most expensive goalkeeper in Chelsea's history. Čech's was one amongst many British club transfers that came under the spotlight in the 2006 football corruption investigation for being potentially in breach of transfer regulations. The Stevens inquiry report, published in June 2007, found no evidence of illegal payments.