Wolves defender Ladislav Krejci handed captaincy over West Ham’s Tomas Soucek in shock call before crunch clash with Ireland in Prague
The Czech Republic have made a bold and somewhat unexpected leadership call ahead of their World Cup playoff semi-final against Ireland, with Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Ladislav Krejci handed the captain’s armband.
The decision comes as a surprise given the presence of more experienced figures within the squad, most notably Tomas Soucek, who has amassed 87 international caps and has long been considered one of the team’s natural leaders.
The West Ham midfielder, however, has not been reinstated following controversy that saw him stripped of the role late last year.
Instead, Czech head coach Ivan Koubek has placed his trust in Krejci, a 26-year-old centre-back now playing in the Wolves setup. Despite having just 23 caps to his name, Krejci will lead his country into Thursday’s high-stakes encounter at Prague’s Fortuna Arena.
The call is particularly notable given that seven other players in the current squad boast more international appearances, making the shift in leadership quite surprising.
Soucek omission still felt after controversy
The roots of this decision trace back to November’s qualifier against Gibraltar. Despite a comfortable 6-0 win, tensions emerged when the Czech squad initially failed to acknowledge their travelling supporters at full-time.
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Soucek, alongside former West Ham teammate Vladimir Coufal, later returned to address the fans, but the Czech Football Association took a dim view of the situation.
“The players should have reacted differently,” read an official statement at the time. “They should have thanked the active supporters not only for the Gibraltar match, but for their long-term and tireless backing throughout the qualifying campaign.”
That episode ultimately cost Soucek the captaincy. And now, months later, he remains overlooked despite his seniority and experience.
Huge stakes against Ireland
Krejci’s first match as captain could hardly be bigger. The Czech Republic face Ireland in a decisive playoff semi-final, with a place in the World Cup just two steps away.
Victory would secure a home final on March 31, where they would meet either Denmark or North Macedonia for a spot at this summer’s tournament.
With Ireland buoyed by their dramatic qualification run – including Troy Parrott’s hat-trick heroics against Hungary – the pressure is firmly on.
Now, all eyes will be on Krejci to justify Koubek’s gamble and lead a talented Czech side through one of their most important matches in recent years.