1. Early life and background
Jaroslav Plašil was born on January 5, 1982, in Opočno, which was then part of Czechoslovakia and is now in the Czech Republic. His early life was marked by his development within the Czech youth football system.
1.1. Youth career
Plašil began his football journey at a young age, joining TJ Sokol Černíkovice in 1987, where he played until 1992. He then moved to FC Spartak Rychnov nad Kněžnou for a year in 1992-1993. His development continued at FC Hradec Králové from 1993 to 1998, laying the groundwork for his professional career.
2. Club career
Jaroslav Plašil's professional career spanned across France, Spain, and Italy, marked by significant contributions to his clubs, including a UEFA Champions League final appearance and a Coupe de France title.
2.1. FC Hradec Králové
Plašil began his professional career with FC Hradec Králové, making 4 appearances without scoring any goals between 1998 and 2000.
2.2. AS Monaco and US Créteil
In 2000, at the age of 18, Plašil moved to France, signing with AS Monaco FC. However, his initial two seasons saw limited playing time, with only eight starts. To gain more experience, he was loaned to Ligue 2 club US Créteil-Lusitanos for the 2002-03 season. After delivering a commendable performance at Créteil, Plašil returned to Monaco at the beginning of the 2003-04 season. For the subsequent four years, he became a regular fixture in the starting lineup. His most notable period came in the 2003-04 season when Monaco reached the final of the UEFA Champions League, ultimately losing to FC Porto. During this memorable campaign, Plašil contributed a goal to Monaco's record-breaking 8-3 victory over Deportivo La Coruña. He played a total of 121 league games and 143 total matches for Monaco, scoring 5 league goals and 6 overall.
2.3. CA Osasuna
On August 25, 2007, Plašil moved to Spain, signing a four-year contract with La Liga team CA Osasuna for a transfer fee of 2.25 M EUR. He was brought in to replace the injured Javad Nekounam. Plašil made his debut for Osasuna on September 16, coming on as a substitute for Javier García Portillo in the final 19 minutes of a goalless home draw against FC Barcelona. His first goal for the club, based in Pamplona, came on December 2, a left-footed volley that opened the scoring in a 2-1 away victory against Deportivo de La Coruña. Just three days later, he scored his first goal at Reyno de Navarra Stadium, initiating a 1-1 draw against Sevilla FC. He concluded his first season with four goals in 35 appearances, with his final goal being the only one in a home win over rivals Real Zaragoza on February 10, 2008, scored in first-half added time.
In the following season, on October 5, 2008, Plašil was sent off in the first half of a 1-0 home loss to Racing de Santander for a handball following a shot from Ezequiel Garay, though the resulting penalty kick was missed. He again registered four goals in 32 games that season, notably scoring an equalizer on May 31, 2009, in a 2-1 home win over Real Madrid. Across his two seasons with Osasuna, he played 66 league matches and scored 8 goals.
2.4. FC Girondins de Bordeaux and Calcio Catania loan
On June 9, 2009, French champions Bordeaux signed Plašil on a four-year deal for an estimated 3.00 M EUR. He made a winning debut for Bordeaux, securing the 2009 Trophée des Champions. A significant moment in his Bordeaux career came on May 31, 2013, when he captained the team to a 3-2 victory over Evian in the 2013 Coupe de France Final at the Stade de France, securing a major title for the club.
On September 2, 2013, Plašil was loaned to Serie A club Calcio Catania. During his time in Sicily, he played 28 matches, scoring on September 29 to open a 2-0 win over Chievo, which marked Catania's first victory of the season.
After his loan spell, Plašil returned to Bordeaux. On June 7, 2017, he extended his contract with the club for an additional year. Six months later, he was one of three Bordeaux players sent off in a 2-1 loss to fourth-tier US Granville in the last 64 of the Coupe de France, leading to a five-match ban for dissent. Overall, Plašil made 290 league appearances and scored 15 goals for Bordeaux, playing a total of 367 matches across all competitions and scoring 20 goals.
3. International career
Jaroslav Plašil had a long and distinguished international career with the Czech Republic national football team, participating in multiple major tournaments and earning over 100 caps.
3.1. Senior national team debut and major tournaments
Plašil made his debut for the Czech Republic senior squad on March 31, 2004, in a 2-1 friendly loss to the Republic of Ireland at Lansdowne Road, where he replaced Martin Jiránek for the final 21 minutes. In his very next game on June 2, he scored his first international goal in a 3-1 friendly win over Bulgaria.
He was selected for UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal, where the Czech team reached the semi-finals. His sole appearance in the tournament was in a 2-1 victory that eliminated neighbors Germany on June 23 at the Estádio José Alvalade. He started the match in what was described as an "under-strength" Czech team.
Plašil started all three of the Czechs' group games at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, marking their first World Cup appearance since the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The team was eliminated in the group stage, notably at the expense of eventual champions Italy.
He played 13 times in qualification for UEFA Euro 2008, scoring a goal to seal a 3-0 win over Germany at the Allianz Arena on October 17, 2007, which secured his team's qualification for the finals in Austria and Switzerland. This defeat was notably Joachim Löw's first as Germany's national manager. In the final tournament, Plašil started every game in Group A and scored to give the Czechs a 2-0 lead against Turkey in their last group match. However, they ultimately lost 3-2 and were eliminated.
Plašil played every minute of the Czech Republic's campaign at UEFA Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine, where they were eliminated 1-0 by Portugal in the quarter-finals. He was called up for his fourth continental championship when he was selected for UEFA Euro 2016 in France. In a pre-tournament friendly match on June 5, he earned his 100th cap in a 2-1 home loss to South Korea. He started all three group matches at the tournament, as the Czech national team exited with two losses and a draw. Overall, Plašil earned 103 caps for his country.
3.2. International goals
Scores and results list Czech Republic goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Plašil goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 1, 2004 | Generali Arena, Prague, Czech Republic | 2 | Bulgaria | 2-0 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| 2 | October 17, 2007 | Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany | 31 | Germany | 3-0 | 3-0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 3 | June 15, 2008 | Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland | 40 | Turkey | 2-0 | 2-3 | UEFA Euro 2008 |
| 4 | October 10, 2009 | Generali Arena, Prague, Czech Republic | 51 | Poland | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | March 25, 2011 | Estadio Nuevo Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain | 62 | Spain | 1-0 | 1-2 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 6 | September 3, 2011 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland | 65 | Scotland | 1-1 | 2-2 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 7 | May 27, 2016 | Kufstein Arena, Kufstein, Austria | 98 | Malta | 1-0 | 6-0 | Friendly |
4. Playing style
Jaroslav Plašil was known for his versatility as a midfielder, possessing the ability to contribute across various midfield roles. A key attribute of his playing style was his accurate kicking, delivered effectively with both feet. In the context of the Czech Republic national football team, his consistent performances and technical abilities led him to be critically assessed as a potential successor to the legendary midfielder Pavel Nedvěd.
5. Career statistics
Detailed statistical data for Jaroslav Plašil's club and international career showcases his longevity and consistent performance across various leagues and competitions.
5.1. Club statistics
The following table provides Jaroslav Plašil's club career statistics, detailing his appearances and goals across different leagues and competitions. The "Cup" column includes performances in the Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, Trophée des Champions, and Copa del Rey. The "Europe" column covers appearances in the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and UEFA Champions League.
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Hradec Králové | 1998-99 | Czech First League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Monaco | 2001-02 | Ligue 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2002-03 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2003-04 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 44 | 3 | ||
| 2004-05 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 1 | ||
| 2005-06 | 21 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | ||
| 2006-07 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2007-08 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 121 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 143 | 6 | ||
| Créteil (loan) | 2002-03 | Ligue 2 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 14 | 0 | |
| Osasuna | 2007-08 | La Liga | 34 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - | 35 | 5 | |
| 2008-09 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | 32 | 4 | |||
| Total | 66 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 8 | ||
| Bordeaux | 2009-10 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 50 | 5 |
| 2010-11 | 38 | 4 | 4 | 0 | - | 42 | 4 | |||
| 2011-12 | 38 | 3 | 2 | 0 | - | 40 | 3 | |||
| 2012-13 | 33 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 49 | 2 | ||
| 2013-14 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2014-15 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | 38 | 0 | |||
| 2015-16 | 27 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 4 | ||
| 2016-17 | 37 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 2 | ||
| 2017-18 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 2018-19 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| Total | 290 | 15 | 43 | 4 | 34 | 1 | 367 | 20 | ||
| Catania (loan) | 2013-14 | Serie A | 28 | 1 | - | - | 28 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 523 | 29 | 51 | 4 | 49 | 2 | 623 | 35 | ||
5.2. International statistics
The table below summarizes Jaroslav Plašil's appearances and goal records for the Czech national team by year.
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 2004 | 4 | 1 |
| 2005 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 6 | 1 | |
| Total | 103 | 7 | |
6. Honours
Jaroslav Plašil achieved several significant honours throughout his club and international career.
Monaco
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2003-04
Bordeaux
- Trophée des Champions: 2009
- Coupe de France: 2012-13
Czech Republic
- UEFA Euro 2004 Semi-finals
7. Retirement and post-playing career
In July 2019, Jaroslav Plašil officially retired from professional football at the age of 37. Immediately following his retirement, he transitioned into a coaching role, joining the staff of Bordeaux's reserve team in the Championnat National 3.