Frantishek Planichka Czech football goalkeeper. Date of Birth: 02.06.1904 Country: Czech

1. Biography of František Plánička
2. Legendary Career
3. Championship Titles and Achievements
4. Legacy and Final Years

Biography of František Plánička

František Plánička (June 2, 1904 – July 20, 1996) was a Czech football goalkeeper, considered one of the most accomplished players in the history of Czechoslovak football. He spent the majority of his career playing for the Prague club "Slavia", winning the national championship 8 times and the Mitropa Cup once. He captained the Czechoslovak national team in the 1934 (finishing in second place) and 1938 World Cups. Plánička was recognized as the best goalkeeper of his era by some sports publications and was named the ninth best goalkeeper of the 20th century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.

Legendary Career

Plánička was known for his bravery on the field. In the semifinal match of the 1938 World Cup against Brazil, he sustained a broken hand but continued to play and did not concede a goal. This moment became a legend in football history. Plánička was never sent off the field for rough play throughout his career. He received the UNESCO Fair Play award in 1984 and the Czech Fair Play award in 1994.

Born in Prague, Plánička spent the majority of his football career and life in the Czech capital. He played for various clubs before joining "Slavia" in 1923, where he played 969 matches and captained the team in 742 of them. Despite his height of only 173 cm, Plánička was known for his acrobatic jumps and was nicknamed the "Prague Cat" for his agility and shot-stopping abilities.

Championship Titles and Achievements

Plánička won his first championship title in 1925, which was also the first professional trophy in "Slavia's" history. The team went on to win the national championship 7 more times during Plánička's career. In 1932, "Slavia" reached the semifinals of the Mitropa Cup, defeating "Juventus" 4-0 in the first leg. However, in the second leg, "Slavia" was leading 2-0 and resorted to time-wasting tactics, which led to angry fans throwing stones onto the field. Plánička was hit by a stone and suffered a serious injury. As a result, "Slavia" was disqualified from the tournament.

Plánička won six Bohemian Cups with "Slavia" in 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1932, and 1935. Finally, in 1938, his club won the Mitropa Cup.

Between 1926 and 1938, Plánička played 73 matches for the Czechoslovak national team, captaining the team in 37 matches. He made his international debut on January 17, 1926, in a match against Italy. Plánička helped the Czechoslovak team qualify for the 1934 World Cup, where he also captained the team. In the final, Czechoslovakia faced Italy and their captain, the famous goalkeeper Gianpiero Combi. Although Czechoslovakia initially took the lead, Italy equalized and eventually won in extra time.

Plánička captained Czechoslovakia in the 1938 World Cup as well. In the first match, they defeated the Netherlands 3-0 in extra time. In the second round, they faced Brazil in a match that became known as the "Battle of Bordeaux." The match was one of the most brutal in World Cup history, with multiple players from both teams being sent off and sustaining serious injuries. Plánička fractured his hand in a collision with Brazilian striker Perácio but continued to play until the end of the match and extra time, not conceding any more goals. The replay, held two days later without Plánička, resulted in Czechoslovakia losing 2-1 and being eliminated from the tournament.

Legacy and Final Years

The match against Brazil in Bordeaux was Plánička's last game for the national team. He passed away in Prague in 1996. At the time of his death, he was the last living member of the Czechoslovak team that reached the 1934 World Cup final. Czech midfielder Karel Poborský attended his funeral, postponing his contract signing with Manchester United, which was scheduled for the same day.