Czech · Plzeň, Czech Republic · Born 20 May 1982One of the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history, holding the all-time record for clean sheets and a legendary figure at Chelsea.
Petr Čech was born on 20 May 1982 in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia, and progressed through the Viktoria Plzeň youth academy before beginning his senior career at Chmel Blšany in 1999. A move to Sparta Prague in 2001 saw his career accelerate rapidly — in his single season with the club, the 19-year-old set a Czech league record by going 903 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal, a level of defensive excellence that quickly attracted attention from Western Europe. Čech moved to French club Rennes before Chelsea signed him in 2004, and he became one of the finest and most durable goalkeepers of his generation, renowned for his positioning, reflexes, and calm authority in commanding his penalty area. In October 2006, a serious collision during a match left him with a depressed skull fracture, a life-threatening injury that required emergency surgery; remarkably, Čech returned to professional football within three months, adopting the protective headgear that became his career-long signature, despite acknowledging it reduced his peripheral awareness by an estimated 10 to 15 percent. Over 11 seasons at Chelsea, Čech won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the 2012 Champions League, establishing himself as arguably the finest goalkeeper in the club's history. He moved to Arsenal in 2015, adding an FA Cup to his collection and finishing his 15-year Premier League career with a record 202 clean sheets, the most of any goalkeeper in the competition's history. Čech earned 124 caps for the Czech Republic, representing his country across three European Championships and one World Cup, and after retiring from football in 2019 he briefly pursued a career as an ice hockey goaltender in England's lower leagues — a remarkable second athletic pursuit for a man already regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation.
Most Premier League clean sheets (202)
After a life-threatening skull fracture in 2006, he wore protective headgear for the rest of his career and still became the Premier League's all-time clean sheet leader.
Did You Know?How They Played
Commanding presence, exceptional shot-stopping, excellent distribution, leadership
Lasting Impact
One of the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history and Czech football legend
Career Honours
- Premier League 4x
- Champions League 2012
- Europa League 2013
- FA Cup 5x
- League Cup 3x
- Premier League 2005
- Premier League 2006
- Premier League 2010
- Premier League 2015
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chmel Blšany | 2001–2002 | — | 27 | 0 | #1 |
| Rennes | 2004–2004 | £7m | 223 | 0 | #1 |
| Chelsea | 2004–2015 | £7m | 186 | 0 | #1 |
| Arsenal | 2015–2019 | — | 110 | 0 | — |
| Viktoria Plzen | 1999–2001 | — | 27 | 0 | — |
| Sparta Prague | 2001–2002 | — | 27 | 0 | — |
 Czech Republic | — | — | 124 | — | — |
Czech Athletes