PLAYER PROFILE- PAVEL NEDVED

JAS Team Dedicated: U9 Nedved 

Born: August 30th, 1972

Nationality: Czech 

Player Position: Midfielder

Shirt Number: #11

Years Active at Juve: 2001 - 2009 (player); 2010 - present (board of directors; vice-chairman) 

Fun Fact: Pavel Nedved is one of six (plus Sivori, Rossi, Platini, Baggio, Zidane) players who have won the Ballon d'Or during their time at Juventus.

WHAT MAKES THEM A LEGEND?

The 'Czech Fury' Pavel Nedved is a true Bianconero. Not only is he the foreign player who played for the longest period at Juventus, he has also shown complete loyalty to the club throughout his career. He arrived in 2001 upon the departure of Zidane and became a huge contributor to the club's following successes. By 2003, Nedved already had two Scudetti, a Champions League final, and a Ballon d'Or under his name. Following a third-place finish in 2004, two more domestic titles followed, but Juventus soon faced a great obstacle. 

After the Calciopoli scandal in 2006, Juventus were stripped of their 2004-2005 & 2005-2006 titles and relegated to Serie B. Amidst the chaos, many star players such as Ibrahimovic, Cannavaro, and Thuram left the club to remain in top-flight football. Nedved, however, was among the couple of players that decided to stay. The Czech scored 11 goals in Serie B and ultimately helped Juventus return to Serie A just after one season. His dedication and commitment to remain at the club proves his character and the reason why he is a Bianconero Legend. 

As a Midfielder, Nedved is often considered to be one of the greatest. He was an extremely versatile and well-rounded player, able to use both his feet and to take on both offensive and defensive roles on the pitch. On one hand, his superior dribbling, passing, and vision made him a great asset in attacks. His physicality, tackles, and overall grinta also proved to be consistently effective in diffusing opponent attempts. Nedved is often referred to as a "complete" midfielder with no visible weaknesses since he also possesses stamina, goal-scoring ability (51 goals in 247 apps) and strong mental strength as well. 

Even after Nedved's retirement in 2009, he continues to be deeply involved in the club's affairs. He was nominated to have a seat in the Board of Directors immediately after and was later promoted to vice-chairman in 2015. He holds an incredibly important role within the club's management and continues to affect Juventus long after his retirement as a professional player.