Czech captain Krejčí vows to repeat 2019 shock as new boss Denia seeks England revenge

Czech Republic captain Ladislav Krejčí has called on his side to repeat one of the country’s most celebrated results, as they prepare to face England at the Fortuna Arena in Prague on Tuesday in the UEFA Nations League.

England lost at the same venue in 2019, a defeat that ended a 43-game unbeaten run in qualifying. Wolves defender Krejčí, 27, was not in the squad that night but says the memory has stayed with him.

“I remember I watched it on TV,” Krejčí said. “It was really a great victory for the whole nation because defeating one of the best European and world teams in football is great. It’s the kind of thing that shows us that even a little nation like us can do a feat like this, so that’s why we go into this game with this motivation.”

Krejčí returns to the starting XI after missing the Czech Republic’s Nations League opener against Croatia on Saturday. The former Girona defender says he is fit and that facing Premier League opposition gives him additional drive. “I have special motivation for every match, especially against these strong teams,” he added. “This is a great opportunity to show we can play against teams like this.”

Leading the Czech Republic into the fixture is Santi Denia, the former Spain youth coach appointed after the Czechs finished bottom of their group at the World Cup. Denia carries his own history with England — he was in charge of Spain’s side on both occasions they lost to England, first at the under-17 World Cup in 2017 and again at the under-21 European Championship in 2023.

Despite those defeats, Denia was generous in his assessment of English football’s development. “The development of the FA is unbelievable,” he said. “They have invested a lot of money in their young players, the facilities. This is the way to grow. I think it is one of the best federations in the world.”

Denia also pushed back on recent criticism of England’s style under Lee Carsley, arguing the gap between the two nations is minimal. “The level of Spain and England, also the clubs — the national teams are the same,” he said. “It’s very, very close. It’s details. They are big teams, big coaches.”

For the Czechs, Tuesday represents a chance to announce themselves under new management and to invoke the spirit of a result that remains a touchstone for a generation of their players.