The countdown to the World Cup continues as more nations finalise their rosters. The Czech Republic are the latest to show their hand, naming a preliminary 29-man squad for the tournament. With the final limit set at 26, head coach Miroslav Koubek must axe three players before the Sunday, 31 May deadline, as confirmed by the federation in an official statement.

The announcement was delivered with a touch of nostalgia, using a creative video montage that featured childhood footage of each selected player during their earliest days on the pitch.

Central to the Czechs' ambitions is Tomaš Souček. The West Ham United midfielder remains the most-capped active player in the Czech Republic setup with 89 appearances, and his inclusion as the team's heartbeat was never in doubt. He is joined by Bayer Leverkusen talisman Patrik Schick, who arrives in prolific form having netted 22 goals in 42 matches for his club this term. On the international stage, the clinical marksman boasts an impressive record of 25 goals in 52 outings.

In their release, the federation noted that head coach Miroslav Koubek has also invited three additional players to the pre-tournament training camp: midfielders Hugo Sochůrek (Sparta Prague) and Alexandr Sojka (FC Viktoria Plzen), along with forward Christopher Kabongo, currently on loan at Mlada Boleslav from Viktoria Plzen. A 23-man standby list has also been prepared to cover any potential injury setbacks.

This marks only the nation's second appearance at a World Cup. Their debut came at the 2006 tournament in Germany, where they failed to progress beyond the group stage. Returning 20 years later, they have been drawn into Group A alongside Mexico, South Africa, and South Korea.

The 29-man Czech Republic squad for the World Cup:

Goalkeepers: Lukaš Horniček, Matěj Kovař, and Jindřich Staněk.

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal, David Doudera, Tomaš Holeš, Robin Hranač, Štěpan Chaloupek, David Jurasek, Ladislav Krejči, Jaroslav Zelený, and David Zima.

Midfielders: Pavel Bucha, Lukaš Červ, Vladimir Darida, Tomaš Ladra, Lukaš Provod, Michal Sadilek, Hugo Sochůrek, Alexandr Sojka, Tomaš Souček, Pavel Šulc, and Denis Višinský.

Forwards: Adam Hložek, Tomaš Chorý, Mojmir Chytil, Christopher Kabongo, Jan Kuchta, and Patrik Schick.

Michal Sadilek

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