| Outright Odds: 33/1 | | | | Nobody scored more goals in the European qualifying |
| Group E Winners: 9/4 | | | | campaign than Bruckner's side and it's hardly surprising, |
| The Czech Republic may be ranked by FIFA as the | | | | given his choice of tactics. |
| second best team in the world behind Brazil and the | | | | The Czechs play a cavalier style of attacking football |
| best in Europe but they made hard work of qualifying | | | | that can be breathtaking to watch. Who can forget |
| for the finals. Pitted against Holland in qualifying, they | | | | their classic Euro 2004 against Holland in which they |
| lost home and away and also suffered defeat in | | | | battled back from 2-0 down to win the match 3-2? |
| Romania to finish second in the group. They won both | | | | With Nedved, Galasek, Poborsky and Tomas Rosicky, |
| home and away 1-0 against Norway in the play-offs to | | | | the Czechs boast one of the most creative midfields |
| secure their place in Germany. | | | | in international football. Jan Koller struck nine times in |
| Despite a nervous qualification, expectations are high | | | | qualifying to take his tally to 40 goals in 66 |
| this time around for the Czech's first appearance in | | | | appearances but he is in danger of missing out on the |
| the finals since they entered as Czechoslovakia in | | | | finals after suffering cruciate ligament damage in |
| 1990. The side have not been out of FIFA's top six | | | | September 2005. |
| since 2004 and can no longer be dubbed underdogs or | | | | While almost unstoppable in attack, where the Czechs |
| outsiders. Under their old guise they twice finished | | | | fall short is in defence. Full backs Marek Jankulovski |
| runners-up in both 1934 and 1962 and they have the | | | | and Zdenek Grygera offer plenty of attacking support |
| ability to go one better this time around. | | | | from the back but are prone to being caught out. But |
| For many of the current squad, it's now or never, as | | | | given their overall ability they are worth a shout to win |
| the attacking force of Tomas Galasek, Karel | | | | the tournament at long odds. |
| Poborsky, Jan Koller and Pavel Nedved, back out of | | | | Recommended Bet: |
| retirement, are all entering the veteran stage of their | | | | At odds greater than 2/1, the Czechs offer much |
| careers. All made their mark a decade ago as the | | | | better value than Italy to win the group given their |
| Czech Republic surprised everyone by reaching the | | | | potency in attack. According to FIFA the Czechs are |
| final of Euro 96 and taking eventual winners Germany | | | | Europe's top side yet the bookmakers don't fancy their |
| into extra time. | | | | chances given the odds on offer. At 33/1, the Czechs |
| Under manager Karel Bruckner, who took charge in | | | | offer good each-way value to win the tournament |
| 2001 after a successful spell as under-21 coach, the | | | | outright. |
| Czechs can be a real force to be reckoned with. | | | | |