David Rozehnal is a Czech former professional footballer born in 1980.
Rozehnal was raised in a sports family, with his father being a second-league football player.
He played for several European clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United, making over 400 appearances.
Biography
Early Life
David Rozehnal was born in Šternberk, Czech Republic, and raised in the nearby village of Kožušany. Coming from a sports-oriented family, his father was a second-league football player and his mother played competitive handball. Rozehnal began his football journey at the amateur club Sokol Kožušany, where his father served as a coach.
Career
Rozehnal's professional career kicked off in 1999 with SK Sigma Olomouc, where he quickly made a name for himself. He was part of the team that finished as runners-up in the 2000 UEFA Intertoto Cup and secured a third-place finish in the 2000-01 season. In 2003, he transferred to Club Brugge K.V., where he celebrated significant success, including a victory over AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League and winning the Belgian Cup and League.
His career continued to flourish as he signed with Paris Saint-Germain in 2005, followed by a move to Newcastle United in 2007 for £2.9 million. After a brief loan spell at SS Lazio, Rozehnal played for Hamburger SV and Lille OSC before returning to Lille for a second stint. He concluded his club career at KV Oostende, retiring in April 2018 after nearly two decades in professional football.
Internationally, Rozehnal represented the Czech Republic, earning 60 caps and participating in three major tournaments: Euro 2004, the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and Euro 2008. He scored his only international goal in a friendly against Belgium.
Personal Life
David Rozehnal is married to Petra, and they have two children, with their first child, Luka, born on October 3, 2007. Rozehnal's family background and personal life reflect his deep-rooted connection to sports, which has been a significant part of his identity throughout his life.
Collected from open sources (3) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Career & Clubs
Sigma Olomouc
Rozehnal joined the senior team at Sigma Olomouc in 1999 from the Sigma Olomouc B youth team. He finished as a runner-up in the 2000 UEFA Intertoto Cup, and he was also part of the Sigma Olomouc team which finished in third place in 2000–01.
Club Brugge
In 2003, Rozehnal joined Belgian club Club Brugge. Shortly after joining the club he was part of the side which defeated AC Milan at the San Siro in the UEFA Champions League. He won the Belgian Cup in his first season with Brugge and the Belgian League in the 2004–05 season.
Paris Saint-Germain
Rozehnal signed for Paris Saint-Germain in June 2005. His form resulted in reported interest from Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United and Sevilla. Sources close to the defender confirmed that he would prefer a move to Newcastle.
Newcastle United
On 22 June 2007, Rozehnal's agent confirmed that a "definite agreement" had been reached for the player to join Newcastle United. Rozehnal underwent a medical check on 25 June and Newcastle confirmed the transfer had been completed on 29 June for a fee of £2.9 million, with the player signing a four-year contract. He made his league debut against Bolton Wanderers the same year on 11 August.
Lazio
On 31 January 2008, Rozehnal left Newcastle for Lazio on loan until the end of the 2007–08 Serie A despite having only signed in June 2007. After only playing seven times for Lazio during his loan spell, it remained unclear if they wanted…
Rozehnal was part of the Czech Republic national youth football team which won the UEFA U-21 Championships in 2002. In 2004, Rozehnal made his debut for the Czech Republic in a 2–2 friendly draw against Italy on 18 February 2004. He went on to play for his country at Euro 2004, where the team made it to the semi-finals before being knocked out by Greece. He also played in the group stage at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, although his nation did not advance to the knockout stages. Rozehnal played in his third major tournament at Euro 2008. He scored his only international goal in his 57th appearance for his country, finding the net in a 3–1 friendly win against Belgium.
- Club
- SS Lazio (2008–2008)
- Club
- Lille OSC (2010–2011)
- Club
- Hamburger SV (2009–2011)
- Club
- SK Sigma Olomouc (1999–2003)
- Club
- Club Brugge K.V. (2003–2005)
- Club
- Newcastle United F.C. (2007–2008)
- Club
- Paris Saint-Germain FC (2005–2007)
- Club
- KV Oostende (2015–)
- Club
- SS Lazio (2008–2009)
- Club
- Lille OSC (2011–2015)
- Club
- Czech Republic national under-21 football team (2001–2002)
- Club
- Czechia men's national football team (2004–2009)
- League
- Bundesliga
- League
- Premier League
- National team
- Czech Republic
Personal
Rozehnal was born in Šternberk and raised in Kožušany. He comes from a sports family, his father was a second-league football player, his mother played competitive handball. His father then trained amateur club Sokol Kožušany, where Rozehnal started with football.
Rozehnal is married to Petra with two children. Their first child, Luka, was born on 3 October 2007.
Clubs
- KV Oostende2015current
- SK Sigma Olomouc1999–2003
- Czech Republic national under-21 football team2001–2002
- Club Brugge K.V.2003–2005
- Czechia men's national football team2004–2009
- Paris Saint-Germain FC2005–2007
- Newcastle United F.C.2007–2008
- SS Lazio2008–2008
- SS Lazio2008–2009
- Hamburger SV2009–2011
- Lille OSC2010–2011
- Lille OSC2011–2015
Played together with
Aaron HughesNewcastle United F.C. · 1997–2005
Aaron HuntHamburger SV · 2015- Aaron OpokuHamburger SV · 2022
Aaron RamsdaleNewcastle United F.C. · 2025
Abdelaziz BarradaParis Saint-Germain FC · 2007–2010- Abdelilah FahmiLille OSC · 1999–2003
Abdelkrim MerryLille OSC · 1980–1981
Abdou DialloParis Saint-Germain FC · 2019–2023- Abdoulahy SangaréParis Saint-Germain FC · 2012–2013
Abdoulay DiabyClub Brugge K.V. · 2015–2018
Abdoulay DiabyLille OSC · 2013–2015Abdoulay KonkoSS Lazio · 2011
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
David Rozehnal is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He played for a host of European clubs, making over 400 appearances in a career spanning almost two decades, and retired from the professional game in April 2018. Internationally Rozehnal made 60 appearances for the Czech Republic, appearing in three major tournaments: Euro 2004, the 2006 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2008.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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