International Career
Koller is the most prolific goal-scorer of the Czech Republic and has represented his country in Euro 2000, Euro 2004, 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008.
His best performance to date in a major tournament was in Euro 2004, when his side reached the semi-finals and he scored two goals, forming a pivotal partnership with fellow striker Milan Baroš. In the 2006 World Cup, Koller scored the opening goal against the United States, but later suffered a minor thigh injury. His injury was a major blow for the Czech Republic, which lost their next two matches without him and were eliminated.
Into his third month with Nuremberg, Koller announced that he would retire from the Czech national team after Euro 2008. He finished his international career with 55 goals, including a crucial headed goal in their deciding Euro 2008 Group A match against Turkey. However, his goal was not enough as the Czechs conceded three goals in the last 15 minutes, losing the match 3–2, and failing to progress to the knock-out stage, prompting Koller to announce his retirement from the national team.
On 12 August 2009, he announced that he would rejoin the national team because of poor results in the 2010 World Cup qualification. He played in the match against Slovakia, but on 6 September 2009, he again announced his retirement from international football.
Read more about this topic: Jan Koller
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“It is a great many years since at the outset of my career I had to think seriously what life had to offer that was worth having. I came to the conclusion that the chief good for me was freedom to learn, think, and say what I pleased, when I pleased. I have acted on that conviction... and though strongly, and perhaps wisely, warned that I should probably come to grief, I am entirely satisfied with the results of the line of action I have adopted.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)