Josef Masopust is widely seen as the greatest footballer to have come from his country. The former Czech midfielder was one of the finest players in the 60's era. He was a vital part of the legendary 1962 Czechoslovakia side, which reached all the way till the FIFA World Cup Final that year.
It was his heroics in that year which saw him win the 1962 Ballon d'Or, thus being the first Czech player to receive the award. Masopust was even included in Pelé's legendary top 125 greatest living footballers that was published in 2004, which was a testament to how special he was.
Let us now celebrate his contributions in football, as we look back at his career.
Playing Style: What Made Masopust a Unique Midfielder
Despite primarily being a midfielder, Josef Masopust had operated in various positions throughout his career. The Czechoslovakian operated as a left half during his early years, while the 1962 World Cup saw him shift to the centre half position.
Masopust was compared to Hungarian legend József Bozsik due to their similar playing style, as both players were workhorses that also excelled in creating attacking opportunities. The Czech midfielder was in particular brilliant when it came to ball control, which he utilized during both defensive and attacking play. He was also an excellent passer of the ball, similar to Bozsik. Masopust's only drawback was his inability to make accurate tackles, but he made up for this with his anticipation and interception skills.
Most of his teammates at club level were part of the national side as well, which played a huge part in further enhancing his performance on the field.
Early Career
Masopust began his youth career at Czech club ZSJ Uhlomost Most, where he spent 5 years. He took the leap to professional football with ZSJ Technomat Teplice, who signed the 19 year old left-half in 1950.
Dukla Prague: A Legendary Club Career
After 2 years at Technomat Teplice, Masopust joined a Czechoslovak Armed Forces football club under the name of ATK Praha (renamed to ÚDA Praha in 1953 and to Dukla Prague in winter 1956).
The Czech star spent the next 16 years of his football life at Dukla Prague, during which he won 8 league championships and three national cups with Dukla. They also reached the 1966–67 European Cup semi-finals, where they lost to eventual champions Celtic.
His final club was Belgian side Crossing Molenbeek, where he played his final 2 years of club football. Masopust had a success spell
at the club, helping Crossing Molenbeek win promotion to the Belgian first division as player-coach. He retired from club football in 1970.
International Career with Czechoslovakia
Masopust made his international debut in October 1954, in a friendly match against Hungary. It was just the beginning of a memorable run.
He helped Czechoslovakia qualify for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but the team were knocked out after a play-off match against Northern Ireland. They recovered from this heartbreak and made history though, as Masopust and his men concluded the 1955-60 Central European International Cup as champions in 1960.
This was the beginning of a golden run for the Czechoslovakia side. They managed to finish third in the new 1960 UEFA European Football Championship tournament, losing to the Soviet Union in the semi-final and eventually defeating France to seal the third place.
Masopust had his greatest moment in the 1962 FIFA World Cup, as he led his nation all the way to the finals. The Czech sensation managed to score in the final as well, but his efforts went in way as Brazil came back to win the match 3-1. It was a moment of eternal heartbreak for the player.
His heroics in the tournament were nothing short of legendary, and it is what ultimately resulted in his Ballon d'Or victory that year. Masopust kept on playing for Czechoslovakia till 1966, earning 63 caps and scoring 10 goals.
He will always be remembered as one of the greatest Czech footballers to have graced the field.
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