Petr CECH

Petr Cech is without doubt the best goalkeeper which Rennes has had in its squad since 1994. As the first signing of Pierre Dréossi, the Czech was outstanding in the European Under 21 Championships, which his country won, beating France on penalties in 2002. When he started in Rennes, he stood out in Philippe Bergeroo’s squad, who plummeting for the first 10 matches, when they picked up only 5 points. The arrival of Vahid Halilhodzic made the team more resilient, and Cech was often decisive in keeping the score down in tight games. The only real black mark came in the Semi Final of the French Cup against Auxerre, when he let the ball slip, costing his side the chance of extra time when they were hopeful of winning. In the following season, he had opponents pulling their hair own, and delighted his Manager Laszlo Bölöni. On 23rd May 2004, he was substituted three minutes from the end of his last game at the club at the end of the season, and received a deserved standing ovation. Having become first-choice goalkeeper in the Czech senior international side, Cech chose Chelsea – among the numerous options open to him – and signed for them for 13 Million Euros. There, he confirmed his stature as one of the absolute best goalkeepers in the world.