Cech has come back from a life threatening injury - just a shame his cock-up against Turkey put the Czechs out of Euro 2008
Widely regarded as one of the top three keepers in the world (alongside Gianlugi Buffon and Iker Casillas), Cech’s sharp reflexes, big-game mentality and sheer presence have made him one of Chelsea’s most important players since he signed from French outfit Rennes in 2004.
A year after joining, the Chelsea No.1 set a Premier League record when he went an incredible 1,025 minutes without conceding a goal, amassing 25 clean sheets in the process – another Premier League record. His importance was underlined when, with Cech sidelined with a fractured skull, Chelsea let Manchester United get away from them in the 2006/2007 Premier League title race.
When Cech returned in January, then-Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho declared that it was “like signing a new £50m player” and, sure enough, he was soon racking up eight successive clean sheets and another 810 minutes without conceding a goal.
Not quite as solid during 2007/08, he remains a formidable presence.