Czech Republic names 54-man World Cup squad led by Soucek

The Czech Republic named a 54-player preliminary World Cup squad on Tuesday, with West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek as the leader and the group built around long-time national team players. ^{[1, 2]}

Coach Miroslav Koubek, 74, selected a broad pool that also includes Slavia Prague striker Tomas Chory and midfielder David Doudera, even though both received red cards in a weekend derby that was abandoned after fans stormed the pitch. ^{[1, 2]}

Koubek took charge after a qualification loss to the Faroe Islands and then steered the team through the playoffs to its first World Cup appearance since 2006. ^{[1, 2]}

The Czechs will face Kosovo in Prague on May 31 before leaving for a training camp in New Jersey. ^{[1, 2]}

Their World Cup campaign starts against South Korea in Group A on June 12, before matches against Mexico and South Africa. ^{[1, 2]}