{"id":667,"date":"2026-05-21T05:44:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T12:44:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/71108321a30a5ffc79ce56bcddebb184"},"modified":"2026-05-22T16:43:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T16:43:40","slug":"midfielder-hlozek-returns-from-injury-in-czech-republics-preliminary-world-cup-squad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newshouse.info\/?p=667","title":{"rendered":"Midfielder Hlo\u017eek returns from injury in Czech Republic\u2019s preliminary World Cup squad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PRAGUE (AP) \u2014 Attacking midfielder Adam Hlo\u017eek<\/a><\/span> of Hoffenheim has recovered from a long-term injury to be included in the preliminary Czech Republic squad for the World Cup on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Hlo\u017eek missed most of the season due to calf and foot injuries but has been fit, said coach Miroslav Koubek<\/a><\/span>, who wants to test him in warmup games.<\/p>\n

Hlo\u017eek last played for the national team last June in World Cup qualifying. The 23-year-old has played 41 international games, scoring four times.<\/p>\n

Koubek named three newcomers in the 29-man squad, including 17-year-old Sparta Prague midfielder Huga Soch\u016frek, Viktoria Plze\u0148 midfielder Alexandr Sojka and Mlad\u00e1 Boleslav forward Christophe Kabongo.<\/p>\n

Koubek said they will at least get a chance in the warmup against Kosovo on May 31 in Prague. Immediately after that game, the coach will cut the squad to 26 players and the team will leave for the United States to play one more warmup against Guatemala in New Jersey on June 4.<\/p>\n

Three other players who were part of the team during the playoffs against Ireland and Denmark have yet to play for the team, including Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha.<\/p>\n

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The team mainstays included Lyon midfielder Pavel \u0160ulc<\/a><\/span>, Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick<\/a><\/span> and West Ham midfield Tom\u00e1\u0161 Sou\u010dek.<\/p>\n

Koubek also included two Slavia Prague players \u2014 forward Tom\u00e1\u0161 Chor\u00fd and defender David Doud\u011bra \u2014 who were suspended for disciplinary reasons<\/a><\/span> by the club for the rest of the season and transfer-listed.<\/p>\n

During the World Cup, the Czechs will be based in Mansfield near Dallas.<\/p>\n

They will open the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada against South Korea on June 12 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Their other Group A opponents were South Africa in Atlanta on June 18 and Mexico in Mexico City on June 25.<\/p>\n

The Czechs qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2006.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Czech Republic:<\/p>\n

Goalkeepers: Luk\u00e1\u0161 Horn\u00ed\u010dek (Braga), Mat\u011bj Kov\u00e1\u0159 (PSV Eindhoven), Jind\u0159ich Stan\u011bk (Slavia Prague)<\/p>\n

Defenders: Vladim\u00edr Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Doud\u011bra (Slavia Prague), Tom\u00e1\u0161 Hole\u0161 (Slavia Prague), Robin Hran\u00e1\u010d (Hoffenheim), \u0160t\u011bp\u00e1n Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), David Jur\u00e1sek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krej\u010d\u00ed (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zelen\u00fd (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague)<\/p>\n

Midfielders: Pavel Bucha (Cincinnati), Luk\u00e1\u0161 \u010cerv (Viktoria Plze\u0148), Vladim\u00edr Darida (Hradec Kr\u00e1lov\u00e9), Tom\u00e1\u0161 Ladra (Viktoria Plze\u0148), Luk\u00e1\u0161 Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sad\u00edlek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Soch\u016frek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plze\u0148), Tom\u00e1\u0161 Sou\u010dek (West Ham), Pavel \u0160ulc (Lyon), Denis Vi\u0161insk\u00fd (Viktoria Plze\u0148).<\/p>\n

Forwards: Tom\u00e1\u0161 Chor\u00fd (Slavia Prague), Adam Hlo\u017eek (Hoffenheim), Mojm\u00edr Chytil (Slavia Prague), Christophe Kabongo (Mlad\u00e1 Boleslav), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP World Cup: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/fifa-world-cup<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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