Antonin Panenka barely flinches. It’s 20 minutes into the final day of the regular season in the Czech First League and his team, Bohemians 1905, are awarded a penalty. The urge to deploy a jovial elbow to the 74-year-old, whose name is more associated with penalties than any other footballer in history, is irresistible.
“Believe it or not, the Panenka penalty isn’t very popular in the Czech First League,” he explains to World Soccer, as the awarded spotkick is successfully dispatched into the bottom-left corner of the goal to put the hosts 2-0 in front. “I don’t believe I have ever seen one here. It’s never something that you should just do. If you don’t have it, don’t try it.”
Despite a language barrier, Panenka’s spirit and affable nature are translated through his beaming smile, sitting under his trademark moustache. It’s a special day for Bohemians and he is in the party spirit. Panenka is an honorary ambassador of the side where he enjoyed the majority of his playing career between 1967-81. After fighting relegation for the nine years since their most recent promotion, the 2022-23 season is one of celebration.
“Finishing fourth in the regular season is a huge achievement for us,” he adds, with help from his interpreter and friend Petr Nosalek. Bohemians had just beaten Jablonec 4-1 on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Prague to cement their spot in the Championship Group play-off finale.
“It’s been an enjoyable season. In Czech we translate Alice in Wonderland to Alenka v Risi Divu, so I call this season Pan-enka in Wonderland.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 2023 من World Soccer.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 2023 من World Soccer.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer
The well-travelled Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer after taking charge of the Philippines-his 11th international coaching role
Inter cruise to title number 20
Simone Inzaghi's Internazionale shrug off all challengers before sealing the Serie A title in style against their biggest rivals
HAT-TRICK HERO
Ademola Lookman wrote his name into European football's history books with a hat-trick in the Europa League final
GOING UP
The story of Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres' career has been one of upward trajectory - and there's plenty more to come from the Sporting superstar
Palau soldier on alone
The isolated Pacific nation faces a long and lonely battle to improve football on the island
Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six
As the Copa Libertadores group stage concludes, a sixth consecutive Brazilian winner is looking likely
AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown
The first edition of the Saudi Pro League's glamorous new era ends with a familiar title winner
Disasters brewing
There is still a long way to go in World Cup qualifying, but dysfunction reigns at Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria after four matchdays in the group stage
Second round of World Cup qualifying underway
Favourites perform largely as expected, yet Cayman Islands dominate the headlines
