JOSEF AND LUKAS MASOPUST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYGnyJK3nyc 

Josef Masopust is a name that stands out in my football history...don't know why but he rates alongside Ferenc Puskas, di Stefano, Raymond Kopa, Bert Trautmann....some of you may have seen their names before or even play? Probably not!

I hook onto Masopust because there is a Lukas Masopust presently playing for the Czech Republic Euro squad, so why not delve into a piece of history. They are not related.

Josef died on June 29th 2015, in Prague, another reason for educating you and giving you a pub topic, assuming that you aren't locked down! He was born in 1931. Here he is as the Ballon d'Or winner in 1962.

Masopust's first club was lowly ZSJ Uhlomost Most but ZSJ Technomat Teplice (renamed to ZSJ Vodotechna Teplice in 1951) signed him as a 19-year-old left-half and gave him his top-flight debut. Then, in 1952, he joined a Czechoslovak Armed Forces football club under name of ATK Praha (renamed to ÚDA Praha in 1953 and to Dukla Prague in Winter 1956). Masopust won eight league championships and three national cups with Dukla. They also reached the semi-finals of the 1966-7 European Cup losing to the eventual winners of the competition, Celtic!! Belwo on the link you will find out a bit more about Dukla, a team that Spurs played in their 1960s European "pomp".

When he eventually went abroad in 1968, he helped Crossing Molonbeek win promotion to the Belgian first division as player-coach. His coaching career continued at Dukla, however his only Czechoslovak league title as a coach came with Zbrojovka Brno  in the 1977–78 season. Later, between 1984 and 1987, he led the Czech national team overseeing a total of 27 matches. He subsequently had a spell in Indonesia where he coached their national Olympic football team in the 1980s. Overall he made 483 apps in club football with 98 goals between 1950-70 and for his country 1954-66, 63 apps/10 goals; a World Cup runner up 1962. If you want a more historic account have a look at this:

https://gameofthepeople.com/2014/12/31/bohemian-rhapsody-josef-masopust-and-dukla/

Rather less well known is Lukas Masopust, who is a midfielder for Slavia Prague and who has played for the Czech Rep, since 2012, 24 times scoring against Montenegro and Albania! Who hasn't? 

I never knew this, but "Masopust" means Carnival and it's a celebration in Czech to mark the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring-people dress up. 

The Czech squad includes Coufal  and Soucek (West Ham),  Vydra (Burnley) and Kalas (Bristol City): 15 of their 26 strong squad are playing abroad.