17-year-old prodigy earns spot in 2026 World Cup squad.

The Czech Republic national team has attracted attention by including 17-year-old midfielder Hugo Sochurek in its official 26-player squad for the 2026 World Cup.

The talented player from Sparta Prague received good news just hours after being brought on as a substitute in the 2-1 friendly win against Kosovo in Prague on June 1st ( Hanoi time).

Born on June 7, 2008, Sochurek became the youngest player ever to wear the Czech Republic national team jersey. At the age of 17, the midfielder not only reached a special milestone but also boarded the train to participate in the biggest football event on the planet.

Following the friendly match against Kosovo, coach Miroslav Koubek narrowed down the preliminary squad from 29 to 26 players. Sochurek retained his place, thus completing a rare step forward for a young talent.

Midfielder Hugo Sochurek (left) vies for the ball with Dion Gallapeni of Kosovo during a friendly match on June 1st (Hanoi time).

The three players who were dropped are midfielder Pavel Bucha of FC Cincinnati, forward Christophe Kabongo of Mlada Boleslav, and midfielder Tomas Ladra of Viktoria Plzen.

"Having to drop a player from the squad was the hardest decision and perhaps the worst moment of my coaching career," the 74-year-old coach expressed.

Besides Sochurek, the Czech Republic national team also received positive news from attacking midfielder Adam Hlozek. The Hoffenheim player, who recently returned after a long period of calf and foot injuries, played his first match for the national team since June and immediately scored a goal.

Hlozek currently has 5 goals in 42 appearances for the Czech Republic national team. He will join key players such as Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick, West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek, and Lyon midfielder Pavel Sulc in carrying expectations at the 2026 World Cup.

Notably, coach Koubek still called up striker Tomas Chory and defender David Doudera of Slavia Prague. Both are suspended for the rest of the season by their club for disciplinary reasons and are also on the transfer list.

According to the plan, the Czech Republic team will travel to the US and play their final friendly match against Guatemala in New Jersey on June 4th. During the World Cup, the team will be based in Mansfield, Texas.

This marks the Czech Republic's first appearance at the World Cup since 2006. They will play two of their three group stage matches in Mexico, against South Korea in Guadalajara on June 11th, South Africa in Atlanta, USA on June 18th, and host nation Mexico in Mexico City on June 25th.

Here is the list of 26 Czech Republic players for the 2026 World Cup:

Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Braga), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven), Jindrich Stanek (Slavia Prague).

Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague).

Midfielders: Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochurek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Lyon), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzen).

Forwards: Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague), Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/than-dong-17-tuoi-gianh-suat-du-world-cup-2026-post780005.html