Captaining your country at a major tournament is an honour not lost on Tomáš Souček.
From a short chat at Rush Green prior to heading to Germany, it was quickly evident how proud he is to be leading the Czech Republic at UEFA Euro 2024.
His nation is a football-mad one, after all, and Souček’s love for his profession you would say is similar.
“It’s the second Euros of my career, but to go as captain is a special feeling,” he enthused.
“Captaining my nation is perfect, an honour. It is something I dreamed about as a young guy, but now I am here, and I’m ready.”
Coming into this summer, Souček’s aims are clear, then. The Czech Republic aren’t going to Germany to make up the numbers.
Instead, they are a nation more than capable of springing a surprise - or two.
As they did on their run to the UEFA Euro 2020 quarter-finals in 2021, they will go again over the next few weeks. They will attack Group F fixtures against Portugal, Turkey and Georgia, no doubt. Just as those who came before Souček did so.
As the 29-year-old sets his sights on this summer, he talks of past players that inspired him. Pavel Nedvěd, Milan Baroš, Petr Čech and Tomáš Rosický - all footballers he grew up idolising, stood where he stands right now.
Such names inspired a nine-year-old Souček to make it as a footballer. Twenty years ago, he was a fan. Now, he's the skipper.
“We’ll all remember that team,” he reflected, with a boyish smile, on Czech Republic's success at Euro 2004, when they reached the semi-finals in Portugal.
The aim is for a similar return when the Czech Republic start in Leipzig against Portugal on Tuesday 18 June (8pm BST). With the German city not too far from the Czech border, Souček admits it could feel almost like a home tournament for his side.
“We know we are quite a small country, so we might not get a home Euros in Czechia,” he said. “I think in some way this summer it might feel like a ‘home’ one.
“I know we will get a lot of Czech support because it is so close to our country and as much as possible, we can have stadiums full of our fans and we hope to do well for them!”
Progressing out of the group is the first target for Souček and company then, although they have the quality to attack the knockouts should they get there.
The Czech Republic boast a huge amount of quality within their 26-man squad, with Souček's fellow Hammer Vladimír Coufal involved, alongside Bayer Leverkusen trio Patrik Schick, Adam Hložek and Matěj Kovář, and players from UEFA competition regulars Slavia Prague and Sparta Prague.
From watching success in 2004 to leading his side 20 years later, Souček’s goals are clear.
“We want to do well for our country and to show the young people what is possible and what you can achieve,” he added.
“Like I saw 20 years ago, I want to show them that it is possible to go from enjoying football to it being your job and to give the young people of Czechia the motivation to be successful for our country.”
