Pavel Nedved (Czech pronunciation: ['pavel 'nedvjet] ( listen); born 30 August 1972) is a Czech retired footballer who played as a midfielder. Described as one of the best footballers of his generation, he is also regarded as one of the most successful players to emerge from the Czech Republic, winning domestic and European accolades with Italian clubs Lazio, including the last Cup Winners' Cup, and Juventus, whom he led to the 2003 UEFA Champions League Final. Nedved was a key member of the Czech team which reached the final of Euro 1996, during which he attracted international attention. He also captained the national team at UEFA Euro 2004, where they were defeated in the semi-final by eventual champions Greece, and Nedved was named as part of the Team of the Tournament.

Nedved made his league debut for Lazio on 7 September 1996 in a 1-0 away defeat against Bologna. He scored his first league goal for the club against Cagliari on 20 October 1996, finishing the 1996-97 season with seven goals. He became an integral part of the side, scoring four goals in three matches early in the 1997-98 season. The club had a 24-match unbeaten streak from November 1997 to April 1998, ending with a league match against Juventus in which Nedved was sent off. That season, Lazio won the 1997-98 Coppa Italia and reached the final of the 1997-98 UEFA Cup. Nedved and Lazio began the 1998-99 season with a victory in the Supercoppa Italiana, Nedved scoring as the club defeated Juventus 2-1. He played a role in Lazio's road to the last-ever Cup Winners' Cup, scoring against Lausanne in the first round and in both legs of Lazio's 7-0 aggregate quarter-final victory over Panionios. In the 1999 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final, Nedved scored the decisive goal against Mallorca for Lazio's 2-1 win. This proved to be the last goal of the tournament, which was later discontinued.  Nedved was one of the ten highest-paid footballers in the Italian league in 1999. He played in the 1999 UEFA Super Cup against Manchester United at the beginning of the season, where Lazio won the match by a single goal. The club went on to win the Serie A title and Coppa Italia, completing a domestic double in 2000 with Nedved's help. In 2000, he won the Supercoppa Italiana with Lazio for a second time. With Sinisa Mihajlovic, Nedved was one of two Lazio players sent off in the quarter-final of the 2000 Coppa Italia held in December, where the defending champions lost 5-3 on aggregate to Udinese.  Nedved played UEFA Champions League football with Lazio, scoring against Real Madrid in a 2-2 draw in the second group stage before the Italian side was eliminated. In Lazio's final Champions League match of the season, Nedved was criticised by Leeds United manager David O'Leary for a challenge on Alan Maybury (although the referee did not call a foul), and he received a three-match suspension from European competitions from UEFA.  Despite Nedved's signing a new four-year contract with Lazio in April 2001, the club tried to sell him and teammate Juan Sebastian Veron that summer, triggering fan protests against club chairman Sergio Cragnotti. The players were ultimately sold to Juventus and Manchester United respectively.

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