Ján Popluhár

1954/55 Slovan Bratislava (TCH)

1956/58 Rudá Hvězda Brno (TCH) 22 games, 2 goals

1958/69 Slovan Bratislava (TCH) 262 games, 21 goals

1969/70 Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) 52 games, 1 goal

(French Championship: 46 games, 1 goal)

(French Cup: 6 games)

1970/72 Zbrojovka Brno (TCH) 56 games, 5 goals

1972/74 SK Slovan Vienna (AUT)

1974/79 Wiener SC (AUT) (player-coach)

With the National Team :

62 caps, 1 goal

(Friendly matches: 24 caps, 1 goal)

(World Cup qualifiers: 11 caps)

(World Cup: 9 caps)

(Euro qualifiers: 13 caps)

(Euro: 2 caps)

(International Cup: 3 caps)

1st cap: 11 June 1958 against West Germany (2-2)

Last cap: 22 November 1967 against Ireland (1-2)

B: 3 caps

Juniors: 8 caps, 1 goal

Ján Popluhár

Born on September 12, 1935 in Bernolákovo (TCH)

Died on March 6, 2011 in Bernolákovo (SLQ)

Czechoslovakian, Slovak, Libero, Center-Back, 1m82

Nickname: Bimbo

Ján Popluhár was born on September 12, 1935 in Bernolákovo, Slovakia. He started football quite early, beginning his football career in 1954 at the age of 19 in the club Slovan Bratislava. He joined the youth categories of the Czechoslovak national team. With the juniors, then the Czechoslovak B team.

A central defender whose soul of animation of the game made him one of the first liberos in history. Almost impenetrable, he was endowed with an excellent vision of the game in addition to his defensive qualities. He also had a very good quality of pass and a fairly good speed.

Playing more than 10 years at Slovan Bratislava, he will establish himself as the greatest legend in the history of the club with 1 title of Czechoslovakian champion and 5 times vice-champion. He also won 3 Czechoslovakian Cups and lost 1 final.

Among the best players in the history of his country, he was elected best Czechoslovakian player of the year in 1966, ahead of the 1962 Golden Ball, Josef Masopust who was in great shape. He was then one of the best defenders in the world at his time.

With Czechoslovakia, he notably reached a World Cup final in 1962 as a starter and a 3rd place at Euro 1960, enough to also make the player one of the greatest legends of his nation.

At 33, the libero left his favorite club to join Olympique Lyonnais in the winter of 1968. His choice may be questionable, because Slovan Bratislava would achieve a feat in the Cup Winners' Cup by winning the competition, after a 3-2 victory in the final against FC Barcelona.

At Lyon, he established himself in the squad as the defensive leader despite his age. After a season and a half at the French club, he decided to return to Czechoslovakia at Zbrojovka Brno. He ended his professional career there but continued to play football in Austria, in amateur football at SK Slovan Wien.

His career with Czechoslovakia was of course marked by the 1962 World Cup where he was beaten by Brazil in the final, but the man nicknamed "Bimbo" had also played in the 1958 World Cup where he had an excellent first match with his country against West Germany 2-2.

Popluhár will forever remain among the best players in the history of Eastern Europe, a pillar of the squad of his country and his various clubs, a regular and often decisive player. It must also be revealed that he is one of the few defenders to have never received a red card during his entire career.

- Voted Czechoslovakian Player of the Year in 1966

- Named to World Soccer's Team of the Year in 1964, 1967 and 1968

- Voted Slovakia's Golden Player of the Last 50 Years by UEFA in 2003

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