Baroš bids farewell to football: a sold-out stadium in Ostrava

In Ostrava, 44-year-old Milan Baroš played his last match in a football shirt — a farewell exhibition game at a packed City Stadium in Ostrava-Vítkovice. The Champions League winner with Liverpool, Euro 2004 top scorer and the Czech national team's second-highest goalscorer of all time played the first half for his boyhood club Baník, and the second for a team of former internationals.

Friends and coaches from his whole career

For his farewell in Ostrava, Baroš invited former club and national-team teammates as well as the coaches who shaped him as a footballer — among them Petr Rada and Jaroslav Šilhavý. At Baník, he was coached at various points by Václav Štverka and Werner Lička.

"There are countless memories of him, and a lot of people are surprised how quiet Milan actually was. He might say something on a Wednesday, something else in March, and something else again in November," Lička recalled with a smile. He said that at first, the future star wasn't obvious in the young forward: "Today he's a legend, but at the start, I have to admit, we didn't see that huge talent in him. But he developed very quickly, he never got tired, he never got angry — it was a pleasure to work with him."

From Viganice to Champions League glory

Word of the talented player from the village of Viganice reached Liverpool, which signed the 19-year-old Baroš in 2001. At the English club he met national-team partner Vladimír Šmicer, and together they won the Champions League in 2005.

"He was a great teammate, always giving a hundred percent on the pitch. He loved the team, loved the dressing room and wanted the group to stick together off the pitch too," Šmicer recalled of their years together at club and country. He said Baroš had a hard time at Liverpool at first: "It was a huge jump for him, he needed time to adjust, he didn't know the language, but he managed, started scoring goals, and the high point was winning the Champions League final."

Šmicer also said Baroš had always supported Baník, including financially, and now comes to matches as a fan sitting in the stands. "Not everyone in Czechia manages to sell out a whole stadium for their farewell," he noted. Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek also recalled the legendary turnaround in the 2005 Champions League final, when Liverpool came back from 0-3 down against Italy's Milan: "That whole season he was a very important player for Liverpool. And that's why we're here today — for him, a legend of football."

A sold-out crowd and goals from the whole Baroš family

The atmosphere in the stands was electric from the very start — the crowd gave a warm welcome not only to Baroš but also to Jan Koller, Tomáš Rosický and goalkeeper Petr Čech, who all took to the pitch. Čech, a product of the Blšany academy, mostly crossed paths with Baroš as a rival at different clubs, but shared a dressing room with him on the national team: "A great teammate and team player. He'd do anything for the team. He loves football, and whenever he steps onto the pitch he always gives everything he's got."

The Czech national team's all-time top scorer Jan Koller, who played alongside Baroš up front for the national side many times, added: "We clicked not just on the pitch but as people too. It's no coincidence that we're the national team's top two scorers." The veterans won the friendly match 11-9, with the Baroš family accounting for seven of the goals: Milan himself scored four, his brother Šimon two, and his son Patrik one.

A last farewell to football

Shortly before the final whistle, former teammates and coaches formed a guard of honour, and Milan Baroš walked off for his final substitution. More than six years after ending his professional career, he had now officially said goodbye to football.

"We enjoyed this together, but everything comes to an end eventually. Today was the last time, but I'll keep coming to watch and cheer with you. Baník will always stay in my heart, I'll always support it," Baroš told the stands before leaving the pitch. "A huge thank you to everyone who came and created this wonderful atmosphere," he added.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz