# Vladimír Šmicer
**Vladimír Šmicer** (born 1973 in Děčín, Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic) is a Czech former footballer, an attacking midfielder who played on either wing or in a central creative role, best known for winning the 2005 [UEFA Champions League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-champions-league) with Liverpool FC and for scoring Liverpool's second goal in that final.[1](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/vladimir-smicer) • [2](https://en.slavia.cz/clanek.asp?id=Smicer-celebrates-his-45th-birthday-244)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973, Děčín, Czech Republic[2](https://en.slavia.cz/clanek.asp?id=Smicer-celebrates-his-45th-birthday-244) |
| Position | Attacking midfielder, capable on either wing or centrally[1](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/vladimir-smicer) |
| Clubs | Slavia Praha (1987–1996), RC Lens (1996–1999), Liverpool FC (1999–2005), Girondins Bordeaux (2005–2007), Slavia Praha (2007–2009)[3](https://www.slavia.cz/article/3683-Vladimir-Smicer-pro-wwwslaviacz) |
| Czech league record | 105 matches, 31 goals, all for Slavia; three league titles[4](https://statistiky1ligy.fotbal.cz/hrac/vladimir-smicer/488) |
| Liverpool record | 184 appearances, 19 goals; Champions League (2005), FA Cup (2001), UEFA Cup (2001), League Cup (2001, 2003)[1](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/vladimir-smicer) |
| International record | 81 caps, 27 goals for the Czech Republic; Euro 1996, Euro 2000, Euro 2004[5](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/tsje-recintlp.html) • [6](https://www.csfotbal.cz/reprezentace/hrac/vladimir-smicer/488) |
| Defining moment | Came on as a substitute in the 2005 Champions League final, scored Liverpool's second goal and converted in the shootout[7](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0254-0d7ba0b95078-77311aab3321-1000--smicer-recalls-milan-turnaround/) |
## Early career and Slavia
Šmicer's youth career ran through TJ Verneřice (1979–1985) and Kovostroj Děčín (1985–1987) before he joined Slavia Praha in 1987.[3](https://www.slavia.cz/article/3683-Vladimir-Smicer-pro-wwwslaviacz) He debuted in the Czechoslovak and then Czech top division in the 1992/93 season, aged 19 years and 146 days, and spent his entire domestic top-flight career at Slavia: 105 league matches, 31 goals, and three league titles with the club.[4](https://statistiky1ligy.fotbal.cz/hrac/vladimir-smicer/488) His 1996 Slavia side also reached the UEFA Cup semifinal, and he was a member of the squad that won the 1996 Czech championship.[3](https://www.slavia.cz/article/3683-Vladimir-Smicer-pro-wwwslaviacz)
## Lens and Liverpool
In 1996 Šmicer moved to Racing Lens in France, where he won the French championship in 1998 and the French League Cup in 1999.[3](https://www.slavia.cz/article/3683-Vladimir-Smicer-pro-wwwslaviacz) In the summer of 1999, manager [Gérard Houllier](https://www.edgepedia.org/gerard-houllier) recruited him for Liverpool, partly to fill the void left by [Steve McManaman](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-mcmanaman)'s exit.[1](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/vladimir-smicer)
His six years at Anfield were marked by injuries and irregular selection, but the 2000–01 treble season was his most productive: he contributed seven goals and started both the League Cup and [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup) finals, collecting winners' medals in the FA Cup, UEFA Cup, and League Cup that season, and adding a second League Cup medal in 2003.[1](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/vladimir-smicer) Across all competitions he made 184 appearances and scored 19 goals for Liverpool.[1](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/vladimir-smicer) A memorable club highlight was his winning volley against Chelsea in March 2002.[1](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/vladimir-smicer)
## The 2005 Champions League final
The 2005 final against [AC Milan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ac-milan) in Istanbul was Šmicer's last match for Liverpool, and he knew it beforehand.[7](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0254-0d7ba0b95078-77311aab3321-1000--smicer-recalls-milan-turnaround/) Trailing 3–0 at half-time, Liverpool brought him on early in the second half after [Harry Kewell](https://www.edgepedia.org/harry-kewell) limped off injured after 23 minutes. Šmicer struck Liverpool's second goal on 56 minutes to make the score 3–2, and then converted his penalty in the shootout, which Liverpool won.[7](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0254-0d7ba0b95078-77311aab3321-1000--smicer-recalls-milan-turnaround/) • [8](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0226-0e9245bd596f-d9097db924c8-1000--my-magic-moment-smicer-s-2005-final-finish/) He later told UEFA.com that although he had scored nicer goals, this was "definitely the most important goal of my career... because without it I wouldn't have won the Champions League."
## Later career and retirement
After leaving Liverpool in the summer of 2005, Šmicer joined [Girondins](https://www.edgepedia.org/girondins) de Bordeaux in France, where injuries again limited him, before returning to Slavia Praha in 2007.[7](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0254-0d7ba0b95078-77311aab3321-1000--smicer-recalls-milan-turnaround/) • [9](https://lfchistory.net/players/412) In November 2009 he announced his retirement as a player at age 36 and became assistant to the Czech Republic's head coach, Michal Bílek.[9](https://lfchistory.net/players/412) He made his official farewell in May 2010 in a beneficiary match between Slavia and Sparta legends.[2](https://en.slavia.cz/clanek.asp?id=Smicer-celebrates-his-45th-birthday-244)
## International career
Šmicer won 81 caps and scored 27 goals for the Czech Republic between 1993 and 2005, placing him among the country's leading scorers.[5](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/tsje-recintlp.html) His last international match came in November 2005.[7](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0254-0d7ba0b95078-77311aab3321-1000--smicer-recalls-milan-turnaround/)
## Legacy
Šmicer is remembered in Czech football as a Champions League winner with Liverpool and a long-time Slavia figure, and he has remained connected to the game after retirement, including work as a tournament patron and ambassador.[10](https://www.allstarscup.cz/assets/2023/media/guide.pdf) Sources differ slightly on his international totals: Slavia's own profile lists 74 caps and 26 goals, while the Czech football statistics site csfotbal and the RSSSF record both list 81 caps and 27 goals.[3](https://www.slavia.cz/article/3683-Vladimir-Smicer-pro-wwwslaviacz) • [6](https://www.csfotbal.cz/reprezentace/hrac/vladimir-smicer/488) • [5](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/tsje-recintlp.html)
## References
1. [Past players: Vladimir Smicer, Liverpool FC](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/info/vladimir-smicer)
2. [Šmicer celebrates his 45th birthday, SK Slavia Praha](https://en.slavia.cz/clanek.asp?id=Smicer-celebrates-his-45th-birthday-244)
3. [Vladimír Šmicer pro www.slavia.cz, SK Slavia Praha](https://www.slavia.cz/article/3683-Vladimir-Smicer-pro-wwwslaviacz)
4. [Vladimír Šmicer, 1. fotbalová liga v číslech](https://statistiky1ligy.fotbal.cz/hrac/vladimir-smicer/488)
5. [Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic/Czechia – Record International Players, RSSSF](https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/tsje-recintlp.html)
6. [Vladimír Šmicer – reprezentační statistiky, CSFOTBAL](https://www.csfotbal.cz/reprezentace/hrac/vladimir-smicer/488)
7. [Šmicer recalls Milan turnaround, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0254-0d7ba0b95078-77311aab3321-1000--smicer-recalls-milan-turnaround/)
8. [My Magic Moment: Šmicer's 2005 final finish, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/0226-0e9245bd596f-d9097db924c8-1000--my-magic-moment-smicer-s-2005-final-finish/)
9. [Vladimir Smicer, LFChistory.net](https://lfchistory.net/players/412)
10. [All Stars Cup media guide](https://www.allstarscup.cz/assets/2023/media/guide.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license