“I’m so, so sorry,” says Ladislav Krejci, who has rocked up a whole two minutes late for his interview with FIFA.
After being assured he has not caused any inconvenience, Krejci shakes his head. “No, no for me in my life this in not good. I’m hard on the others, so I’m also hard on myself. It’s not good when I’m late.”
The exchange offers a snapshot of Krejci’s non-negotiable professional standards – and why he was given the captaincy of Czechia’s national team.
The 27-year-old defender is weeks away from leading out his country at the FIFA World Cup™, with Czechia primed to return to the biggest stage for the first time since 2006.
Krejci’s heroic efforts in the European play-offs helped them qualify in thrilling and dramatic fashion. His leadership qualities came to the fore in Czechia’s semi-final against the Republic of Ireland, when his team hit back from 2-0 down to draw level before triumphing on penalties.
Centre-back Krejci headed a late equaliser and was also on target in the shootout. On how the Czechs recovered from such a precarious position, Krejci says: “We came into the game with a new coach, with a new strategy, and after about 15 minutes we were 2-0 down at home. You feel… I want to say it in a good way, but you feel bad!
“At that point, you just want to motivate and show that we’re still fighting for something. The game can change in one moment. You can say whatever you want, but the head must think, ‘Okay, we will do it.’ I will say this: the belief was the one thing that got us through these games. I think our strongest thing is this mentality. As a region, as a country, we have something inside us that I believe goes back many years, many decades – that we will be together and fight until the end.”
Krejci again showcased his goalscoring prowess in a rollercoaster play-off final against Denmark, rifling home in extra time as the match finished in another 2-2 draw. In the ensuing shootout, his attempt was saved but still Czechia prevailed, sparking emotional scenes as a jubilant, and tearful, Krejci celebrated with his equally ecstatic team-mates.
“The feeling was amazing [after the game],” he says. “You know that everybody inside the team has their own stories. You know what guys have had on their shoulders throughout their careers… And to work so hard and have that pay-off, you know? The World Cup is the biggest dream. It was incredible.”
Krejci will be heading to the World Cup on the back of a challenging season with Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he has spent the campaign on loan from Spanish side Girona. The defender has impressively adapted to Premier League football and produced several accomplished performances, but the club were unable to avoid relegation to the second tier.
“It’s just hard to speak about it all, because I hate losing,” says the former Sparta Prague player. “That is not what me or others here wanted. But, in general, this year in Wolves has given me a lot. It has showed me a lot. I am grateful for this so much, because I have played at the highest level and seen how it works.
“Also, you look at the fanbase, and the community at Wolves is huge. You see everybody is together and you feel they want to help each other. You see how the club supports this and the structure around it. Also, how the supporters were with us until the end. It’s something which inspired me.”
In the midst of such a difficult season, there have been some notable high points. Wolves recorded a stunning last-minute win over Liverpool and mounted an unlikely comeback from 2-0 behind against title-chasing Arsenal to clinch a draw. Krejci also netted a superb header to earn his team a point against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
An authoritative, composed defender, Krejci’s knack for scoring vital goals is an invaluable asset for club and country.
“It is part of my game which has changed,” he explains. “My first goal for Sparta was after about 50 games. From that moment, I changed my mindset, worked on some things, and I started scoring goals. It’s something that you can have in yourself, but you have to also work on it.
“Something I enjoy in football in scoring in the hard times, when you really need to. When it’s raw, you know?”
Those “raw” emotions are sure to surface during the World Cup, where Czechia will do battle with Korea Republic, South Africa and co-hosts Mexico in Group A.
The global extravaganza kicks off on 11 June and Krejci will be in action on the opening day when his team take on Korea at Estadio Guadalajara. For the Czech captain, there will be a familiar face in the opposition camp, with Wolves team-mate Hwang Heechan an established member of the Taegeuk Warriors squad.
“We’ve spoken about it a lot! He is an amazing guy. Before the play-offs I spoke a lot with Matt Doherty [the Wolves and Ireland defender]. We knocked him out and I said to Heechan, ‘Now for you it will be the same!’
“It’s very exciting for me that our group has teams from four continents. It will be very, very interesting in these games to compare cultures. I’m also looking forward to the atmosphere at the stadiums, as well as the organisation and everything. It’s the biggest tournament in football and my expectations are very high.”
On what gives him confidence Czechia can have a successful World Cup, Krejci concludes: “I think it’s the spirit we showed in the play-offs. That heart, that passion and that mentality is the base for us. In this moment, we understand what our style is and what we have to work with.”
For Ladislav Krejci, the time is now.
