Jiří Jarošík, born on the 27th of October 1977 in the Czech Republic, earned his reputation in football as a robust central defender. Standing at an intimidating height of 1.96m (6ft 5in) and weighing 89kg (14st), he made his presence known both on and off the pitch.
The defender's football journey began in July 1998 when he joined Sparta Prague in the First League of the Czech Republic. Over time, he became a key player for the team, impressing fans with his skills and work ethic. His contributions to the club in the form of goals in multiple seasons cement his place in club's history.
In January 2003, he inked a deal with CSKA Moscow in Russia's Premier League, marking his first move into international waters. The transfer fee, as per the records, was around £2.6m.
After two successful seasons in Russia, Jarošík swapped the CSKA red-blue for Chelsea blue in the Premier League in England. The move, orchestrated in January 2005, cost the English outfit a cool £4.8m.
In an expected turn of events, Jarošík moved to Birmingham by August 2005, albeit on a loan deal. He featured for the club in the 2005-2006 season, making 24 first team appearances and netting five times.
June 2006 brought fresh pastures for Jarošík as he transferred to scootish giants, Celtic. His journey at Celtic Park cost the Scottish club a fee of around £2m and would prove integral. Within his debut season (2006-2007), he managed to make 25 first team appearances, accompanied by four goals. The following season, although curtailed to only eight first team appearances, did see him net once. His tenure at Celtic, though brief, was impactful, a testament to his abilities.
Jarošík's journey of football continued as he returned to Russia, this time with Krylia Sovetov Samara, in January 2008. His transfer fee is recorded at around £750,000. His time at Real Zaragoza in Spain, Sparta Prague in Czech Republic again and Alaves in Spain rounded off an illustrious career.
