Vlastimil Kopecký

Vlastimil Kopecký
Personal information
Date of birth	14 October 1912
Place of birth	Austrian-Hungarian Empire
Date of death	30 July 1967 (aged 54)
Place of death	Hlinsko, Czechoslovakia
Height	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team
1927–1932	Rapid Vinohrady
1932–1951	Slavia Prague
Total
International career
1932–1948	Czechoslovakia
1939	Bohemia
Managerial career
1959	Slavia Prague
Medal record
Representing Czechoslovakia
Men's Football
FIFA World Cup
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Vlastimil Kopecký (14 October 1912 – 30 July 1967) was a

football player. He played 26 games for Czechoslovakia, scoring eight goals. He was a participant in the 1934 and 1938 FIFA World Cups

.

Club career

There were rumours, that Kopecky was to transfer to

Sparta Prague from Rapid Vinohrady in early November 1931. However in mid-November, Rapid announced that he was not to do so. Playing for Slavia Prague, he scored 252 league goals in 325 matches (1932-1950). He twice scored five goals in a single match for Slavia.^[2] He is the second highest Czech league goalscorer in history, only Josef Bican

has scored more goals in the Czech league.

He suffered a heart attack on the pitch in a friendly match against SK Hlinsko Old Boys. Slavia Prague Old Boys won 4-2, but in the midst of the game, Kopecký collapsed to the floor and František Plánička tried to revive him. Kopecký was already gone, a second attempt to revive him at a polyclinic in Hlinsko, but again it was too late.^[3]^[4]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season, and competition. Official games are included in this table.^[5]^[6]
Club	Season	Czech First League		Czech Cup^[a]		Mitropa Cup		Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Rapid Vinohrady	1930/1931	5	8	0	0	0	0	5	8
Rapid Vinohrady	1931/1932	0	0	1	3	0	0	1	3
Slavia Prague	1931–32	5	5	2+	3+	4	3	6+	6+
	1932–33	18	10	2+	1+	2	2	21+	13+
	1933–34	15	16	0	0	1	0	16	16
	1934–35	16	11	2+	4+	5	3	23+	18+
	1935–36	25	16	3+	1+	4	1	32+	18+
	1936–37	21	28	1+	0+	2	0	24+	28+
	1937–38	18	9	0	0	8	1	26	10
	1938–39	21	20	0	0	2	0	23	24
	1939–40	22	25	1+	1+	0	0	23+	26+
	1940–41	20	21	8+	14+	0	0	28+	35+
	1941–42	21	18	6+	10+	0	0	28+	28+
	1942–43	14	13	4+	4+	0	0	18+	17+
	1943–44	24	20	0	0	0	0	24	20
	1944–45	0	0	7	2	0	0	7	2
	1945–46	16	10	3+	0+	0	0	19+	10+
	1946–47	13	6	0	0	0	0	13	6
	1947–48	9	2	1+	1+	0	0	9	2
	1948	11	5	0	0	0	0	11	5
	1949	21	5	0	0	0	0	21	5
	1950	12	5	0	0	0	0	19	5
	Total	327	263	41+	41+	28	10	396+	314+

Style of play

Josef Bican commented on his and Vlastimil's relationship on the field; "We understood each other perfectly: we were, as it were, connected mentally. Whenever Vlasta had the ball at his feet, I felt what he was going to do with it, and he felt the same when I had the ball. It was simple and logical. I knew that he would handle the ball in the way that was most beneficial for the team at that moment, and I arranged accordingly. He was the best technician I ever met. We passed without even looking.^[7]