Petr Cech’s trophy-strewn career the result of enduring excellence

It feels appropriate to start with that night at the Allianz Arena almost seven years ago when, one by one, players of considerable reputation in Bayern Munich’s ranks withered in Petr Cech’s presence. Six different opponents strode up to take a penalty and, on each occasion, the Chelsea goalkeeper dived the right way. The three saves he conjured would effectively secure his club’s first European Cup.

Cech, like his victorious teammates, did not sleep much after that giddy triumph in Bavaria with the celebrations rightly raucous and prolonged. But, on the morning after the night before, he offered an insight into the scale of the planning which had made that success possible. In his possession, as he sat in a small meeting room at the team hotel, was a two-hour DVD detailing every penalty Bayern had been awarded over the previous five years. He and his confidante, the goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon, had studied each in meticulous detail, learning the takers’ habits and routines. He knew what was coming.

Only Arjen Robben, a former teammate whose penalty technique showed “no pattern whatsoever”, had unnerved him after grabbing the ball in extra-time following Didier Drogba’s trip on Franck Ribéry. But, even then, common sense kicked in. “When you’re tired having played 105 minutes, players choose power rather than technique, rather than placing it,” Cech said. “I thought he’d smash it somewhere near the corner and he’s left-footed. If I’m left-footed, I’d go across goal [to the right], which is why I went that way.” The attempt was pushed aside and parity preserved, with Cech going on to turn away Ivica Olic’s shot and flick Bastian Schweinsteiger’s attempt against the post in the shootout.

Of all his performances over a glittering 20-year professional career, which he has announced will conclude at the end of the current campaign, that Champions League success in Munich was surely his finest. His efforts that night summed Cech up: a display of nerve and character, strength and concentration, all evidence he was one of the best goalkeepers in world football. The Czech Republic’s most-capped player with 124 appearances, who had signed for Chelsea from Rennes in 2004 in preparation for José Mourinho’s arrival, invariably oozed calm authority but allied it with presence, quality, anticipation and excellent technique. In his pomp, he was utterly reliable. No one comes close to matching the 202 clean sheets he has kept in the Premier League, a tally almost a full season – 33 games – higher than his nearest challenger.

There were 13 major honours over his 11-year stint at Stamford Bridge – a haul which included “every single trophy possible”, as he acknowledged in his statement confirming retirement plans – where he was among a core of senior players alongside John Terry, Frank Lampard and Drogba who, regardless of the identity of the manager, drove that team to silverware.

It is testimony to his strength of character that he achieved so much of his success after suffering such a dreadful skull fracture in collision with Reading’s Stephen Hunt back in October 2006. The injuries he sustained that day were life-threatening, and yet he was back playing again after three months. The protective skullcap he still wears in matches has almost become a badge of honour, a reminder of his bravery but, also, underlying good sense.

Cech’s time at Chelsea had ended in 2015, when Thibaut Courtois established himself as first choice in his stead, after 228 clean sheets in 494 games and with Roman Abramovich personally sanctioning his departure to an immediate rival out of respect for his contribution.

His time at Arsenal has yielded an FA Cup and a further 40 league shutouts, his standards still high behind a far less secure backline, though since October his appearances have come only in cups as Bernd Leno has established himself as the preferred option. Cech told the club and his teammates of his decision on Tuesday morning.

Arsenal praised an “exemplary professional on and off the pitch” and “fantastic ambassador”. Those at Chelsea will recognise the contribution he made to foundation events. He still runs the summer soccer schools which attract children from around the world to Sparta Prague’s academy complex.

Throw in his appearances drumming for the indie-rock band, Eddie Stoilow, and it is easy to see why Cech has endeared himself to all over the years. “I feel like I have achieved everything I set out to achieve,” he concluded in his statement on Twitter. “I will continue to work hard at Arsenal to hopefully win one more trophy this season, then I am looking forward to seeing what life holds for me off the pitch.” He will be missed.