Former Czech Republic striker Milan Baroš is set to host a high-profile farewell match in Ostrava, featuring a sellout crowd of 15 thousand fans after tickets vanished in just 30 hours. More than six years after playing his final professional league fixture, the 44-year-old forward will take the pitch alongside his sons Patrik and Matteo, his brother Simon, and a host of former teammates from Baník Ostrava, and the national team.
The event, designed as a final celebration of a career that brought 41 international goals, emerged from discussions surrounding an upcoming documentary project. Baroš admitted he initially doubted whether supporters would still turn out after more than half a decade away from competitive play.
“Some time has passed, and I figured people might not even come anymore,” Baroš said. “I was very pleased that there will be 15 thousand people there and that it sold out so quickly. I am really looking forward to saying goodbye to the people and thanking them for the support they have given me since I was about seventeen years old.”
Baroš stepped away from professional football following a stint with Vigantice, though he later played recreationally for his local side in Vigantice. His last competitive league match came during the COVID-19 pandemic in front of roughly six thousand spectators against Viktoria Plzeň, a quiet exit that left many supporters wanting a proper send-off.
Logistics and Roster Construction
Planning the exhibition involved reaching out to a generation of football stars. While former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard initially appeared on promotional materials, scheduling conflicts intervened when Liverpool’s veterans booked a match against Everton on the exact same day. Additional targets like Luis García and Harry Kewell proved unreachable due to commitments in Asia.
Despite those absences, the rosters feature roughly 40 notable names, including nearly the entire squad from the Czech Republic’s memorable Euro 2004 campaign. Pavel Nedvěd will miss the event due to national team coaching duties, and Karel Poborský is scheduled to work as a match commentator, but the remaining core will assemble in Ostrava.
The two competing squads feature elite talent from across European football:
- Coached by Verner Lička and Václav Štverka.
- Coached by Petr Rada and Jaroslav Šilhavý.
Medical and musical accompaniment before kickoff will feature prominent Czech folk singer and songwriter Jaromír Nohavica performing his anthem “Ostrava.”
A Unique Family Milestone
For Baroš, the standout feature of the afternoon is the chance to share the pitch with his immediate family. Neither his sons nor his brother have ever played alongside him in a formal setting outside of casual kickabouts in the backyard.
“Four Barošs on the pitch probably haven’t happened yet, maybe only in the garden when we were kicking the ball around,” Baroš said. “I am really looking forward to this moment. It is understandably just an exhibition match, but I am glad that we will meet on that pitch. It will be for the first time and I think also the last.”
To prepare his body for 90 minutes of exhibition football, Baroš overhauled his routine over the preceding month, shedding nine kilograms through a mix of cycling, ice hockey, treadmill work, and competitive padel sessions.
Looking Ahead to New Stadium Chapter
When asked why the farewell did not take place at Bazaly, the historic former home of Baník Ostrava, Baroš joked about the timeline of local stadium construction before expressing enthusiasm for the club’s eventual return to its spiritual home. For now, the focus rests entirely on the sellout crowd and a final wave of applause from the supporters who watched him rise from a teenage prospect in the Moravian-Silesian region to international prominence.
Worth a look
