Four years is a very long time in football. Tomas Soucek, for instance, was only one year into his West Ham United and Premier League career back in 2021.
From November ’21 to September 2025, the four-time Czech Footballer of the Year has been pretty much the first name on his national side’s team sheet. His name printed in indelible ink.
But, for maybe the first time in half a decade, questions are starting to emerge. Even the most magic of markers lose their potency over time.
After a summer filled with speculation surrounding his future at West Ham United, some are expressing doubts over his role in the Czech Republic set-up too.
Medium, a Czech-based publication, argued after a fairly anonymous performance during Friday’s 2-0 win away at Montenegro that Soucek should lose the captain’s armband he inherited from the iconic Vladimir Darida a staggering 45 caps ago.
National team boss Ivan Hasek seemingly has no plans to make such a bold and contentious decision. But, for only the second time since November 2021, Soucek was missing from the Czech Republic XI during Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia.
A shock omission, maybe, but perhaps a justifiable one too.
West Ham's Tomas Soucek after Georgia v Czechia: Group F - UEFA EURO 2024
Photo by Mateusz Slodkowski/Getty Images
West Ham United’s Tomas Soucek left out of Czech Republic XI
Barring one suspension and a well-earned rest during a 7-1 hammering of Malta, Soucek has featured in 37 of the last 39 games for his country.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
He has played every single minute in 36 of those too, including a World Cup qualification defeat by Sweden in 2022 which was decided in the depths of extra time.
When asked why Soucek had been left out of his XI, Hasek opted to focus instead on the good form of the man who took his place; Michal Beran of Sigma Olomouc.
Hasek also reveals that Soucek’s introduction, with a handful of minutes remaining against a Saudi Arabia outfit who famously beat Argentina at the Qatar World Cup, was partly due to a knock picked up by Beran.
“Beran was fed up, he had a problem with his fitness towards the end,” the coach tells Denik. “He had worked a lot and played a very good match.
“We thought that if the balls were flying into the box, Tomas would help us.”
Just to add to his frustrations, Saudi Arabia would snaffle an equaliser just three minutes after Soucek’s 88th minute arrival onto the scene.
West Ham rejected a bid from David Moyes’ Everton
Czech reporter David Cermak, writing for Idnes, expects Soucek to make an immediate return to the team sheet during the November international break.
While David Moyes’ Everton turned to Merlin Rohl after seeing a £15 million bid for the West Ham veteran rejected, Cermak points out that Hasek does not have the same luxury when it comes to finding a suitable alternative.
“It is hard to expect that Soucek, the leader and main personality of the team, would be missing,” Cermak admits. “After all, for years he has been known to want to be on the pitch at all times and in all circumstances.
“Even when seemingly insignificant friendlies were played with Armenia, the Faroe Islands or Kuwait, he played a full portion of minutes. Soucek hardly ever leaves the pitch in the national team.
“This will probably continue to be the case, because it is hard to find a [unique] player like him. He will appear average in many statistics, but in the really important ones, such as matches won and goals scored, he is among the best in his position.”
Just last week, Soucek confirmed that West Ham had rejected offers for his signature in the summer just gone. While he reportedly has doubts over the 30-year-old’s suitability in a more possession-based system, Graham Potter insists Soucek’s record speaks for itself.