[West Ham](https://www.claretandhugh.info/hands-off-soucek-as-galatasaray-circle/) fans may have almost forgotten that there is the small matter of a World Cup final following on the climax to the domestic season.
In just about ten weeks time the tournament opens but with the _‘club before country_‘ ethos running deep in east London, the Premier League run in, especially in view of West Ham’s current precarious position, is front and centre of most fans’ minds.
However the last round of qualification games took place last night with an intriguing **“Tomas Soucek** vs **Mads Hermansen”** Czechia vs Denmark shootout for a World Cup final place: Soucek’s side ran out winners following a 2-2 draw and penalties. The Danes contrived to miss three penalties whilst Soucek – of course – stepped up to score his own spot kick past his West Ham team mate.
Soucek – World Cup bound this summer
Hermansen managed one save but the Danes floundered, missing three kicks to send Czechia through.
This sets up a last hurrah on the worlds biggest stage for Soucek, now 31. Having been stripped of the captaincy and even removed from then starting line up for his national side ahead of the semi final, Soucek famously showed his humility by declaring _“It was not about me, but about the team,_” he said. _“They can take my armband, but they can’t take my heart”_ after stepping up from the bench to score in his side’s semi final shootout win against the Republic of Ireland.
Like many coaches before him, Czechia’s national boss Miroslav Koubek realised the error of his ways in benching the veteran, and recalled Soucek for last night’s final.
Defying the odds again by coming back after being discarded and when many had written him off, the midfielder played the whole 120 minutes before slotting home the second penalty as his team mates watched on from the half way line.
It’ll be a fitting career highlight for Tornado Tom: Hoping sincerely that his World Cup swan song follows on West Ham’s great escape 2.0: Now that’d be a summer to look back on.