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Czech Republic and Wolves defender Ladislav Krejci has admitted that he is raring to go after a ‘tough but great’ battle with England captain Harry Kane, stressing that testing himself against the best provides his biggest motivation.
England played the Czech Republic at the Fortuna Arena on Tuesday night and came away with a 2-0 victory after the hosts were reduced to ten men in the first half.
The Three Lions dominated possession with 66 per cent and registered 22 total shots, compared with the Czech side’s six.
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Krejci, who captains the side, has now seen his men drop to the bottom of their Nations League group table following their second defeat, after also losing to Croatia at the weekend.
Nevertheless, the centre-back took positives from the outing, describing his battles with Kane as tough but enjoyable and highlighting the challenge of coming up against one of the best as a key motivation for him.
He explained that testing himself against the best is precisely the kind of competition that motivates him to play football and gives him the most satisfaction.
When asked what the battles with Kane were like, Krejci said via Czech outlet iDNES:“Tough, but great.
| Manager | Time at Club |
|---|---|
| Cesar Peixoto | June 2026 – present |
| Rob Edwards | November 2025 – June 2026 |
| Vitor Pereira | December 2024 – November 2025 |
| Gary O'Neil | August 2023 – December 2024 |
| Julen Lopetegui | November 2022 – August 2023 |
“That’s exactly why I play football, that’s what motivates me.”
“I want to test myself against the best, because that’s what gives me the most.”
Krejci has earned the backing of his national team coach Santi Denia, who has hailed him as a brilliant captain and a perfect role model for future generations.
The defender joined Wolves on loan last summer before making the move permanent this summer, featuring in four Championship games so far and scoring once.
The Midlands side sit fourth after a stellar start to the season, with Krejci also admitting that he is feeling good after recovering from the overload caused by the World Cup schedule.
However, before turning his attention back to the Old Gold, the 27-year-old will be focused on the Czech Republic’s next two fixtures, with Spain first up before they face England on 6th October as they look to climb off the bottom.
