Josef MASOPUST | 1961-1962 | PES Stats Database (Golden Era Backup)

MASOPUST PES STATS | 1961-1962

Josef MASOPUST | 1961-1962 Oriello Name: Josef Masopust Club: Dukla Praha Number: 6 (1962 World Cup) Position: CMF*, AMF, DMF Nationality: Czechoslovakian Date of Birth: Febuary 9, 1931 (age: 30) Era: 1961-1966 Foot: Right Side: Left Length: 174 cm Weight: 66 kg Attack: 80 Defence: 71 Balance: 77 Stamina: 97 Top Speed: 85 Acceleration: 89 Response: 87 Agility: 90 Dribble Accuracy: 92 Dribble Speed: 95 Short Pass Accuracy: 88 Short Pass Speed: 90 Long Pass Acc.: 86 Long Pass Speed: 86 Shot Accuracy: 82 Shot Power: 84 Shot Technique: 82 Free Kick Accuracy: 69 Curling: 75 Header: 71 Jump: 76 Technique: 88 Aggression: 84 Mentality: 87 Keeper Skills: 50 Team Work: 92 Injury Tolerance: B Condition/Fitness: 7 Weak Foot Accuracy: 8 Weak Foot frequency: 8 Consistency: 7 *Dribbling *Reaction *Playmaking *Passing *Centre -- First player from the 'East' to be named European Footballer of the Year, and an unlikely candidate for the prize from the onset, as the award had only till then been given to more 'flashy' players who were renowned in the final third of the field. Indeed Masopust was honoured with the prize on behalf of not only his stellar performance in the 1962 World Cup but for the collective efforts of the entire Czechoslovakian team in that tournament. He was presented with the award several months after the World Cup, he was handed the Golden Ball before Dukla's Champions' Cup quarterfinal against SL Benfica. Masopust recalled, ''There was no ceremony, Eusébio just shook hands with me, I put the trophy in my sports bag and went home on the tram.'' Masopust was in a similar mould to that of the Magyar Bozsik; a workhorse of a team, who toiled away in obscurity crafting and building fresh attacks for the front line. Masopust though was not devoid of technical abilities and could 'play the violin and do the dishes'. He Possessed exemplary ball control, his transmission with ball on foot through the field was clinical, which he utilized for both; basic work, from the recovery of the ball in defense, to driving menacingly through the opposition in what was termed 'Masopust's slalom'. During these solo runs Masopust would seamlessly switch between both feet, easily jinking to the left and right but always moving forward. Like Bozsik, Masopust as well was a marvellous passer, and was able to pick out teammates with both strength and precision. The only flaw in his capabilities came from his physical weakness due to his medium build, but he made up for this deficit with massive reserves of stamina, allowing him to be a tireless engine in the centre of the field. Shackled by Czechoslovakia's 'no-risk' style philosophy, Masopust's natural inclination for attack was limited, yet he still managed 10 goals in 63 caps for his country. At club level he scored 79 times in 386 appearances for Dukla Praha. He would only be allowed to leave Dukla (a military club) when he was 37 years old for Belgian club R. Crossing Club Molenbeek, he would be a player/coach and help guide the team to promotion to the first division before retiring. 'The northern Bohemian village of Strimice where Masopust was born, has since been demolished to make way for a coal mine. Dukla Praha met a similar fate, being renamed FC Prà bram in the early 1990s and leaving their famous Juliska stadium. And, of course, Czechoslovakia ceased to exist after 1993. ''Nothing remains from my day,'' Masopust once stated...Save for the Golden Ball on the shelf of his modest Prague apartment.' Honours Czechoslovak League Championships: 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966 Czechoslovak Cups: 1952, 1961, 1965, 1966 World Cup Finalist: 1962 Ballon d'Or: 1962 Video Masopust scores the opening goal of the 1962 World Cup Final against Brazil (1:05) Josef MASOPUST | 1961-1962 | PES Stats Database (Golden Era Backup)