CZECH Republic poster-boy Patrik Schick has turned heads for his football ability and good looks.
The 25-year-old Bayer Leverkusen striker earned the plaudits for his stunning 50-yard strike against Scotland at the Euros.
But the hotshot forward, looking to down England on Tuesday, considered quitting a career in football to be a model.
It was while at Sparta Prague as a teen that Schick was swayed by the allure of the catwalk.
Instead, it’s a career-path his beautiful sister Kristyna has followed travelling to modelling assignments around the globe for various fashion campaigns.
IDOLISED BECKHAM
Although Schick has been compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the 6ft 3in star was obsessed by David Beckham as a kid.
Growing up in Prague, where both Czech legends Pavel Nedved and Tomas Rosicky emerged as heroes for Sparta, it was pictures of the Manchester United legend that adorned his bedroom wall.
Then, when Cristiano Ronaldo came on the scene, it was another Red Devils star who captured Schick’s imagination.
It’s poetic that with three goals already to his name at Euro 2020, he is level with the Portuguese legend at the top of the scoring charts.
Schick tried to model his game after both of his idols and was talent-spotted by Sparta Prague scouts aged 11.
However, it was away from the famous Czech team he would make his name.
BOHEMIAM RHAPSODY
Schick made his debut for Sparta aged 18, but with competition for places it was deemed best for his development that he was loaned out.
For the 2015-16 season, he crossed town to join Bohemians 1905, where he impressed coach Roman Pivarnik.
“He was eager to work on himself, very clever and polite,” Pivarnik told the MailOnline.
“But he had his own opinions and was not shy to express them. Finishing was his strength, so he should focus on that.
“I told him he needs to be tougher when he presses. In youth football he wasn’t interested in playing without the ball.
“We had an argument about that and I put him on the bench. Once, I had to raise my voice in the dressing room.
“He stayed silent but he didn’t take it as an insult. He had amazing strength. He thought about it and then put in work. He returned to the line-up very quickly.”
HEY GOOD LOOKIN’
With his chiselled good looks, Schick did toy with the idea of quitting football before his emergence at Bohemians.
And it wouldn’t be inconceivable to imagine strapping Patrik fronting a campaign for Dolce & Gabbana or channeling Zoolander at Milan Fashion Week.
But, with his football career taking off, sport came first.
His sister Kristyna, 26, however IS a model.
Standing at 5ft 10in tall, the brunette stunner was on the books of NEXT Model Management.
She spent time in LA, worked on campaigns in New York, before returning to Prague.
Kristyna now runs her own fashion boutqiue, Be S.CHIC.K.
A MOVE TO ITALY
Ironically, Patrik Schick did end up in fashionable Italy… not for being handsome, but for his football ability.
In 2016, Sampdoria paid £3million for his services and he turned out to be one of the bargains of the season.
He scored 11 times in 32 matches, but only 14 of those appearances were starts.
His debut campaign in Serie A alerted the big boys, and Juventus reportedly triggered a £25million clause in his contract.
However, Juve pulled the plug on the dream move after he failed two medicals.
PHANTOM HEART CONDITION
Before he could pen-to-paper to play for Italy’s then-champions, doctors raised concerns of Schick having a possible heart condition.
An inflammation in his ticker was enough to dissuade Juventus from concluding a deal.
Further medical tests would prove the target man was free of any cardiac problems.
Two months after his proposed move to Juventus fell through, Schick completed a £4million loan move to Roma with a £15million obligation to buy, if he proved to be a success.
He has no regrets that a move to the Old Lady didn’t come to fruition.
“Do I wonder what might have been? No, I’ve already closed it out,” he told Czech newspaper Lidovky.
“I never looked back at it, it wouldn’t be worth it. I was glad to move to Roma and I had no regrets that Juventus didn’t work out.
“After the first round of medicals I knew there was a heart problem. They told me right away.”
LOVE OF HIS LIFE
Away from football, Patrik places his trust in the love of his life, Hana.
The pair were longterm partners, before they tied the knot in a fairytale wedding in 2019.
The ceremony took place in a castle, where everything was decorated with pink flowers.
She has been his confidant and was always a regular at the Stadio Olimpico.
Last year, they welcomed their first child – a girl they named Victoria.
STILL PROVING HIMSELF
It didn’t work out for Schick in the Italian capital, although he was often deployed in a wide role.
Eight goals in 58 games saw him surplus to requirements and for the 2019-20 he was loaned out to RB Leipzig.
In Germany, he rediscovered his form alongside prolific goalscorer Timo Werner.
10 goals in 28 games alerted Bayer Leverkusen to his services, who were happy to shell out £25million to sign him in 2020.
He has continued to prosper in Germany, although is aware he needs to add more goals to his game.
It might just be that his goalscoring turn at the Euros will give him the confidence to become a more lethal predator in the box in years to come.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
