Position: Midfielder
Born: 04.10.80
Club: Borussia Dortmund

Although Tomas Rosicky has somewhat faded from the limelight in club football in recent months, his match-winning displays for the Czech Republic prove he will be a key figure in Germany.

Rosicky was the star of the Czech qualifying campaign, scoring an impressive six times as well as the winning goal in the second leg of their play-off with Norway which gave his country a 2-0 aggregate triumph.

Highly energetic, Rosicky is a sublime passer of the ball who often chips in with some cracking long range goals and his hard-working attitude helps him get the better of his opponents through his persistent hassling.

He began his career at Sparta Prague where he became a star in their 2001 title-winning campaign before sealing a high-profile £18million transfer to German giants Borussia Dortmund.

His stint at the Westfalenstadion started well as they won the Bundesliga in his first season but since then the Schwarzgelben have encountered lean years languishing in mid-table.

Along with the club's financial problems, this has caused Rosicky, whose contract expires in 2008, to seek a transfer in the summer with Arsenal hotly linked with a big-money move for the midfield dynamo.

The 25-year-old has huge ambitions in the game and Germany 2006 will be the perfect platform to remind Europe's football giants that this enigmatic Czech still has much to offer.