Jankulovski quits as Czech World Cup hopes end

AC Milan’s Czech defender Marek Jankulovski said he was quitting international football after the Czech Republic lost all hope of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup on Wednesday.

“I can confirm this. This was my last game,” he said after the last Group Three qualifier in which the Czechs were held to a surprise goalless draw by Northern Ireland.

The Czechs ended third in Group Three, trailing winners Slovakia by six points and runners-up Slovenia by four.

“It’s been a wonderful ten years,” said the 32-year-old former Banik Ostrava, Napoli and Udinese player, who has won 78 caps, scoring eleven times for his country.

Czech coach Ivan Hasek also confirmed he would quit after the match with Northern Ireland — a move he had announced when he took over the national team in July, shortly after he was elected head of the Czech Football Association.

“Yes, it was” the last game, said the 46-year-old former Sparta Prague and Strasbourg player and manager, capped 56 times for his country.

His former Sparta teammate and now assistant Michal Bilek, 44, seems to be the most likely replacement, according to Czech media.

The Czechs, who played at the 2006 World Cup and all Euro tournaments between 1996 and 2008, started the 2010 campaign as odds-on favourites in Group Three.

But they ended up pinning their hopes on San Marino — in vain as the minnows lost at home to Slovenia who clinched a spot in the play-offs after a comfortable 3-0 win.

Slovakia beat Poland 1-0 to reach the finals.