Towards Belgrade, towards Belgrade! This is the familiar cry of the Good Soldier Schweik. Likewise, our football team players surely had it on the lips in 1976 when they were going to the capital of the former Yugoslavia to the European Football Championship. At that moment they had no idea that they were going to change the history of Czech football.

During that incredible sport concert they gradually deal with such rivals, like the Soviet Union in the quarterfinals, and they eliminated them for the first time in history. That was followed by the defeat of the Dutch players and finally, in the final tournament, Czechoslovakia won against reigning world and European champion Germany thanks to the decisive penalty. Great dream became reality and we had the first and so far the last highest European football title.

Perfect harmony of our team, fearless attack and of course defense and the adamant goalkeeper were the keys of the phenomenal success. The goalkeeper was Ivo Viktor. Next issue of the very popular series Czechoslovak football legend, prepared for fans and collectors by The Czech Mint, is dedicated to him.

Ivo Viktor was born on 21 May 1942 in Křelov and his football roots began in FC Spartak Šternberk at the age of fourteen. Then he stood out in several clubs and finally he put on the shirt of Dukla Praha in 1963, and played with them hundreds of Premier League matches. He joined the national team for the first time in1966 in Brazil in a friendly match at Maracana stadium, where he received a goal from Pele himself. According to his team-mates it was an imaginary baptism, which predestined him to be a great goalkeeper. This prediction was completely fulfilled and Ivo Viktor is a real football legend. Although he had to leave the active career a year after his victory Belgrade, however, he is still devoted to football as a coach.

Silver Smart coin Ivo Viktor 2 NZD from The Czech Mint is not only an exceptional collector's item, but also a reminder of a player with a sporting spirit and extraordinary intuition. The design of the reverse side of the coin is remarkably made by MgA. Martin Dašek, which presents a faithful portrait of the goalkeeper completed with his name, signature and text Champions of Europe 1976 BELGRADE. Add to your collection another evidence of a real Czech mastery!

The obverse side of the coin is formed by issuer`s attributes and the motif of a ball in the shape of a heart a symbol of Nadace fotbalových internacionálů (International Football Foundation), which will support our former football champions with the part of the earnings from the sale of these coins !