Tomas Holes #3

Profile

Fans of human anatomy should take a look at Tomas: the centre-back has what may well be the biggest calves at the tournament. He’s not particularly tall, but is pure muscle. He’s also one of the most experienced players in the Czech squad and is a quiet leader at Slavia Prague, where he has won four league titles, the latest as captain. He comes from a region where cross-country skiing is more common than football but fell in love with the game competing with his two brothers. With no proper pitch in his village, he used to cycle three miles to training. Through consistency and hard work, Holes has gradually developed into a leader without ever acting like a superstar. Despite Czechia being a largely secular country, he is a devout evangelical Christian and says: “Faith is the most important thing for me, apart from my family. I often feel like guardian angels help me on the pitch.” Away from the pitch, Holes enjoys the quiet life with his two daughters, often going fishing and reading history books before bed.

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