Former Montpellier and Czech Republic international defender Lukas Pokorny has retired from playing at the age of 28, frustrated by repeated injuries. Speaking with Czech outlet Bez Frazi, Pokorny explained:
“I wasn’t happy. I felt anxious. I knew I was no longer able to sacrifice myself enough for football as was necessary. I feel relieved, I’m glad I was able to quit football. I feel respect and gratitude for what the sport gave me, but I’d had enough.”
Pokorny spent 2017 at Montpellier and was a regular under Jean-Louis Gasset between spells with Slovan Liberec and Slavia Prague.
“I remember the Montpellier match against PSG at the Parc des Princes, with several of my relatives in the stadium. I was glad they could see me play in such an environment. We all stayed in Paris for dinner and toured the city the next day. I could feel how proud everyone was of me.”