It is towards the end of the conversation when, for the only time, Patrik Berger hesitates and his words tail off.
We have been discussing how he used to beat Harry Redknapp on the golf course and how he has now become a competent ice hockey player, but the overriding topic of this phone call to Prague is 1996 and the summer when everything changed.
‘Crazy!’ Berger exclaims, when reminded that 23 years have passed since Euro 96. ‘It feels like last week! What an unbelievable time we had; what an unbelievable experience. It was the tournament that opened doors for most of us.’
Patrik Berger will be keeping a close eye on England's game with the Czech Republic on Friday
The Czech Republic arrived in England with a squad of relatively unknown, young players, but they were soon household names thanks to the dashing, inventive way they played football.
To see the Czechs returning to Wembley on Friday, then, stirs memories of that golden generation. Berger was a poster boy for a team that included the future Ballon D’Or winner Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky and Vladimir Smicer.
They dramatically squeezed out of a group that contained Italy, Russia and Germany, stunned Portugal in the last eight then upset France in the semi-finals until they lost the final 2-1 against Germany in the cruellest fashion.
Golden Goals were used to settle matches at Euro 96 and mention of Oliver Bierhoff’s strike, which squirmed through the fingers of Czech goalkeeper Petr Kouba, is the signal for Berger’s tone to change. ‘I cannot watch the match back,’ he says. ‘I am a person who would rather look forward and for that reason, I don’t watch it.
‘People will tell me when it is replayed on Eurosport, but I cannot watch it again. We were all so disappointed.
‘When we returned to Prague, the party was incredible. Our people made us feel like champions. The silver medal was like winning.’
Berger was among the Czech Republic stars to burst onto the scene at Euro 1996 in England
Berger, then of Borussia Dortmund, had opened the scoring in the final with a penalty
They nearly
