Petr Cech voted Czech player of 2016 for record ninth time

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech was voted the Czech Republic footballer of the year on Monday for a record ninth time.

The 34-year-old Cech topped the poll of players, coaches, football federation officials, and journalists for 2016.

Cech retired from international football after the European Championship in France last year. He appeared a record 124 times in the Czech Republic goal.

He injured a calf muscle in Arsenal's 3-1 loss at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, and said in Prague it could take weeks to recover and return to the struggling Gunners squad.

Cech was at the award ceremony at Prague Castle.

Hertha Berlin midfielder Vladimir Darida polled second, and Borek Dockal, who recently moved from Sparta Prague to Henan Jianye in the Chinese Super League, was third. AP KHS KHS

03211044

NNNN

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)