1962 hero Masopust has faith in Czechs

PRAGUE, June 8 (Reuters) Former European Footballer of the Year Josef Masopust believes the 2006 World Cup side is the best the Czechs have produced.

''We've never had a better team than this one,'' said the 75-year-old.

The Pavel Nedved-led squad in Germany will have to go a long way, however, to touch the heights attained by Masopust 44 years ago.

In 1962, Czechoslovakia, predecessor of an independent Czech Republic, were the surprise packages as they reached the final in Chile.

Dukla Prague, the army team which won the domestic title five times in the 1960s, formed the backbone of the side but it was Masopust, the only Czech European Footballer of the Year until Nedved won the honour in 2003, who provided the bite.

Masopust said things had changed a great deal since his day.

''There was no one to check our accommodation in advance in 1962,'' he said.

COLD BARNS ''We were used to many things but this concerned us.

Cheerless cold barns for six to eight people, just cold water on tap, bugs, ants everywhere.

''It was unbelievable. We lived in barracks nobody wanted to use and came back with silver medals.'' Masopust scored 10 goals in 63 internationals and was selected as the Czech footballer of the century in 2000.

He claimed a bronze medal at the 1960 European championship, eight Czech league titles with Dukla and one as a coach with Brno.

Under communist rule, Czechoslovak players were not allowed to transfer abroad early in their careers so Masopust spent 16 seasons with Dukla before finally moving to Belgium's Molenbeek as player-coach in 1968.

Nedved played for only four years at Sparta Prague before finding fame in Italy with Lazio and Juventus.

Now, as he prepares to watch the Czechs battle in Group E against United States, Italy and Ghana, Masopust is dreaming they can reach the final and perhaps hold on to a lead a lot longer than his side could.

REUTERS AY RK1030