Sports Nicknames - Big Pete

When one looks at the list of great goalkeepers, they'll note it's much shorter than the list of great outfield players. One of the names on this list of goalkeepers is Petr Cech, the Czech goalkeeper who became famous for his career at Chelsea FC.



Cech began his career playing for various Czech clubs like Sparta Prague before making a move to French club Rennes, where he helped them escape relegation on the final day. Then, in 2004 he joined Chelsea under Jose Mourinho. He would play for the Blues for the next 11 years, picking up the affectionate nickname "Big Pete" while playing for the club.

One of the most famous parts of Cech's playing career that people remember is his signature helmet, which he wore after sustaining a head injury against Reading midfielder Stephan Hunt in 2006. Cech underwent surgery for a depressed skull fracture, which nearly cost him his life. However, he returned and continued playing for the Blues, helping them win 4 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups, 3 League Cups and a Champions League title.

He left the Blues in 2015-16 to join Arsenal after Chelsea determined that Thibaut Courtois would be their starting goalkeeper. He stayed at the Gunners for 4 seasons before retiring in 2019. Once retired, he rejoined Chelsea, this time as a technical director and performance advisor.

Cech is widely called the greatest keeper to have played in the Premier League alongside Peter Schmeichel and widely put up with Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the modern era. With the record for clean sheets at Chelsea at 228, "Big Pete" certainly deserves it.

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