Ludek Miklosko, the former goalkeeper for the Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic national teams, has died at the age of 64 after an eventful career with England's West Ham.
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Miklosko's family and Czech club Baník Ostrava announced his death on Monday.
Miklosko spent 8 years with Baník Ostrava before moving to England, and also served as the club's sporting director despite battling cancer over the past five years.
Miklosko joined West Ham in February 1990, becoming the first Czech player to leave a mark on English football following the 1989 Velvet Revolution that ended communist rule in Czechoslovakia. He played 373 matches for West Ham and was voted the club's Player of the Year after his first season, having helped the team win promotion to the English Premier League.
Miklosko was hugely popular with West Ham fans, who used to sing a chant in the stands based on the few English words he knew, saying: "My name is Ludek Miklosko... I come from near Moscow... and I guard West Ham's goal."
West Ham said in a statement: "Rest in peace, Ludek. Our beloved and inspirational goalkeeper, and a gentle giant of a man."
West Ham announced it would honor Miklosko's memory before the match against Fulham on Tuesday in the third round of the League Cup, as well as before the League Championship match against Queens Park Rangers on October 9.
Miklosko moved to Queens Park Rangers in 1998 before retiring in 2001, then returned to London to coach West Ham's goalkeepers until 2010.
Miklosko played 42 international matches for the Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic national teams.
During his last visit to England in December 2024 to attend West Ham's match against Liverpool at the London Stadium, Miklosko revealed he had cancer and announced his decision to stop receiving treatment.
He said at the time: "I decided not to undergo chemotherapy, because I want to live a normal life. I have wonderful people around me, and I have my work and football, which are my life and everything I've known. I want to keep doing that for as long as possible."
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Resource: Al-Ghad.
