Karel Freja
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 17 November 1877 | ||
| Place of birth | Old Town (Prague), Bohemia, Austria-Hungary | ||
| Date of death | 30 April 1937 (aged 59) | ||
| Place of death | New Town (Prague), Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1896–1900 | Slavia Prague | 17 | (12[2]) |
| 1900–1901 | ČAFC Vinohrady | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Karel Freja (17 November 1877 – 30 April 1937) was a Czech footballer who played as a forward.[3][4]
Karel Freja was born on 17 November 1877 in the Old Town of Prague. He spent the period between 1888 and 1899 studying at the grammar school. He attended the Municipal High School, which was located in a beautiful building in today's Hellichová (then Novodvorská) Street in Malá Strana.
Even as a high school student, Karel Freja took part in progressive events. Being active in the progressive movement caused Freja serious problems at school. National newspapers later wrote about him after the First World War: "he was already at the gymnasium on four with a disciplinary order for activity in the progressive movement."
Football became very popular among high school students. It was played by students of both the Malostran grammar school and the real school. The groups used the names of schools or regions, and thus the Malostransky student football club was created. Under the leadership of Freja, the Malostransky circle played a number of matches. On 28 September 1895, he even beat Sparta on its then-ground in Invalidovna.[5]
Club career
In the spring of 1896 the entire Malostranský circle joined the SK Slavia Prague football team, as well as students from the real gymnasium in Křemencova Street.[6]
Freja became Slavia's first captain and also its first centre forward. He most likely already played in the premiere match, the line-up of which has not been preserved. Freja was the first great figure of Czech football. Freja once again introduced iron discipline as team captain. Freja played 17 games and scored 12 goals for Slavia Prague. Freja was Slavia Prague's best player until 1900, then he moved to ČAFC Vinohrady.[2][5]
