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Hairy Czechs hope to make the cut
Posted Saturday, June 16, 2012 by YAHOO Sport

Czech players are refusing to shave during Euro 2012 in the hope that it will bring them luck, a source close to the team told AFP on Friday, as Michal Bilek's men gear up for a must-win match against Poland.

The team of 11 increasingly hairy Czechs beat Greece 2-1 on Tuesday, keeping their hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals alive, despite a not-so-lucky 4-1 defeat to Russia in their opening match.

The Czechs play their final Group A clash on Saturday against co-hosts Poland in Wroclaw, southwest Poland.

Reserve goalkeepers Jaroslav Drobny and Jan Lastuvka came up with the idea of eschewing razors in the run-up to the competition.

"It's meant to cement morale on the team," the source said.

While players unanimously supported the idea to down razors, the idea has apparently met with stiff opposition -- from their wives and girlfriends

Standings
    Rank Team W/D/L Pts

    Cities & Stadiums

    The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments

    Year Winners Runner-up Third place
    2008SpainGermanyRussia / Turkey
    2004GreecePortugalNetherlands / Czech Republic
    2000FranceItalyNetherlands / Portugal
    1996GermanyCzech RepublicFrance / England
    1992DenmarkGermanyNetherlands / Sweden
    1988NetherlandsSoviet UnionItaly / West Germany
    1984FranceSpainDenmark / Portugal
    1980West GermanyBelgiumCzechoslovakia
    1976CzechoslovakiaWest GermanyNetherlands
    1972West GermanySoviet UnionBelgium
    1968ItalyYugoslaviaEngland
    1964SpainSoviet UnionHungary
    1960Soviet UnionYugoslaviaCzechoslovakia