A life-changing head injury 20 years ago left Petr Cech with a skull fracture that required emergency surgery at a specialist brain injury unit and no memory of the incident

Petr Cech has marked the 20th anniversary of his near-fatal head injury by paying tribute to the medical staff whose swift actions helped save his life. One of the Premier League's greatest goalkeepers issued a heartfelt statement two decades on from the incident that occurred while playing for Chelsea against Reading.

Cech was aged 24 at the time of such a career-defining moment. He took a knee to the head after colliding with Stephen Hunt and collapsed on the pitch.

It took several minutes for Cech to be taken off. After receiving treatment, he went to a specialist neurosurgical unit.

The goalkeeper underwent surgery for a depressed fracture of the skull. Cech would return three months later to resume his career by donning the protective headgear that had become his trademark.

Reflecting on those medics who had saved his life, as well as the rule changes that followed the incident, he wrote on social media: "Yesterday it was 20 years since the 'famous' Reading away game. I kept this post for today as everyone seemed to be talking about it yesterday.

"It is undeniably the day that greatly impacted the Premier League, football fans, my closest, and of course myself. After 20 years, there are many ways to look at it, but let's put the whole story into perspective...

"The recovery was hard at the beginning, and I had big doubts, sometimes if I would return to playing, but I have learnt some valuable lessons along the journey."

Cech continued by reflecting on how the experience deepened his appreciation for football and reinforced the fragility of life. He also highlighted the positive impact of brain training, which he embraced following the incident.

The Chelsea legend added: "The iconic helmet was born. The Premier League changed the rules around the player's medical safety, and the paramedics were present attended every game ever since (and saved many lives in the process).

"To conclude my thoughts, I would like to say thank you again to the medical teams and the Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford for giving me the chance to live and allowing me to carry on playing the game I loved, break some records and made millions of fans happy through winning trophies... and the most precious part - I could become a father."

Cech also referenced Hunt towards the end, revealing they've never discussed the incident since embracing after a match at Stamford Bridge.

"We agreed not to talk about it too much and leave it behind us... we keep the word," he concluded.