Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has opened up on the devastating head injury he suffered against Reading which changed his life and left him wearing his trademark protective helmet for the rest of his career.

Twenty years on from the infamous collision with former Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt at the Madejski Stadium, Cech has shared an emotional reflection on the incident and the lasting impact it had on football.

The Czech Republic international suffered a depressed skull fracture after colliding with Hunt in the opening moments of Reading's Premier League clash with Chelsea on October 14, 2006.

Cech underwent emergency surgery and faced an uncertain road to recovery before remarkably returning to action just three months later. He would go on to wear protective headgear for the remainder of his playing career, with the helmet becoming one of the most recognisable symbols in world football.

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech suffered a major head injury 20 years ago against Reading FC (Image: PA)

Marking the 20-year anniversary, Cech took to Instagram to look back on the events of that day and the lessons he learned from his recovery.

He said: "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, I would return to playing, but I have learnt some valuable lessons along the journey."

Cech explained that the experience taught him the importance of living with purpose and appreciating every day, while helping him gain a greater perspective on life beyond football.

The former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper also pointed to the wider impact the incident had on the game, particularly in relation to player welfare.

"The iconic helmet was born," he said.

"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)."

Cech went on to thank the medical staff who treated him following the injury, including the team at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

He added: "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.

"So people remember that even in difficult moments you can find hidden gems that are worth every effort."

Stephen Hunt (Image: PA)

While Cech has rarely spoken publicly about the collision in recent years, Hunt reflected on the incident in 2015 and admitted it had continued to follow him throughout his career.

The former Reading midfielder maintained he had been committed to challenging for the ball but accepted he was not in a natural position during the tackle.

He said: "I wouldn't say I left my leg in there, I would say that I have gone in for the tackle. I have gone in for the impact.

"If I avoid contact, I probably would have had a screaming manager. Well... not so much Steve Coppell, but the coaches. In my mind, the coaches would have expected me to go into that tackle with Cech.

"I may have been a little bit giddy. My knee was down there but I am out of position for sure. It wasn't natural. I'm trying to make sense of it. I haven't had too much deep thinking about it or conversation.

"I couldn't afford for it to affect my commitment. That is my game. My game is energy."

Hunt admitted the incident had become the defining moment of his career in the eyes of many supporters.

"It haunts me," he said.

"I had a lot of years at Palace and Brentford before I even touched the limelight. No one in Ireland knew who I was. When I was picked to start against Chelsea, I was thinking 'my day has arrived'.

"All of a sudden everyone knew me but I wanted people to know me for the right reasons, not for the wrong reasons.

"Even to this day, 'you're the guy who did that'. There is no forgetting it because he wears the helmet. Everyone is reminded of it every time they see him.

"I wish it had never happened. Of course I do. But I don't have any guilt. I have a clear conscience. I didn't mean to fracture his skull. That's one thing for sure."

The former Republic of Ireland international added: "I wouldn't say my heart rate has gone up talking about it, I feel like I am unbreakable in that kind of way. Mentally strong."

Despite the controversy that surrounded the challenge at the time, Cech also revealed he and former Reading midfielder Hunt had long since put the incident behind them.

He concluded: "We agreed not to talk about it too much and leave it behind us.. we keep the word. Wish you all the best. Big Pete."

The injury remains one of the most significant moments in Premier League history, not only because of its impact on Cech's career but also because it prompted a renewed focus on medical protocols and player safety across the game.