FC Cincinnati bolster their roster at the transfer deadline, add World Cup experience with signing of Czech Republic international David Douděra

FC Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha says he was at home when his longtime friend and compatriot David Douděra messaged him to say he thinks he would be making his new home in Cincinnati and that he would need some help moving in when he gets there. 

Bucha, one of only a couple of players hailing from the Czech Republic in all of MLS, responded with excitement. “I’m like, oh my God, that’s amazing,” the FC Cincinnati midfielder said with glee, recreating the moment. 

A few days later, the news was made official: the addition of midfielder David Douděra to FC Cincinnati on a permanent transfer from Slavia Prague, with a two-year contract, was confirmed. Douděra, 28, joins The Orange and Blue after a summer representing his nation at the FIFA World Cup and comes from one of the most prestigious clubs in Europe and, to some, the biggest club in  Czech Republic.

He now adds to the roster 1.) another Czech player along with Pavel Bucha, and 2.) a prime wingback with experience at the highest levels – including the aforementioned World Cup, seven appearances in the UEFA Champions League and a collection of trophies for Slavia Prague including two league titles and the national cup competition, winning one each in the last three seasons. 

“He plays where he’s asked, puts his head down, produces, defends, runs, and has an engine. That’s the type of when you talk about European Champions League experience profiles, that’s what it takes to play at that level, and I think David has a lot of those qualities,” FC Cincinnati GM Chris Albright said of the signing of Douděra. “What we’re talking about is winning, right? You’re ultimately talking about mentality. What’s a winner? What’s sacrifice look like? David’s willing to sacrifice, so we’ll take that every day of the week.”

Bucha and Douděra are friends who initially met in youth football in Prague, as they are the same age, living in different towns surrounding the capital city but intersecting more than enough, then became truly friendly when the duo were part of the Czech Republic youth national team program. With the U21 Czech National Team they were roommates, and since then they have kept connected. 

Their most recent reconnection was earlier this summer, when Bucha and Douděra were both called up to the Senior National Team ahead of the World Cup.

“Ever since then I still stayed in touch with him and followed his career and his journey. He’s made big career steps and progress. So I remember him playing for Dukla Prague and making it to Slavia Prague, which is the biggest club in Czech Republic,” Bucha shared. “He’s been doing great lately, he played big matches with Slavia Prague for the title in Czech League and also in European matches qualification for Europa League or in Champions League. So yeah, I think we can be happy to have him here soon.”

After four seasons with Slavia Prague, which included three trophy wins, Douděra found himself looking for his next career opportunity, and a move to the United States was something that he was greatly interested in. He spoke with Bucha when the two were at the pre-World Cup camp with the national team, and Douděra asked the Cincinnati man what life was like stateside. 

“We never spoke about it specifically with coming to Cincy at the time, he was just trying to learn about America and what that move was like,” Bucha shared with a laugh. “But maybe now I think he knew what he was asking about.”

The two spoke but then went their separate ways. Bucha returned to Cincinnati, and Douděra went to the World Cup with his national team, where he would make one appearance in the three group-stage games the Czech Republic played. Once the World Cup ended, the conversation continued on WhatsApp and iMessage until Douděra finally revealed his hand. 

“He said ‘you know what Pavel, Cincinnati have reached out… it’s happening, what are your thoughts on it? Is that ok?’ And I’m like, ‘oh my God, that’s amazing!” Bucha recounted. “It’s exciting because we, or I, never thought that it could be possible for him to come here. So that was like out of nowhere. So yeah, I was very surprised and obviously happy and glad.” 

The addition of Douděra brings an added level of quality and experience to the squad that can help in a diversity of ways. The midfielder is very experienced as a wingback, particularly on the right, which adds depth to that spot, but it also allows for the option to move Bucha back into his preferred/more experienced spot in the midfield. So it makes the wingback and midfield stronger. 

He has also made a name for himself in Europe as a tireless player who excels in transition, using his sneaky speed and acceleration to both win balls and advance the attack. His pace and relentlessness are also well regarded in his pressing on the other side of the ball.

While not the same player, and it may be unfair to judge them in the same way, there are many similarities to be drawn between FC Cincinnati’s two Czech midfielders.

“With David, we thought another need was to maybe have another wing back on the roster, but it was also a market opportunity, almost kind of ‘best available’ when we saw what that deal could look like,” Albright said of the new FCC player. “He’s a lovely kid, a worker, a winner. Pavel (Bucha), who knows him very well, says, ‘you know I’m competitive, but David’s on a different level.’ So hearing that from Pavel is really comforting. He’s a player with a ton of experience, Champions League experience, World Cup experience.

What’s on Bucha’s mind now in terms of Douděra’s arrival is just that, the actual moving and acclimating to Cincinnati. On the pitch, that will sort itself out and the quality his new teammate brings speaks for itself. But as the new Czech teammate arrives, Pavel has been thinking back to his arrival in 2024, and the challenges he faced then. 

Moving to a new country, establishing yourself with a new team, in a new culture, with a young family, all after playing your whole life in your home country is extremely challenging. Bucha has said before that overcoming those challenges were far harder than anything he faced on the field, and now that he feels more at home and established, he’s comfortable and far happier. 

So, with the knowledge and experience he has now, Pavel Bucha is ready to be the welcome party to his old friend in his city.

“I’m actually a little bit jealous that David will have will have it much easier than me because he will have me to help,” Bucha said with a laugh before explaining that he is planning to be the right-hand man to Douděra’s arrival behind FC Cincinnati’s player care team, which is led by Rodrigo Frank, Director of Player Welfare at the club.

“So it’s great that we will be together in one team in one city,” Bucha continued. “I think it will be very positive for me and my family, and also for him because if I look back and imagine myself how my beginnings were here, how tough it was, and what was all the things that I have to figure out, and so yeah, I think I will be his right hand next to Rodrigo. We will be on the phone with him and helping with everything he will need. So yeah, I think he’s coming to a great place with a lot of great people.” 

It’s not 100 percent clear when the newest FC Cincinnati man will be able to start playing for the squad, or will join them in training. There are, as always, immigration elements to be sorted out in addition to just helping him physically move from Prague to Cincinnati. But whenever that’s sorted out in the near future, The Orange and Blue will be adding a quality piece to their squad with a now-built-in system to help him get acclimated. 

Which, and on this all players agree, is a key part of making any move a success.