Nedvěd was a key member of the Czech team which reached the final of Euro 1996, during which he attracted international attention. He also captained the national team at UEFA Euro 2004, where they were defeated in the semi-final by eventual champions Greece, and Nedvěd was named as part of the Team of the Tournament. Furthermore, Nedvěd helped his team qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since the breakup of Czechoslovakia. Due to his performances, as well as his quick and energetic runs during matches, Nedvěd was nicknamed """" ("Czech Fury") by Italian fans and "The Czech cannon" in English-language media. His nickname in Czech is "Méďa" ("Little Bear"), stemming from the similarity between his surname and the Czech word for bear, "Medvěd".