Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved has won the Golden Ball award as the best Czech soccer player for the fifth time in seven years.

The 2003 European Footballer of the Year topped a poll of local sports journalists.

Udinese's Marek Jankulovski placed second in the voting.

Nedved, 31, is captain of the Czech national team, whose unbeaten run of 20 matches ended in March. The Czechs are grouped with Germany, the Netherlands and Latvia at the Euro 2004 finals starting in Portugal next week.