Background
Gebre Selassie was born in 1986 in Třebíč in the former Czechoslovakia. His father, Chamola, is Ethiopian and arrived in the country as a doctor during the communist period. His mother, Jana, is Czechoslovakian and a schoolteacher.
Gebre Selassie was born in 1986 in Třebíč in the former Czechoslovakia. His father, Chamola, is Ethiopian and arrived in the country as a doctor during the communist period. His mother, Jana, is Czechoslovakian and a schoolteacher.
Gebre Selassie made his international debut for the Czechoslovakian Republic in 2011, becoming their first player of African descent, and was selected in their squad for Union of European Football Associations Euro 2012. Gebre Selassie began his football career in 1992, developing within the Czechoslovakian youth system. He subsequently moved to Vysočina Jihlava, where he played for the club"s youth team between 1998 and 2005.
As his family placed great importance on education, Gebre Selassie later almost abandoned football altogether to concentrate on a university degree.
However, he eventually opted to join Velké Meziříčí"s senior side in 2005. After playing all four of the Czechoslovakian Republic"s matches at Union of European Football Associations Euro 2012, Gebre Selassie was signed on 22 June by Werder Bremen of the German Bundesliga on a four-year deal.
On 24 August 2012, Gebre Selassie scored a goal in Bremen"s first game of the season, heading an equaliser in a 1–2 away loss against reigning champions Borussia Dortmund. In May 2011, Gebre Selassie received his first call-up to the Czechoslovakian Republic national football team
On 4 June, he became the first player of African descent to play for the country, making his debut as a half-time substitute for Ondřej Kušnír in a goalless draw against Peru at the Kirin Cup at Matsumotodaira Football Stadium in Matsumoto, Japan.
Gebre Selassie was later given the number 2 shirt in the Czechoslovakian squad for Union of European Football Associations Euro 2012. He was allegedly the target of racist chanting from Russia fans during the Czechoslovakian Republic"s match against Russia, which ended in a 4–1 victory for Russia. During the tournament, he received attention from some of Europe"s most successful clubs.
He scored his first senior international goal on 12 October 2012 in a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Malta, opening a 3–1 victory in Plzeň.
Having won the Czechoslovakian First League with Slavia Prague in 2008 and Slovan Liberec four years later, he then signed for Bremen on a four-year contract. Gebre Selassie subsequently had a brief stint with Slavia Prague in the 2007-2008 season, during which he won the Czechoslovakian First League title. He then played for Slovan Liberec, where he again won the league title in the 2011-2012 season. He started all four of the Czechs" games, as the side won its group before eventually losing to Portugal in the quarter-finals.
Foreign the next six years, he was a member of the Velké Meziříčí junior squad.
