PRAGUE, Czech Republic _ Czech Republic midfielder Pavel Nedved will retire from international soccer after his team plays Serbia on Wednesday in a friendly.

Czech Republic's Pavel Nedved juggles a ball during a training session in Prague August 15, 2006. Czech Republic will play Serbia in an international friendly soccer match on August 16. [Reuters]

The Juventus midfielder, who came out of retirement last year to help the Czech team reach the World Cup, said Tuesday he will make his 91st and final appearance for the national team against the Serbs.

"Tomorrow's game will be my last for the national team," Nedved said. "I've decided to quit and make way to younger (players). ... It's absolutely an irreversible decision."

Nedved named Italy's match-fixing scandal as the main reason for his decision. Juventus has been stripped of its last two Serie A titles and relegated to Serie B. It will also start the season with minus 17 points.

"It would be very difficult for me to prepare for tough international games while playing in the second division," Nedved said. "It was perhaps the main reason (for me to quit)."

Nedved also said he would like to spend more time with his family, and that his age played a role.

"It was a tough decision for me," said Nedved, who turns 34 later this month and has scored 18 international goals.

The Czech soccer federation said it "fully respects Nedved's decision to retire and considers it final."

Nedved was one of the last two veterans that helped the Czech team reach the final at the 1996 European Championship.

"It certainly played a role that only me and Vladimir Smicer were the last ones from the English squad," Nedved said. "Our generation has gone."

Nedved, led a strong Czech team at the World Cup in Germany, but it was eliminated in the first round after beating the United States and losing to Italy and Ghana.

At the 2004 European Championship, Nedved helped the Czechs reach the semifinals, where they lost to eventual champion Greece in extra time.

"I experienced ... lots of beautiful moments in the national team. I'll likely miss it but everyone has to go one day," said Nedved, who made his international debut at Ireland in a friendly on June 5, 1994.

Nedved's retirement weakens the Czech team at the start of its qualifying for the 2008 European Championship.

The Czechs open their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign at home against Wales on Sept 2. Germany, Slovakia, Ireland, Cyprus and San Marino are the other teams in Group D.