Petr Cech has said that being a genius does not help him in football as he can’t stop goals with his IQ.

Tested in school, Cech had an IQ of 140 which has now, apparently, increased to 158. To put this into context, the minimum IQ that Mensa will accept is a result in the 98th percentile on standardised tests (approx 130), 132 on the Stanford-Binet test or 148 on Cattell (the interview doesn’t say which test Cech took but the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale is the most common).

Speaking in France Football, Cech said “A great player will always have a highly developed intelligence game. 

“The “football IQ” is the common feature of all the top names. 

“However, it is not because you have a high IQ that you will automatically be a great player.

“I discovered “it” (an IQ of 140) by chance at school during a test that they made me take. 

“I get no glory from it. 

“It amuses me to repeat it [the test] from time to time to test whether my head still works.

“And a big IQ, this is not an end in itself if you are not able to use it. 

“You cannot stop goals with IQ.”

Footballers are often stereotyped as being brainless idiots, and many of them do seem to do their best to live up to that, but football is filled with intelligent and thoughtful players.

Averaging out Cech’s scores to get a total of 149 which is impressive when you consider Stephen Hawking comes in at 160.