Which keeper(s) do you admire?

By: Matthew | August 31st, 2008

That last post was half-assed and I am sorry for that. That being said let’s get into a more open discussion.

Within professional football, I guess including the MLS, which keeper(s) do you truly find to be inspiring or at least motivating in the sense that when you see them between the pipes you feel the game gets a bit more exciting. Tell me why too. I would love to know and maybe even learn a bit more about some keepers I’m not too familiar with.

Myself. I’ll tell you the very first. The first world cup I watched was in 94 but I wasn’t really paying attention to the keepers and I was pretty much into all sports. Come WC 98 I had already played my first season as a keeper in my local youth house league (Rosewood Soccer League) and had started my second (98).
I was on the same team as my best bud. We watched every game of the world cup at his place as well as recorded them on vhs. I was cheering for Argentina. Gabriel Batistuta, still to this day, amazed me and they had Carlos Roa as their keeper.
Argentina were knocked out int he semis by the Netherlands, one of the reasons I didn’t like Van der Sar for a while, but the round of 16 before hand made me really love the guy. I was young and impressionable.

England were facing Argentina which ended up going to Pk after a 2-2 draw. I remember so well, firstly, David Seaman’s moustache, secondly being on the edge of my seat. Argentina shot first. Both ENG and ARG scored their first. ARG 2nd shot was stopped by Seaman and the feeling of seeing that, as many of you will know (italy vs spain for example), was intense until Carlos Roa answered back and kept it even. The next 2 shots for both sides were in. ARG 5th shot, goal. ENG, David Batty steps up against Roa. Batty goes to his left, Roa guesses right and I freak the hell out. Running on to the street yelling “YEAHHH”. A hero was born. ENG was out and Roa was praised as a national hero.
After the WC, there were rumours about big deal transfers but Roa became heavily religious, refusing to play on Saturdays. After that he joined what they said to be a “cult” and believed the world was coming to an end. He tried a comeback but unfortunately was diagnosed with testicular cancer which pretty much ended his career even more so.

Here’s the video of said WC event. (Take that Jagger, you’re precious Brits have nothing, NOTHING)

Euro 00 I ended up finding Toldo. I was unaware of Buffon, he broke his hand before the tourny, and Toldo was in turn chosen to start. He was pretty brilliant in that competition. He did all he could do to secure a future with the team and after his performance I thought it seemed pretty concrete. But there’s only so much you can do when you have a keeper like Buffon behind you, waiting to shine and show his worth. Toldo ended up being an unused reserve for Italy for the next WC and Euro. I started watching serie A in 02. It was great change or the EPL and I started watching a team called Juventus. You’ll never guess who caught my attention over at Juve.
Anything I had seen before in keepers had been blown away by a man they called Gigi. I respect many many keepers. I don’t really hate for the sake of hating. But for me, there is only 1 who continues to blow my mind, and that is Gianluigi Buffon.