Special Feature: 10 greatest goalkeeping saves of all time – Part 1
Goalkeepers are strange creatures in the world of football, seldom is a person so maligned yet so under admired, it is always said that goalkeepers have a different mentality then the rest of their team mates, they are odd ones
out of the pack. Football might be a team game but every position has its importance, a striker is tasked with scoring goals for his team, midfielders are responsible for keeping possession of the ball and creating chances for their forward men while defenders
are entrusted to keep the other team from scoring. But then one would ask what are goalkeepers supposed to do? Well, goalkeepers are supposed to act sensibly and make sure that their team doesn’t concede a goal.
Goalkeeping is the most important job in football, if a striker doesn’t score; he can be forgiven as there are other people in the team who had find the back of the net as well. If a midfielder is not up to the task his peers can
step up their game and cater for the faltering member of the team. As far as defenders are concerned, their mistakes can be covered up by their goalkeeper’s heroics but who is there to bail out the goalkeeper if he makes a mistake? Exactly, no one, such is
the nature of the job that the goalkeeper is the last man, the last line of defence in modern warfare terms.
No other position in football is as closely focused upon as goalkeepers and if a goal keeper makes an error, his team pays for it in massive terms. It is always said that, strikers and midfielders win you matches but defenders
and goalkeepers win you championships. In the history of football, goalkeepers have stood out time and again as they have rallied their team mates to incredible feats of victory. The first save in this list of the most astonishing and remarkable saves ever
made is the one made by the Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon in the 2006 World Cup final in Germany.
It was Italy versus France, Zinedine Zidane, the French captain, connected brilliantly with a brilliant cross from the right side of his team’s attack. The header looked destined towards the goal and France looked destined for
a win but Buffon had other plans, the Juventus goalkeeper flew mid-air and displayed some surprising acrobatics to deny his former club-team mate a goal. The match went on as every football fan knows; Zidane was sent off later on in the encounter for head
butting Marco Materazzi. Italy ended up as eventual winners of the match and the World Cup as well as they defeated France on penalty kicks.
The second save in this list is by Iker Casillas. The experienced goalie has been keeping goal for Real Madrid for over eleven years now, he won his first UEFA Champions League title with Madrid when he was just 19 years of age.
A special talent since his early days, Casillas is currently hailed as one of the best goalkeepers in the World. The save in question was made by Iker against Sevilla in a Spanish Primera Division league match, Diego Perotti was the man who was denied a goal
as Casillas ran at first and then dove half way across his goal mouth to palm the ball away. Unfortunately, the match ended in a defeat for Real Madrid as Renato’s late winner sealed a 2-1 win for Sevilla.
The third save is by none other than Bruce Grobbelaar of Liverpool. Grobbelaar’s Liverpool took on their Merseyside rivals Everton in a historical F.A Cup semi-final; it was a grudge match, a derby match which had a spot in Wembley
riding on it. Grobbelaar became the hero of the match as he tremendously tipped away Graeme Sharp’s effort on Liverpool’s goal. It was a fine moment for Bruce, who saved his team from going two down as Everton were already a goal up when this save was made.
As it planned out, Liverpool went onto win the match 3-1 due to Ian Rush’s brace in the second half of the match.
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