World Cup 2010: Goalkeepers Iker Casillas, Julio Cesar, Manuel Neuer, Oliver Kahn, Richard Kingston
The World Cup has reached the quarterfinals stage; pretty soon the semifinals and finals will be played; and everyone seems to be talking about the best players in the tournament so far. Whether it's the best old player, the best young player, the best right back, the best left-back or the best striker, countless names are mentioned and there is very little agreement. The goalkeepers meanwhile, lay forgotten, except for the ones who have made mistakes of course, and those who have been complaining about the Jabulani ball.
Today we shall look at some of the best performers at the back end of the field in the tournament so far. Since the World Cup is being played in Africa, let us start with an African goalkeeper. Ghana is the only African team to have made it past the group stages. They went one step further and now they are the only team not from South America or Europe, to have made it to the quarterfinals. The contribution of one man, Richard Kingston, has been immense in ensuring Ghana’s progress in the World Cup. Africa is known for its combative midfielders, its fast forwards and its strong defenders, but goalkeepers have never been their strength, or so the world thinks. This World Cup has corrected that misconception. Richard Kingston, who currently plays for English Premier League side Wigan Athletic, has had a string of great performances in this World Cup. In the round of 16, he made several important saves against USA to help Ghana achieve a stunning victory. Before that, in the group stages, his performances against Serbia, Germany and Australia earned him a great deal of appreciation from the Ghanaian fans and players alike.
Manuel Neuer, of Germany, has been another impressive goalkeeper in this tournament. Following in the steps of German legend Oliver Kahn, the Schalke shot-stopper was widely regarded as one of the most talented young goalkeepers coming into the tournament, and his performances have only enhanced that view. Germany have been excellent in the tournament so far, except for a slip-up against Serbia in the group stages, and Neuer has been producing great saves consistently in the tournament. The England game, in particular, highlighted his talents. An excellent shot-stopper, aided by his lightening fast reflexes, Neuer made two or three important saves to keep Germany's lead intact, and the rest was taken care of by the forwards. Two saves, in particular, deserve a special mention. The first was from Frank Lampard from close range, where he instinctively stuck out his right hand to block the shot. The second came from Steven Gerrard in the second half, when Neuer dived full length to his left and turned away a shot that looked destined to nestle in the back of the net. If the German goalkeeper keeps up his performances, it will be no time before European heavyweights come looking for his signature, since at 24, he can only get better.
Two other goalkeepers who have impressed so far have been Iker Casillas of Spain and Julio Cesar of Brazil. The inclusion of these two was always going to be a given, since they are arguably the two best goalkeepers in the world at this moment. Spain and Brazil are widely regarded as the two best teams in the tournament and having such amazing goalkeepers has a part to play in that as well. Although both keepers haven’t had too much to do in the tournament so far, when called upon, they have been excellent. In the upcoming matches, both of these players are going to be tested much more than they have been so far.
It will be interesting to see how all the keepers mentioned, and others, will react to the added pressures of the matches that are coming up. The standard of goalkeeping at the tournament has been criticized, and in fairness, there have been a number of mistakes, but as the tournament goes on, we have begun to see a different level of goalkeeping: one which fans, coaches and players alike will hope continues until the very end.
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