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Gary Speed once said, "Everybody makes mistakes, but when goalkeepers make them, it is costly. That's the nature of being a goalkeeper."
A goalkeeper can't win a match for his team, he can only save it. They might have pulled off some blinders in the past, but most of them will be remembered, only for their blunders. We have seen some crazy howlers in the past and let's take a look at five game-changing errors by a goalkeeper that cost their teams the title.
#5 Oliver Kahn: Germany 0-2 Brazil - 2002 World Cup Final
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Oliver Kahn put up a flawless display throughout the entire tournament, conceding just a single goal until the final, which earned him the Lev Yashin Award for the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
The world's best goalkeeper at that time, he had single-handedly guided his team to the final, and they were all set to battle it out against the mighty Brazilians. In the final, Brazil knew they had a mammoth obstacle to overcome in the form of Kahn, who was in the best form of his life, to keep their dreams alive.
Everything looked under the control of the Germans for 66 minutes, but then, one error from their captain proved to be the gamechanger. The German shot-stopper had fumbled a fierce shot from Rivaldo, and he spilt it right into the path of Ronaldo, who put the ball into the goal to give Brazil the lead. Though he had played the match with torn ligaments in his right ring finger, he refused to blame the injury for his mistake.
At the end of the game, leaning against the left post and staring into oblivion, Kahn looked shattered and watched the Brazilians lift the trophy, stonefaced. Kahn was still awarded the Golden Ball for his exceptional efforts throughout the tournament and became the first goalkeeper in history to win the prestigious award.
#4 Luis Arconada: Spain 0-2 France - Euro 1984 Final
After a lacklustre display in the 1982 World Cup in Spain, the Spanish Armada set out to rediscover their magical touch in the 1984 Euros. They had a 5ft 8in wizard in their squad and was called the 'El Pulpo' (the Octopus), Luis Arconada, who was their secret weapon.
He had a nervous outing during the World Cup, but the Spanish captain redeemed himself by inspiring his team to the finals of Euro 1984. Spain had been going through one of their darkest phases, but to end their 20-year wait, they had an uphill task to accomplish: defeat France on their turf, at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
The French team was best remembered for the famed Carré Magique: Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana, Luis Fernandez, and Michel Platini. Platini was in staggering form, finding the back of the net eight times in the entire tournament. Throughout the tournament, Arconada had been exceptional, but much like Oliver Kahn in the 2002 World Cup final, one costly goof up in the second half changed the entire landscape.
The French were awarded a freekick, right outside the penalty box and Platini was entrusted with the kick. 'Le Roi's' effort slipped under the body of Arconada into the corner of the net, gifting the Les Blues the much-needed breakthrough they would have never relinquished.
Elation for the French captain, dejection for his Spanish counterpart.
#3 David Seaman: Arsenal 1-2 Real Zaragoza - 1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final
David Seaman may have been one of the best shot-stoppers in Arsenal history, but he had a night to forget in the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final against Real Zaragoza at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. Real Zaragoza scored the winning goal in the last minute, but the goal had two huge talking points associated with it.
The winning goal was struck from the halfway line (yes, 45 yards out), and it sailed over Seaman’s head in the last minute of extra-time. It will always be the biggest mistake of Seaman's illustrious career. The other reason still hurts the Arsenal fraternity, a lot.
The goal was scored by former Tottenham Hotspur player, Mohammed Alí Amar, or more popularly known to the footballing world as, Nayim. Spurs fans were quick to come up with a way to taunt their north London rivals, and 'Nayim from the halfway line' still echoes in Seaman's mind.
#2 Loris Karius: Liverpool 1-3 Real Madrid - UEFA Champions League Final 2018
The latest addition to this list of game-changing howlers is Liverpool keeper, Loris Karius. He has a dubious distinction of goofing up twice in the same match. Karius made two horrendous mistakes in the second half that changed the course of the match and against a formidable side like Real Madrid, one such mistake can change the entire landscape.
Five minutes into the second half, Karius was looking to casually roll the ball to one of his teammates, but his action was rightly anticipated by Benzema who stuck out a boot and managed to get a decent touch to steer it inside the left post. Five minutes later, Karius heaved a huge sigh of relief as Sadio Mane's tap-in levelled the proceedings for the Reds.
Gareth Bale, who was brought in for Isco at the hour mark, directed the ball into the back of the Liverpool net with an acrobatic bicycle-kick, leaving Karius with no chance. Liverpool was desperately looking for a second goal, but Karius sealed the fate of the Reds as he failed to keep out Bale's thunderous shot from distance that he really should have at least punched clear.
The young German keeper was in tears after the full-time whistle, and these two mistakes could very well define his entire future.
#1 Moacir Barbosa Nascimento: Brazil 1-2 Uruguay - 1950 World Cup Final
"In Brazil, the most you get for any crime is 30 years. For 50 years I’ve been paying for a crime I did not commit. Even a criminal when he has paid his debt is forgiven. But I have never been forgiven,” this statement was reportedly made by the Brazilian goalkeeper Moacir Barbosa Nascimento few days prior to his death.
Voted by the journalists as the best keeper of the 1950 World Cup, Barbosa was regarded as one of the greatest of that generation. Before the final game against Uruguay, Brazil needed only a draw to lift the trophy, thanks to the bizarre final group format at that time.
Rio newspaper O Mundo had declared the team ‘World Champions’, tournament founder Jules Rimet had prepared a congratulatory speech in Portuguese, and the team members were even presented with gold watches in the changing room. But then, disaster struck.
The game was an evenly contested affair right till the 78th minute, with the scoreline reading 1-1. 'Los Charrua' went 2-1 up and sealed the fate of the match, thanks to the weak anticipation made by the Brazilian shot-stopper.
He took a step to his right and was hoping for Alcides Ghiggia to make a cross. Instead, he shot low towards the near post. Despite making a valiant effort, the shot crept in, and the 200,000 people at the newly built Maracana were in utter disbelief. Barbosa had cost Brazil their first World Cup.
Brazilians still call it 'el Maracanaço' (The Maracana blow), and Barbosa suffered for the rest 50 years of his life. He was never forgiven and was known to the future generations as 'The Man who made all of Brazil cry'. Once, he was not even allowed to enter Brazil’s training camp as he was considered to be a bad omen.
