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A goalkeeper’s role in any team is significant; as the last line of defence, it often falls on his shoulders to make key saves to keep the team in the game, or to prevent the opposition from scoring a goal that would see a shift in momentum.
While initially a goalkeeper was only expected to have exemplary shot-stopping abilities, the evolution of the game has seen a need for ‘ball-playing’ goalkeepers, and those who know how to take command of their penalty area and organise the defence to help the team. Take the example of the likes of Manuel Neuer at Bayern or Ter Stegen at Barcelona; both excel at every aspect of the goalkeeping department.
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Usually, when a game is won, credit might rightly go to the goalscorers or defenders for a solid showing, while ignoring the performance of a goalkeeper entirely. But if a game is lost, then every aspect of the goals conceded is scrutinised unforgivingly with the blame falling squarely on the shoulders of the man donning the gloves.
Here, we take a moment to appreciate the men who win us some invaluable points during the course of the long season and highlight the top 5 best saves of all time.
#5 Heurelho Gomes triple save vs Bolton Wanderers (Bolton Wanderers vs Watford 2014/15)
Video credit: WatfordFCOfficial
Gomes is a keeper known for his outstanding reflexes and throwing ability, winning the Eredivisie 4 times with PSV before moving to England with Tottenham. His burgeoning reputation took a hit at White Hart Lane, with a few blunders widely criticised and performances not quite up to the standard for a team with ambitions for a Champions League spot.
A brief stint at Hoffenheim followed and he eventually left for Watford upon the expiry of his contract.
His clutch moment in his first season in the Championship came against Bolton Wanderers in February 2015. With the game evenly poised at 2-2, and a little over 20 minutes to go, Liam Feeney’s shot from outside the box was well saved by Gomes.
But with Adam Le Fondre prowling, Gomes had to be on his toes to deny the striker. The ball then fell to Zach Clough, whose drive was again saved by a sprawling Gomes, completing a hat-trick of incredible saves. Watford went on to win that game 3-4 and eventually won promotion into the Premier League.
#4 Joe Hart save vs Manchester United (Manchester City vs Manchester United 2008/09)
Video credit: TechWayPro
The 2010/11 season was when Joe Hart truly began to lay claim to the title of one of the best goalkeepers in the world, keeping 18 clean sheets as he won the Golden Glove award. He then went to win another Golden Glove the next year as City tasted top-flight success for the first time in 44 years.
While he seems to have been unfairly cast away by Guardiola, his time at City saw him win 2 league titles, 2 league cups and an FA Cup.
He made many match-winning saves in his tenure at the Manchester club, but the most incredible one will have been his save against Wayne Rooney’s shot during a Premier League encounter with arch-rivals, United in 2008. United were leading through a Rooney goal, but with Ronaldo having been sent off, City were pushing for an equaliser.
Having gone up for a corner, Van der Sar’s save saw the ball ricocheting in and around the box before a mistake gifted the ball to Giggs, who played it into Rooney’s feet. Hart furiously sprinted across the pitch to somehow keep Wazza’s audacious lob out of the net, with the save getting even more incredible the more times you watch it.
#3 David Seaman vs Sheffield United (Arsenal vs Sheffield United 2002/03)
Video credit: FATV
David Seaman was arguably the Gunners’ greatest ever goalkeeper, donning the gloves during one of the most successful periods in their history during the 90’s and early 2000’s. His performances with the English national team during Euro 96 saw him drafted into the team of the tournament and he won 3 league titles, 4 FA Cups, 4 Community Shields, a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and a League Cup with the north London side.
His greatest save probably came during the FA Cup semi-final encounter with Sheffield United in April 2003, with the keeper even admitting that he felt the same. Taking into consideration that Seaman was 39 at the time makes his save all the more incredible.
With only 6 minutes of the semi-final remaining and Arsenal holding a slender 1-0 lead, a Sheffield corner taken by Michael Tonge saw Paul Peschisolido seemingly have a simple tap-in a yard from goal. But Seaman, making his 1000th appearance in senior football, would instinctively snap out his right-arm, preventing the equalizer and preserving the Gunners’ lead.
Arsenal would of course, go on to beat Southampton in the finals to win the FA Cup and give Seaman a hero’s sendoff.
#2 Iker Casillas save vs Sevilla ( Sevilla vs Real Madrid 2009/10)
Video Courtesy: Kiradoll
We’ll cheat a bit here and take into consideration two of Casillas’s saves against Sevilla in the league during the 2009/10 season. Real were already trailing 1-0 on the night and a second goal would have probably killed the tie. With hardly a minute or so left for half-time, Sevilla won the ball in midfield and attacked down the left-flank with Perotti.
His cross was met with a thunderous header by Renato, with Casillas pulling off a miraculous save to prevent it from going in and Madrid going into the break with only a one goal deficit. Immediately after the restart, Sevilla would attack down the flanks again, and a ball across the box found the goal gaping wide open and presenting an easy tap-in opportunity.
But Casillas would again deny the hosts, making a desperate dive to prevent what would have surely been a second goal. Madrid would go on to lose the game 2-1, but those 2 saves will live on in memory for a long time to come.
#1 Rene Higuita vs England (England vs Colombia 1995)
Video credit: FATV
Rene Higuita was a part of the golden generation of Colombia expected to win the 1994 World Cup. While things didn’t pan out as intended for the national side with the raging drug war in the country a perilous distraction, Higuita was a revolutionary goalkeeper, often going up to take free-kicks and penalties, scoring an incredible 41 goals in his club career and also 3 with his national team.
Nicknamed ‘El Loco’ (The Madman), his eccentric playing style and taking of unnecessary risks saw him equally adored and criticised.
However, his biggest claim to fame is his invention of the scorpion kick, a clearance where the keeper jumps forward, positions his leg over his head and in doing so, kicks the ball away with his heels. His successful execution of the kick against Jamie Redknapp’s shot in a friendly with England in 1995 will go down as one of the most iconic moments in footballing history (even though if we’re being pedantic, the linesman had already flagged for offside).
His trick earned him considerable media attention and was also ranked 94th in Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Sporting Moments in 2002.
