He is a beloved patron saint of the Red Devils, the holder of a record of not conceding goals in five leagues in a row, and a good husband who takes good care of his wife. He's Van der Sar and today is his 51st birthday, and together we wish him a happy birthday!
Van der Sar joined Manchester United from Fulham at the age of 34 and has played 266 games for the Red Devils over the next six years to complete 135 clean sheets, winning four league titles, one League Cup, one Champions League and one Club World Cup; three selections for the Premier League's Season's Best Squad and one UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year.
Did you know that after United lost Peter Schmeichel in 1999, Van der Sar's name was associated with Manchester United? Recalling the situation, Van der Sar said: "I think United may have hesitated. I told Ajax that I wanted to leave the team in the summer of 1999, after which I visited several European clubs. ”
"I also went to Liverpool and it was a rainy day, so it didn't seem attractive to me. Later in Turin, I talked to my coach and my agent, and we basically agreed to join Juventus. Then we got to the airport and we got a call from Manchester United asking if we wanted to come over. To be fair, it was a bit too late. In that case, I wanted to stick to my promise, so I chose to join Juventus anyway. ”
"But the experience was different from what I expected, so two years later I left and Fulham showed some interest in me. I had a fantastic four years at Fulham and I didn't expect to stay that long. I was lucky and happy, but then I received a voice message from Sir Alex Ferguson and he asked me to call him back. ”
"I have a lot of great memories at Manchester United. Our defence was outstanding and that's a credit to the whole team. Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were still growing, Carrick was our stronghold, we had Giggs, Gary Neville and Scholes, and for me it was a joy to play for this club. ”
"In some races you don't have much to do, but in that moment when you need to stand up, you need to be ready at all times. As a team, we have strength, strength and ambition. No matter who is standing in front of me, we can play well. It's amazing to be a part of the history of this club! ”
Vandersa Knowledge Q&A
How well do you know about Van der Sar?
The following five questions, can you answer them all correctly?
01
In what year did Van der Sar win the Champions League for the first time in his career?
A.1992
C.1994
B.1993
D.1995
02
In the 2008–09 season, Van der Sar broke the Premier League record for consecutive goals not conceded. How many minutes did he not concede goals at that time?
A.1011
C.1611
B.1311
D.1811
03
In May 2007, Van der Sar saved a penalty in the Manchester City derby to help the Reds beat their opponents 1-0 away from home. Who did he save the penalty?
A. Vassell
C. Dikov
B. Harman
D. Ireland
04
Van der Sar played his final game at Old Trafford, who was the opponent at the time?
A. West Ham United
C. Blackpool
B. Tottenham Hotspur
D. Sunderland
05
How many games has van der Sar played for the Dutch national team?
A.120
C.140
B.130
D.150