Powerful ideas, courage and fearlessness, the interesting qualities of goalkeepers, show natural leaders. The team's last line of defence, like the throat of fate, was tightly held by the goalkeeper.
Don't dare to neglect for a moment, and the price may not be borne. The goalkeeper has no extravagant luxury seats and no time to look into the distance. Imagine a lazy goalkeeper humming a minor tune and fantasizing about the chic after the game. Then the tall and strong striker suddenly broke into the box and eliminated the defender. Standing too far, the goalkeeper out of position, the ball into the net, it will be a fatal mistake. Previous performances don't matter anymore.
Young people love to wear messi and Götze's jerseys for a variety of reasons. Dribbling is like a leisurely stroll, scoring goals is like a numb. Who doesn't love them? The answer is the goalkeeper. Goalkeepers are natural defenders, occasionally attracting attention for extreme saves, but they are always blockers, striving for stability and steadfastness, and the electric flint and magical flow experience do not belong to them. At the same time, if they "give in" to any of the balls, it will attract fans and journalists to the goalkeeper's famous clubs. The only one who is more unpopular than them is the referee.
Personal failure
The old birds among goalkeepers often call themselves "goalkeepers" because most of them did not initially choose this position. To this day, less talented and less astute children are placed as goalkeepers. Children who actively choose goalkeepers often follow their father's advice. Everton Club and U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard recalls his childhood: "At the age of 10, I was assigned as a goalkeeper for the first time because I was the tallest in the team and I quickly fell in love with a new role. ”
Goalkeepers mature quickly, and they have to fight personal setbacks every week, which is not easy. Sometimes a game is played in a draw, which is also seen as a failure of the goalkeeper. Young goalkeepers have been in big clubs for a long time, experienced competitive matches and can quickly establish a style.
140 kg goalkeeper
Players who are timid by nature can also mix in the position of winger, and it is almost impossible to be a goalkeeper. The goalkeepers are on their own, tenacious and bold. Situations where personality factors influence more than technical ability arise from time to time. That's how the shining moments in football's history came about.
For example, William Falk (1874-1916), a prominent pioneer of Sheffield United in England. His most shocking trait: a weight of 140 kilograms. This "big" figure once threw his opponent roughly into a puddle and sat up. Paraguayan goalkeeper Chilawite did something similar, with the hot-tempered goalkeeper spitting in Robert Carlos' face during a post-match handshake. Then there's Iquita of Colombia, whose most famous moment was "Scorpion Tail Swing", where he made an amazing flip save at Wembley – jumping up and hooking the ball off with his feet. The coaches are said to be annoyed by this.
Field outlier
Goalkeepers trying to describe how it feels to play to others, often ending up going around in circles, are hard to understand. It's hard to imagine that before the 1980s, goalkeepers could only train when the team was resting, and the training sessions could only be swung around the sidelines.
"Goalkeepers are a separate system," Meyer said, "and when I became a goalkeeper coach, I noticed that we didn't have much contact with the rest of the team. "Most teams have goalkeepers train independently, they have fixed partners, coaches, train under a separate system, focusing on jumping power, positioning, coordination, space management, timing, throwing skills, reflexes, ball control, fitness and speed. Many people are still amazed that goalkeepers have a good level of physical fitness. This is a necessary quality for attacking players, and the same is needed by goalkeepers. The size of the goalkeeper does not go out of shape. Sepp Meyer hated odd numbers and once leapt out to catch ducks running into the field while also providing a pastime for the stadium.
6 km per game
Tim Howard can demonstrate how stressful it is to maintain such a high level of concentration. This American was born with Tourette syndrome, with his arms and neck twitching and spasming from time to time. However, when an opponent appears in the penalty area with the ball, Howard will involuntarily concentrate and the convulsions will subside. "Doctors can't explain how this phenomenon happens," Howard said, "and it seems that my attention level far outweighs the effects of Turret syndrome." ”
Just as strikers are expected to show magical moments, goalkeepers face particularly difficult psychological challenges, and training in this area is very beneficial. Swiss goalkeepers seek advice from climbers. Few athletes maintain the same energy as climbers, who compete with gravity and face life-and-death choices.
Fearless Planica
The young goalkeeper was cautioned not to follow in the footsteps of Frantižek Planica. A former Czechoslovak, he was born in Prague in 1904. The rescuer never risked his own safety, several of his ribs, collarbone and arm were broken, and he frequently endured finger and head injuries. Nicknamed "The Cat of Prague", he broke his arm during a quarter-final match against Brazil in 1938 and held out until the end of the match, even playing extra time, which was his last international experience, after which he was forced to retire.