Goalkeeping: A Tale of Two Goats

Over the past few years, Messi and Ronaldo have essentially had the Ballon D’or, the award for worlds best player, wrapped up between the two of them. The closest players to snatch the award from the grips of the pair, as of recent, have been goalkeepers such as Manuel Neuer and Gianluigi Buffon. It is wonderful that goalkeepers are finally getting more recognition for their heroics, however I feel they deserve even more credit.

The task of the goalkeeper is simple; prevent the other team from scoring by any means necessary. Many state that it is one of the easier positions on the field to play. This is most definitely not the case. Many forget how much of a mental game that soccer is, and the tasks of the keeper is a perfect example of this. The number of technical skills as well as cognitive tasks that a goalkeeper must master is greater than any other position. Akin to a quarterback, the goalkeeper must analyze all of the game, organizing the team from the back. He must also be hyper aware of the positioning of his defenders, strategizing offside traps or sweeper roles. Then of course, you have the physical prevention of goal scoring opportunities. The goalkeeper must have speedy reflexes, a strong core, a large vertical jump, as well as fast acceleration to get off his line in order to charge opposing forwards. Goalkeeper might just be the most complex and most stressful position to play. 

As of late, many goalkeepers have been receiving accolades such as player of the month or, better yet, player of the year. Goalkeepers such as David de Gea and Samir Handanovic have proven themselves as to be able to compete with the worlds best, including the best outfield players. The reason perhaps that people forget about goalkeepers, and all they do, is probably because they are frequently to blame for goals conceded. Whilst often true, to blame the goalkeeper for every goal let in is plain wrong. Every player on the field has a defensive responsibility, and if anyone is not putting in a shift, the goalkeeper’s job is made that little bit more difficult. 

One could refer to goalkeepers as goats. Goalkeepers will forever be one of two things. They have the potential to win games, be a successful team leader, and be an integral piece to a title winning squad. They could be the “Greatest Of All Time”. However, with this power comes an equally likely situation of becoming a scapegoat instead, blamed for everything that goes wrong during a game. There is a very fine line between G.O.A.T, and scapegoat. A goalkeeper must be able to overcome bad days, escape poor form, and treat each game differently in terms of preparation, but similarly in that he should have one goal in mind; perform to the best of his or her ability, and believe that their teammates will do the same. If this is done, then a team will quickly become a force to be reckoned with.