I enjoyed 13 successful seasons at Anfield, becoming the most decorated goalkeeper in league history. But I believe the match-fixing scandal arose because the press did not like this person they perceived as arrogant and who had a reputation for clowning around in games. Goalkeepers aren’t supposed to do that.
Neuer is the world’s No.1 keeper and can be used as a role model for all young keepers. He has everything a goalkeeper needs to have.
As a goalkeeper, you always expect every team to give you nightmares.
You’re always supposed to follow-up any cross or whatever towards the goalkeeper.
I know I’m a good goalkeeper.
When I played in Holland, I always tried to lob the goalkeeper. People used to say, ‘Oh, you’re always only trying to make a nice goal’. But I said, ‘Listen, if the goalie is a little bit off his line, how much space do you have on his left or right?’ It’s not a lot. ‘And how much space do you have above him?’
I wasn’t good-looking like the heroes. But I had a good physique having been a goalkeeper. I was like a panther.
Play the pass at the right moment – not on a dry pitch and not hitting it hard enough. We don’t have to accept it; that was a mistake – no goalkeeper should dribble in this situation.
We believe defending is very much a team job, and we can’t just rely on a back four and a goalkeeper.
Football is a fertility festival. Eleven sperm trying to get into the egg. I feel sorry for the goalkeeper.
If you’re a goalkeeper, it doesn’t matter what you save the ball with – if you keep it out, it’s not a goal.
First of all, I am and I remain a goalkeeper, but I try to be involved as much as I can and to help the defenders. I try to read dangerous situations in advance.
Freak mistakes happen sometimes as a goalkeeper that if you make them, then it’s always going to bite you.
If you are making mistakes at centre-back then inevitably that results in an effort on your goal and your goalkeeper has to make a save.
There is always a case as a goalkeeper, if you make an error, it will lead to a goal.
When you do things wrong, even a couple of mistakes, the press has the right to criticise. Much more so when you’re a goalkeeper – who remain in the spotlight forever.
If we win 1-0, I don’t care if the goalkeeper scores.
If you look at my professional history as a goalkeeper, I’m not somebody who makes many.
There’s a difference between a young goalkeeper and an experienced goalkeeper. In a pressure situation, an experienced goalkeeper can handle the situation in a calm manner.
Obviously, I couldn’t imagine that my career would go so well. When I first started, I wanted to play out of goal. But there was no goalkeeper, and the coach put me in goal.
As for being the best goalkeeper in the world, it’s been written occasionally, but I’d never say it myself.
I would prefer to play left-wing, striker or even goalkeeper – any other position – rather than sitting on the bench as a central midfielder.
It’s a good thing to interact with a top goalkeeper who has so much experience in the Premier League.
The coach put me in goal, and back then, we were playing on bone-hard ground: red ash; we even trained on black ash, which was worse. That’s not easy for a goalkeeper. My mother was always taking out her sewing kit for the countless holes in my training pants. For a long time, I had to buy my own gear.
It’s about being steady and taking the rough with the smooth, but that’s life as a goalkeeper.
The role of a goalkeeper in Pep’s team is like the 11th outfield player on the pitch, in terms of the build-up, the pressing. I think it’s more difficult. There is a bigger responsibility because you can’t afford to make any mistakes. If you do, it probably ends in an opposition goal.
Neuer is of course the best goalkeeper in the world.
Every old goalkeeper loses a step at some point, but you can gain that back through experience.
I didn’t like to wear the same clothes as everyone else. I wanted to be special, also because I knew I needed something else. I found it more fun to play as a goalkeeper than any other position.
I know I’ve put myself in a position to develop and grow and become the best goalkeeper and person that I can be.
Why did I choose to be a goalkeeper? I don’t know – it is good question. I have asked myself many times when things have not being going well.
People from outside don’t know how difficult it is to be goalkeeper.
Everybody makes mistakes, but when goalkeepers make them, it is costly. That’s the nature of being a goalkeeper.
After matches, the highlights show mostly the goals, scoring chances, assists. The spectator tends not to remember that, as a goalkeeper, I make difficult saves at great risk and start moves with my efforts.
I never look at the goalkeeper’s eyes.
As a goalkeeper, you like to be called upon.
It’s difficult to love a goalkeeper. He is invisible, and is only in the limelight when he makes a blunder.
I enjoyed the position I was in as a tennis player. I was to blame when I lost. I was to blame when I won. And I really like that, because I played soccer a lot too, and I couldn’t stand it when I had to blame it on the goalkeeper.
The best part of a goalkeeper is that when you are the second choice you get to gain a lot of experience by sitting outside and watching.
There are so many things that a goalkeeper coming to the Premier League has not experienced in a different league.
I would always like to be a goalkeeper.
De Gea is a great goalkeeper. He is excellent.
It’s about being steady and taking the rough with the smooth, but that’s life as a goalkeeper.
Since myself and a few others like Pepe Reina, we haven’t had a goalkeeper who has commanded his area as well as Alisson.
People from outside don’t know how difficult it is to be goalkeeper.
As a goalkeeper, you’ve got to have mental toughness, and that’s one thing I’m good at.
I regard Buffon as one of the best goalkeepers in the history of football. He is a legend for me, a fantastic man, and an excellent goalkeeper.
The biggest thing I have taken away from these two years at Roma is the fact I grew as a goalkeeper.
I hate players who always play the ball back to the goalkeeper.
What goalkeeper doesn’t like a little action?
The mental aspect of being a goalkeeper is very important so you have to go into the game with full concentration and confidence. That is a big part of your game and the Premier League is the most demanding league for any goalkeeper.
As a goalkeeper, you want to be the best, but you can only get better by playing games, making saves, and putting in man-of-the-match performances.
My first obsession was actually sports. I was a very good handball goalkeeper. With special permission, I played in the premier league in Germany before I was even old enough.
As a goalkeeper, I’m well aware that any mistake can be magnified by the fans. But it’s true that here at Manchester United, there’s added pressure.
It is important to have the attitude and self confidence to be Barca’s goalkeeper, and that I’ve got.
I turned goalkeeper. My father had been one and we had a goal in the back garden. He’d taught me a bit about it so I thought I’d give it a go. I didn’t really know whether it was going to be a good choice or a bad one but I joined a small local team as a keeper and it turned out to be a really good decision.
As a goalkeeper, Van der Sar can do everything. He is very good at coming off his line, and he is also effective as a libero – what they call in England a ‘sweeper keeper.’
Being a father brings with it a lot of responsibilities, just like being a goalkeeper does.
The goalkeeper is very, very important, as much as a striker. Anyone who wants to win a title has to have a goalkeeper.
Paolo Maldini never won, but he was the best defender in the world. Gianluigi Buffon never won; he was the best goalkeeper in the world for many years. But this is the story of the Ballon d’Or.
I choose to be a goalkeeper.
Every old goalkeeper loses a step at some point, but you can gain that back through experience.
To be a modern goalkeeper, I have to think offensively, to initiate our attacking moves safely and securely.
You can’t win any trophies unless you’ve got a top goalkeeper.
When I started, I was a striker for the first few months. Our goalkeeper didn’t show up once, and the team was asked who wanted to fill in for him. No-one really wanted to, but I thought it would be an interesting challenge, so I agreed to do it.
I have always seen myself as a Real Madrid goalkeeper and have never doubted my ability.
As for being the best goalkeeper in the world, it’s been written occasionally, but I’d never say it myself.
If you face the goalkeeper, you have to wait for him to go and then put the ball in the other side. It’s easy to say it but not so easy to do it when you are in the 88th minute of a game. So you must practise.
As a goalkeeper you need to be good at organising the people in front of you and motivating them. You need to see what’s going on and react to the threats. Just like a good manager in business.
Buffon may be a bit smaller, but he has everything that you want from a great goalkeeper. He relays his confidence to his defence, and they feel that they have a great keeper behind them. Everybody can make mistakes, but his consistency level is amazing. You never see him have a bad game.
