Why the Goalkeeper Is the Backbone of a football Team

Football can be cruel sometimes. You often see midfielders and forwards earn the big bucks and receive the lion’s share of the love of the supporters. Sure, they provide a lot of entertainment with their skill and goals are considered to be the bread and butter of football.

However, you need more than that if you want to win. As the saying goes, attack wins you games, but defense wins you titles. And there’s hardly a more important defensive position than the goalie. He is the backbone of the defense and the whole team for a number of reasons.

What does the Goalkeeper Do?

If you want the short and obvious version of this question, the goalkeeper is the one who protects your own goal so the opponent doesn’t score. But we all know that, so let’s try to dig a bit deeper.

For a start, the goalie is the only player that is allowed to use his/her hands, although only in the penalty area. This is the reason why this position is so crucial in protecting the goal. The ability to catch or prevent shots with your hands gives you power no one else on the pitch has.

Furthermore, the goalie is literary the last line of the defense. He’s responsible for stopping all shots and players that have passed the defenders. This usually happens only a couple of times during each football game, but it’s of monumental importance for the end result.

Why Is the Goalkeeper So Important?

Obviously, every player on the team is important and can influence the final score. However, football/soccer is a very low-scoring sport by nature. One game lasts for 90 minutes (+ extra time) and usually only a goal or two separate both teams at the end. This makes each goal, scored or conceded, crucial.

No Room for Error

No player on the pitch has less room for error compared to the goalie. Even the slightest mistake would often lead to a goal and could change the influence of the game. For example, the goalkeeper could be perfect for 85 minutes, spill one cross at the end, and be responsible for his team’s loss. It’s extremely painful to lose your game like that, so you should include such a potential factor in your analysis.

At the same time, a striker could miss a couple of easy chances and score at the end to bring victory and become a hero. It’s cruel, but every action of the goalie could ruin his team which can’t be said for any other position on the pitch. Especially in modern football, where coaches like Pep Guardiola require their keepers to play well with their feet and pass the ball around instead of simply kicking it.

Finally, there are games where the goalie won’t be tested for large periods of time. If your team is dominating, you could spend 30 or 40 minutes doing nothing. Keeping your concentration for that one time you will be needed can be extremely hard.

As a result, the keepers are often the players with the toughest mentality out there. Some of the best in the world are borderline crazy, because the pressure is immense. The majority of the most scrutinized mistakes in the history of soccer were by goalies.

Organizing the Defense

On top of his individual responsibility, the goalie needs to be a leader on the pitch. The position gives him a clear view of all players and enables him to spot potential dangers early on.

A good goalkeeper would take full advantage and command the whole defense by shouting orders throughout the game. He is responsible for the positioning of both the center backs and the full backs.

Another crucial part of the duties of a goalie includes dead-ball situations. He is the one who decides how many players are required for the wall when there’s a free kick. Also, he’s the one supposed to set up the defense during corners and other situations when a cross is expected.

Mental Influence on the Rest of the Team

If the goalkeeper is a solid leader, the whole defense plays much better. Obviously, they have a better awareness as stated in my last point, but there’s more than that.

The outfield players won’t feel pressured and in fear of mistakes if they trust their goalie. If he’s able to bail the defenders, they are more confident and play better overall.

The opposite is also true. You can instantly see when the defense doesn’t believe its goalkeeper. You will see many mistakes, panic plays, and the reluctance to trust the last man under any circumstances. This is a certain recipe for a disaster.

Please Note:

According to some players themselves, this also affects the strikers on a team. If they believe the defense and the goalkeeper can do a solid job, they are more efficient because they can afford to actually miss a chance or two. This improves their composure a lot. Again, if that’s not the case there’s immense pressure.

From an experts perspective, backing teams in such a situation can be a huge disaster. You will often see them dominate games, score goals, and still end up drawing or losing because of comical errors at the back. Furthermore, you will see them in a complete meltdown under pressure because they have a weak backbone.

Who Are the Best Goalies Out There?

Let’s take a closer look at some of the best goalkeepers in the world and see what they did to earn their reputation:

Hope Solo

In 2015, the American women returned to the FIFA World Cup in Canada determined to secure the most coveted trophy in their sport for the first time since 1999. Hope was brilliant in group play, allowing just one goal in three contests as the U.S. emerged as the top seed. Hope claimed her spot as the world’s best goalkeeper with three more shutouts in the knockout stage as the USWNT breezed into the World Cup final. There, they were met by a familiar foe in Japan—but they left no doubt in the championship rubber match. It took just 16 minutes for the U.S. to take an insurmountable 4-0 lead, which Hope held easily on the other end of the pitch as the USWNT prevailed 5-2 to become World Cup Champions.

Hope is a staple in the USWNT record books. She holds the single-season and career record for most goalkeeper wins at 26 and 153, respectively. She also boasts the most career shutouts at 102, as well as the longest undefeated streak by a goalkeeper at 55 consecutive matches, spanning from 2002-2008. No. 1 has also made more appearances and starts than any other keeper at 202 and 192, respectively.

Manuel Neuer – Germany and FC Bayern Munich

The German is a living legend of the game that has won pretty much everything. He has a bunch of Bundesliga titles and German Cups,  Champions League, and has won the World Cup which is by far the biggest trophy in international football.

Neuer is known as one of the best one-on-one goalies in the history of the sport. This was evident during the Champions League and the World Cup finals he played in. There were multiple chances for the opposition strikers to score, but Neuer was able to quickly cut the angles and make it as hard for them as possible. His contribution was immense and he is one of the few keepers who actually get a lot of credit by the fans and the media.

Gianluigi Buffon – Italy and Juventus

Buffon is one of the examples that an exceptional goalkeeper can play for a long time. The guy is 42 and still ranks among the best in his position. He has a bunch of individual and team trophies, most notably 8 Italian titles, 4 Italian Cups, and a World Cup. He’s lost a couple of Champions League finals which is the only major trophy that has been out of his reach.

It would be hard to pinpoint a specific skill that makes Buffon so special. He simply is the complete goalkeeper. Exceptional reflexes, the mentality of a champion, an excellent command of the defense are just a couple of the attributes that make him so good.

David De Gea – Spain and Manchester United

When Manchester United bought David De Gea from Atletico Madrid, a lot of people had doubts if he will adapt to the more physical Premier League. Initially, he had some issues with crosses. Through hard work and his growing confidence, De Gea has developed into one of the finest goalkeepers in the world.

He’s been arguably the most consistent Manchester United for a couple of years in a row. De Gea is an excellent all-around keeper, but has one quality that is simply phenomenal. In my opinion, he is the best shot-stopper in the whole world. We’ve seen that in the Premier League games. The Spaniard matched the EPL record with 14 saves. As it stands, De Gea only has one EPL title, two Europa League trophies, and one FA Cup. This is bound to change in the future, as the Spanish number one is only 29 which is peak, of a goalie.

Ederson – Brazil and Manchester City

Some people would probably say it’s a blasphemy to put Ederson on this list. The guy is still only 24 and doesn’t have the success of the other players, but he looks like the hottest prospect out there. For a start, he already won the Portuguese title and the EPL trophy.

He’s been crucial for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola for a couple of reasons. For a start, his time as an outfield player means that he’s exceptional when it comes to passing the ball. Ederson has drawn comparisons to the legendary Franz Beckenbauer which is insane for a goalkeeper!

It’s not only about that, though. He is a brave shot-stopper and superb one-on-one specialist that is able to keep his focus even in games where he’s not involved for most of the time. Considering the dominating style of Manchester City, he’s the perfect fit. If he can stay consistent, he Ederson will certainly become a legend sooner rather than later.

Final Words

As you can see, the goalies are essential in soccer. One or two mistakes can cost you a lot, while a solid keeper could actually bail you in even the most desperate situations. The quality of the players in this position is especially important in close games that could be decided by goal or two. Don’t underestimate that.