Ben Foster is the guy we all want to be.
At least, according to his teammate Troy Deeney.
Ben Foster, Watford’s No. 1 goalkeeper (not to be confused with the American actor of the same name), is fourth in the Premier League in saves with 78, the highest of any Englishman. He’s worked his way through the ranks, having signed by Sir Alex Ferguson from Stoke City in 2005 at the age of 22, only to struggle for top-flight match time.
With the Super Bowl chalking up its lowest-scoring game in history, it’s only fitting that Sunday’s European football action was dominated by some equally adept defensive displays (apart from Manchester City’s dominant, 19-shot performance vs. Arsenal).
On Monday, Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon celebrated his 41st birthday. The man with 176 international appearances to his name is now chasing his personal Holy Grail — the UEFA Champions League title — with Paris Saint-Germain, but recent reports suggest that the birthday boy will carry on playing past his 42nd birthday.
Everything about this from Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes is simply sensational. First, the circumstances: This is a meeting between third and fourth in Ligue 1. Ultimately, third place gets a shot at the Champions League next season, fourth has to settle for qualification to the Europa League.
Saint-Étienne came into this match in third and played the role of hosts at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Things couldn’t have gone better for the home side in the opening period of play with Romain Hamouma opening the scoring in the 21st minute.
Remember Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand? During last summer’s World Cup, he garnered global attention when denying Cristiano Ronaldo his fifth goal of the tournament with a save from the penalty spot.
On the strength of 11 saves from goalkeeper David de Gea, Manchester United earned a 1-0 victory over Tottenham at Wembley with Marcus Rashford’s 44th minute goal proving the match-winner after a sensational assist from Paul Pogba. The victory continued Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s perfect start, and he’s now the first United manager ever to win his opening six games on the trot.
Before his arrival, United sat 11 points behind the top four. That gap has diminished to just six while the club currently sits level with Arsenal on 41 points.
Before Saturday, 37-year-old Elliot Morris had made 722 appearances for Belfast club Glentoran FC of the Norther Ireland Football League Irish Premiership. That was just fine, considering he’s a goalkeeper.
Nursing a 1-0 lead in the Liga MX final, Club América goalkeeper Agustín Marchesín knew what he had to do. After a sensational run by 20-year-old Cruz Azul midfielder Roberto Alvarado, the ball ended at the feet of Édgar Méndez.
Marchesín rushed out and took the ball off the feet of Méndez before he could get a shot off and potentially equalize in the 59th minute, and then the 30-year-old Argentine goalkeeper let Méndez have an earful. Referee Cesar Ramos rushed forward to separate the two, but in doing so, he gently touched the arm of Marchesín.
Yesterday, 19-year-old AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made his 100th consecutive Serie A appearance for the club, a streak which began during the 2015-16 season. It’s a feat that doesn’t make much sense for a teenager plying his trade at the seven-time European champions. It's mind-boggling.