5 times stars humiliated great goalkeepers

The life of a goalkeeper is never an easy one at any level of football. No position has quite so much scrutiny hanging over it, after all. If a striker goes two or three games without scoring, nobody really asks many questions, likewise if a midfielder’s rate of tackles or assists slips. But as a keeper, make an error and it can be a fatal one for your team. The pressure is huge.

It’s a wonder any goalkeepers manage to cultivate a reputation of being world-class, then, given the fact that practically all of them make mistakes every now and then. Of course, the best of the best simply don’t make mistakes at the same kind of rate as the lesser goalies.

One thing is for certain, though – however great a goalkeeper is, a great outfielder always has the ability to humiliate them with one slick shot or move. Even the very best have fallen victim to acts like this at times. Here are five times that great goalkeepers were humiliated by great players.

#1 Schmeichel doesn’t like chips

Giant Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel is recognised by most football fans – as well as his fellow professionals – as probably the greatest goalkeeper in the Premier League era and perhaps one of the best of all time, too. He won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the Champions League with Manchester United and at his peak, fans used to remark that he was worth an extra twelve points a season.

Best known for his ability to somehow appear far larger than he actually was when charging down an attacker, as well as his incredible throwing ability, Schmeichel wasn’t exactly a goalkeeper who got used to being humiliated. It did happen to him though, twice in high-profile matches, and the fact that both incidents were so similar just made it even funnier.

In the 1996 European Championships, Schmeichel’s Denmark side found themselves in trouble in their second group game against Croatia. Essentially needing a win to qualify, the Danes were instead 2-0 down going into the final minutes of the game.

Schmeichel himself decided to head up the pitch to attempt to help the attack and suddenly found himself needing to sprint back towards the goal as Croatia broke away. The ball fell to their star striker Davor Suker, and as Schmeichel attempted to make himself look as big as possible, Suker simply chipped the ball up and over the Great Dane into the empty net.

All that Schmeichel could do was collapse into a humiliated heap on the ground. It was probably the worst moment in Schmeichel’s career.....until it happened to him again just a handful of months later, this time at the hands of Newcastle’s Philippe Albert. If anything, Albert’s chip was even more humiliating – it came from way outside the box, leaving the Dane with no chance. The two goals were fantastic, but must’ve been painful for Schmeichel.

#2 Nayim beats Seaman from the halfway line

Seaman is dejected after letting the goal in

Schmeichel’s primary rival in the early 90’s Premier League was Arsenal’s David Seaman. The England international was nicknamed ‘Safe Hands’ and helped his club to numerous trophies, including the Premier League title in 1997/98 and 2000/01, four FA Cups and the UEFA Cup-Winners Cup in 1993/94. As England’s #1 he also saw success, helping his country to their only penalty shoot-out victory over Spain at the 1996 European Championships.

While he became highly fallible in the latter stages of his career – that weird period that saw him grow a ponytail and let in odd goals like the long-range effort from Ronaldinho in the 2002 World Cup and the corner-come-shot from Artem Sakiri of Macedonia, those can pretty much be excused as he was ageing at that stage.

What can’t be excused however is the humiliation Seaman suffered at the hands of Spanish midfielder Nayim, in the 1995 UEFA Cup-Winners Cup final against Real Zaragoza. The game was tied 1-1 and in the last minute of extra-time, Nayim spotted Seaman off his line and hit an audacious shot from 45 yards out. The ball sailed above Seaman and into the back of the net, leaving the England keeper with nothing to do but to stumble backwards into the net.

It was such a humiliating moment that opposing fans chanted “Nayim from the halfway line” towards Seaman for the remainder of his career, and it was made worse by the fact that Nayim had once played for Arsenal’s biggest rivals – Tottenham Hotspur.

#3 Joe Hart’s chocolate wrists

Hart looks on as the ball ends up in the back of the net after his mistake

Euro 2016 was a tournament to forget in general for England, but perhaps no player for the Three Lions had such a difficult time as goalkeeper Joe Hart. His reputation was already at stake due to the fact that his club, Manchester City, were in the midst of being taken over by Pep Guardiola, and the rumour going around was that he doubted Hart’s credentials. Perhaps the extra pressure caused the fatal errors that the goalkeeper made in the tournament.

Firstly there was Gareth Bale’s free-kick in England’s second group game against Wales. Bale hit the ball from around 30 yards out, but with very little swerve or even power if we’re honest – the shot headed largely down Hart’s throat, but what should’ve been a simple save turned into a humiliating goal as his weak wrists simply pushed the ball into the right-hand side of the goal rather than around the post. England would recover to win the game 2-1, but his next mistake proved far more costly.

With the side’s second-round tie against Iceland hanging in the balance following an equaliser from the Icelandic underdogs, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson managed to turn on the ball just inside the box and fired a shot at Hart – who again somehow managed to push the ball to his right, where it trickled into the net. It was as if Hart’s wrists were made of chocolate, unable to keep even the simplest shot out, and it led to the most humiliating defeat in England football history.

Hart was subsequently shipped out of Manchester City and while he’s somehow kept his spot for his country, his form has never quite been the same since.

#4 Messi dinks Neuer

Messi getting the better of Neuer

Right now there aren’t many better goalkeepers in the world than Germany and Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer, who’s recognised for his skills not only in keeping the ball out of the net, but also for being so useful with his feet that he’s able to start attacking moves from his own penalty box, a “sweeper-keeper” if you will. It’s quite poetic then that the man to humiliate him was none other than arguably the best player in the world right now – step forward Lionel Messi.

The occasion could hardly have been much bigger – the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals in 2014/15, it was Pep Guardiola’s big return to the Nou Camp to see his Bayern side face off with his old one, Barcelona. After the first half ended 0-0, something had to give and unsurprisingly, it was Messi who provided the inspiration. After scoring an excellent first goal, Messi then painfully humiliated Neuer – swivelling his way past Jerome Boateng before gently dinking the ball over the onrushing keeper, leaving him in a crumpled heap on the ground.

Neuer actually had a great display, making plenty of crucial saves although eventually, the game ended 3-0 to Barcelona, effectively killing the tie before the second leg, but it was Messi’s second goal that stood out in everyone’s mind and reduced the best keeper in the world into a flailing mess for a few seconds. Not that Neuer could feel bad in the end – after all, it’s hard to name a top keeper who hasn’t been humiliated by Messi in the past decade.

#5 Robben’s revenge

Robben obliterates Casillas

The Netherlands have never won the World Cup, and the closest they came was probably 2010’s tournament in South Africa. Beaten by Spain in a dreary final filled with fouls, the Dutch only lost out to an Andres Iniesta goal deep into extra-time. It could’ve been so different had Spain’s keeper been weaker – Arjen Robben had a one-on-one opportunity in the second half, but saw his shot saved brilliantly by Iker Casillas.

Evidently the experience was something Robben had not forgotten going into Holland’s group stage opener with Spain four years later in the 2014 World Cup. He even spoke about the moment haunting him prior to the game. After 2014’s edition though, it was Casillas who was left humiliated. Not only did the Real Madrid legend suffer the indignity of leaking five goals, but the fifth one – scored by Robben – was simply comical to watch.

Chasing a long ball down the pitch, Robben’s speed allowed him to outpace the Spanish defence and he rushed head on towards Casillas. Casillas came out to meet him....only for Robben to pirouette and turn away from him, leaving him on the floor. The keeper leapt to his feet and made a cartoonish, despairing dive towards Robben’s legs for a second time, but the Dutchman was simply too quick and he easily rolled the ball away before blasting it into the net.

Spain never recovered from the loss, crashing out in the group stages, and Casillas had certainly never been humiliated like that before. Robben had taken his revenge in the best way possible.