Search GKGrades.com

Monday, June 28, 2010

GK Ratings for Round of 16 - Brazil vs. Chile

Final: Brazil 3, Chile 0
Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 55
06/28/2010

Julio Cesar
Brazil National Team, #12
GK Rating: 100.6 


World Cup 2010 GK Profile: Julio Cesar
Minutes: 90
Touches: 24
Tests: 2
Goals Allowed: 0
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 6
Exceptional Saves: 0
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 1.000
Save % + PKs: 1.000

Claudio Bravo
Chile National Team, #16
GK Rating: 67.6 


World Cup 2010 GK Profile: Claudio Bravo
Minutes: 90
Touches: 23
Tests: 4
Goals Allowed: 3 (25th min, 38th min, 59th min)
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 2
Exceptional Saves: 2 (74th min)
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.571
Save % + PKs: 0.571

GK Ratings for Round of 16 - Netherlands vs. Slovakia

Final: Netherlands 2, Slovakia 1
Durban Stadium, Durban, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 54
06/28/2010

Maarten Stekelenburg
Netherlands National Team, #1
GK Rating: 105.4 


World Cup 2010 GK Profile: Maarten Stekelenburg
Minutes: 90
Touches: 34
Tests: 4
Goals Allowed: 0
PK Goals Allowed: 1 (94th min)
Routine Saves: 1
Exceptional Saves: 2 (67th min, 67th min)
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 1.000
Save % + PKs: 0.950

Jan Mucha
Slovakia National Team, #16
GK Rating: 90.9 


World Cup 2010 GK Profile: Jan Mucha
Minutes: 90
Touches: 31
Tests: 4
Goals Allowed: 2 (18th min, 84th min)
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 6
Exceptional Saves: 2 (50th min, 52nd min)
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.800
Save % + PKs: 0.800

GK Ratings for Round of 16 - Argentina vs. Mexico

Final: Argentina 3, Mexico 1
Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 53
06/26/2010

Sergio Romero
Argentina National Team, #22
GK Rating: 86.6 


World Cup 2010 GK Profile: Sergio Romero
Minutes: 90
Touches: 30
Tests: 3
Goals Allowed: 1 (71st min)
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 6
Exceptional Saves: 0
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.857
Save % + PKs: 0.857

Oscar Perez
Mexico National Team, #1
GK Rating: 73.0 


World Cup 2010 GK Profile: Oscar Perez
Minutes: 90
Touches: 23
Tests: 3
Goals Allowed: 3 (26th min, 33rd min, 52nd min)
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 3
Exceptional Saves: 2 (37th min, 92nd min)
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.625
Save % + PKs: 0.625

Sunday, June 27, 2010

GK Ratings for Round of 16 - USA vs. Ghana

Final: Ghana 2, USA 1
Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 51
06/26/2010

Richard Kingson
Ghana National Team, #22
GK Rating: 120.5 


World Cup 2010 GK Profile: Richard Kingson
Minutes: 120
Touches: 43
Tests: 2
Goals Allowed: 0
PK Goals Allowed: 1 (62nd min)
Routine Saves: 12
Exceptional Saves: 4 (35 min, 47 min, 67 min, 76 min)
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 1.000
Save % + PKs: 0.988

Tim Howard
United States National Team, #1
GK Rating: 86.1 


World Cup 2010 GK Profile: Tim Howard
Minutes: 120
Touches: 36
Tests: 2
Goals Allowed: 2 (5th min, 93rd min)
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 7
Exceptional Saves: 1 (37th min)
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.800
Save % + PKs: 0.800

Saturday, June 26, 2010

GK Ratings for Round of 16 - Uruguay vs. South Korea

Final: Uruguay 2, South Korea 1
Port Elizabeth Stadium, Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 50
06/26/2010

Fernando Muslera
Uruguay National Team, #1
GK Rating: 99.8 


World Cup 2010 GK Profile: Fernando Muslera
Minutes: 90
Touches: 31
Tests: 4
Goals Allowed: 1 (68th min)
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 6
Exceptional Saves: 2 (59th min, 87th min)
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.889
Save % + PKs: 0.889

Jung Sung Ryong
South Korea National Team, #16
GK Rating: 61.8 


Minutes: 90
Touches: 20
Tests: 2
Goals Allowed: 2 (8th min, 80th min)
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 10
Exceptional Saves: 0
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 1 (8th min)
Critical Errors: 1 (8th min)
Error Rate: 0.045
Critical Error Rate: 0.045
Save %: 0.833
Save % + PKs: 0.833

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Diego Binaglio of Switzerland Ranks As Best World Cup Keeper Through Game 1

The following table represents the GoalkeeperGrades.com GK RatingTM for the first games in the 2010 World Cup. The GK RatingTM, borrowed from the concept of a passer rating or quarterback rating in the NFL, is a cumulative measure of the total performance of a goalkeeper. GK RatingTM is an algorithm calculated using each goalkeepers's total touches, tests, goals allowed, PK goals allowed, routine saves, exceptional saves, PK Saves, errors, and critical errors. A GK Rating does not have a maximum or a minimum, but a rating of 100 or above is considered to be exceptional. A GK Rating below 80 is considered poor.

Download Complete Statistical Table (.pdf)

GK.Name Squad Opponent GK.Rating
Diego.Binaglio Switzerland Spain 121.1
Vincent.Enyeama Nigeria Argentina 114.4
Jung.Sung.Ryong South Korea Greece 106.2
Tim.Howard USA England 106.0
Fernando.Muslera Uruguay France 105.8
Richard.Kingson Ghana Serbia 105.7
Maarten.Stekelenburg Netherlands Denmark 105.5
Samir.Handovic Slovenia Algeria 102.9
Itumeleng Khune South Africa Mexico 101.4
Claudio Bravo Chile Honduras 100.8
Sergio Romero Argentina Nigeria 100.7
Manuel Neuer Germany Australia 100.7
Eduardo Portugal Ivory Coast 100.6
Boubacar Barry Ivory Coast Portugal 100.5
Federico Marchetti Italy Paraguay 100.1
Thomas Sorensen Denmark Netherlands 98.4
Hugo Lloris France Uruguay 94.6
Noel Valladares Honduras Chile 93.3
Justo Pillar Paraguay Italy 92.2
Oscar Perez Mexico South Africa 90.5
Eiji Kawashima Japan Cameroon 90.0
Alexandros Tzorvas Greece South Korea 88.2
Ri Myong Guk North Korea Brazil 87.2
Hamidou Souleymanou Cameroon Japan 86.7
Jan Mucha Slovakia New Zealand 85.6
Mark Paston New Zealand Slovakia 79.5
Mark Schwarzer Australia Germany 77.6
Vladamir Stojkovic Serbia Ghana 75.6
Julio Cesar Brazil North Korea 75.4
Faouzi Chaouchi Algeria Slovenia 72.9
Robert Green England USA 68.1
Gianluigi Buffon Italy Paraguay 50.2
Iker Casillas Spain Switzerland 46.9
AVERAGE 91.7

Here are some statistical insights on goalkeeper performance after each nation's first match...


Highest Save %:
Diego Binaglio, Switzerland (1.000 - 11 saves)


Lowest Save %:
Gianluigi Buffon, Italy (0.500)


Highest Exceptional Save %:
Diego Binaglio, Switzerland (1.000 - 4 exceptional saves)


Most Involved GK:
Mark Paston, New Zealand (42 touches & tests)


Least Involved GK:
Julio Cesar, Brazil (13 touches & tests)*


Most Saves:
Ri Myong Guk, North Korea (12)


Highest Error Rate:
Eiji Kawashima, Japan (0.107)


Highest Critical Error Rate:
Iker Casillas, Spain (0.095)


* Italy's Buffon and Marchetti each logged 12 touches and tests, but only played 45 min each due to Buffon's injury.

If GAA was the primary statistic in use, Mark Schwarzer (Australia) would be last on the list with a GAA of 4.000. Anybody who watched this match would understand that this is further proof that GAA is not a proper measure of goalkeeper performance. Schwarzer's stat line of the match against Germany reads as:

GK Rating: 77.6
Touches &; Tests: 40
Goals Allowed: 4
Routine Saves: 6
Exceptional Saves: 2
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0

Your performance measure should be significantly affected when you let 4 goals get by, but it shouldn't necessarily rank you as the worst GK on the list. Schwarzer's GK Rating
TM ranks him as 27th out of 33 goalkeepers who saw time in match 1.


Hamidou Souleymanou - Cameroon National Team - FIFA World Cup - 06.14.2010

Final: Japan 1, Cameroon 0
Free State Stadium, Mangaung/Bloemfontein, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 10
06/14/2010



GK Rating: 86.7 
Hamidou Souleymanou
Cameroon National Team, #16 

Minutes: 90
Touches: 40
Tests: 1
Goals Allowed: 1
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 6
Exceptional Saves: 0
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.857
Save % + PKs: 0.857

Eiji Kawashima - Japan National Team - FIFA World Cup - 06.14.2010

Final: Japan 1, Cameroon 0
Free State Stadium, Mangaung/Bloemfontein, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 10
06/14/2010



GK Rating: 90.0 
Eiji Kawashima
Japan National Team, #21 

Minutes: 90
Touches: 26
Tests: 2
Goals Allowed: 0
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 5
Exceptional Saves: 0
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 3
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.107
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 1.000
Save % + PKs: 1.000

Tim Howard - United States National Team - FIFA World Cup - 06.12.2010

Final: England 1, United States 1
Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 5
06/12/2010



GK Rating: 106.0 
Tim Howard
United States National Team, #1 

Minutes: 90
Touches: 35
Tests: 5
Goals Allowed: 1
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 6
Exceptional Saves: 3
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.900
Save % + PKs: 0.900

Monday, June 21, 2010

Robert Green - England National Team - FIFA World Cup - 06.12.2010

Final: England 1, United States 1
Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 5
06/12/2010



GK Rating: 68.1 
Robert Green
England National Team, #12 

Minutes: 90
Touches: 39
Tests: 1
Goals Allowed: 1
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 2
Exceptional Saves: 1
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 1
Critical Errors: 1
Error Rate: 0.025
Critical Error Rate: 0.025
Save %: 0.750
Save % + PKs: 0.750

Itumeleng Khune - South Africa National Team - FIFA World Cup - 06.11.2010

Final: Mexico 1, South Africa 1
Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
World Cup 2010, Match 1
06/11/2010



GK Rating: 101.4 
Itumeleng Khune
South Africa National Team, #1 

Minutes: 90
Touches: 24
Tests: 4
Goals Allowed: 1
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 4
Exceptional Saves: 2
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 1
Errors: 0
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.000
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.875
Save % + PKs: 0.875

Oscar Perez - Mexico National Team - FIFA World Cup - 06.11.2010

Final: Mexico 1, South Africa 1
Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa
FIFA World Cup 2010, Match 1
06/11/2010



GK Rating: 90.5
Oscar Perez
Mexico National Team, #1
 
Minutes: 90
Touches: 30
Tests: 5
Goals Allowed: 1
PK Goals Allowed: 0
Routine Saves: 6
Exceptional Saves: 1
PK Saves: 0
Exceptional Plays: 0
Errors: 1
Critical Errors: 0
Error Rate: 0.029
Critical Error Rate: 0.000
Save %: 0.875
Save % + PKs: 0.875

Sunday, June 20, 2010

The New Era of Goalkeeping Statistics

It is a wide-spread belief that the standard set of goalkeeping statistics are not a proper measure of goalkeeper performance. Looking at the stat sheet following a game can be very deceiving. The box score might read that a goalkeeper only had 2 saves which makes the reader believe that the GK was not very involved in the match... when in actuality that same GK may have had 30+ touches on the ball.

The traditional 'Shots on Goal' does not include every dangerous ball that is played into the goal area. The traditional 'Saves' only represents a limited subset of diffused chances that are directly related to the already skewed 'Shots on Goal' statistic.

Goals Against Average (GAA) is possibly the most useless statistic of them all. Great goalkeepers can play on bad teams and average goalkeepers can play on great teams. The GAA stat does not provide visibility into anything outside the number of times the ball ends up in the net. There is a place for this statistic at the team level, but should not be used as the primary measure of goalkeeper performance.

As Americans, we feel the need to track statistics for all aspects of sport to help measure team and individual performances as well as give sports talk radio a reason to exist. Because I have background in information systems, business intelligence, and goalkeeping, I feel compelled to make an attempt at the development of a proper quantitative and more comprehensive approach for measuring goalkeeper performance.

With that said, I will be using the World Cup as a testing ground to measure the following set of metrics and periodically reporting on the results.

  • Touches: Number of times the GK physically touches the ball. A metric to measure the involvement of the GK in the game. Every touch is an opportunity to make an error. Includes goal kicks, back passes, set plays, saves, etc...
  • Tests: Another metric to measure the involvement of the GK in the game. Contrary to a Touch, a Test is where the GK does not physically touch the ball. A test can include a goal allowed or a ball that hits the post. Also includes any situation where a GK is forced to make a play on the ball. Includes any situation where the GK directly or indirectly affects the result of a challenge withough touching the ball. Breakaways where the GK makes a play on the ball and the ball is shot off-target is a good example of a test.  
  • Goals Allowed: Goals allowed during the course of normal play. Does not include goals converted via penalty kick.
  • Penalty Kick Goals Allowed: A separate goals allowed metric to identify instances where the odds of scoring are heavily favored towards the offensive team.
  • Penalty Kick Saves: Helps to identify GK's who specialize in this area of the game.
  • Routine Saves: Includes all saves made where the general expectation is that these saves should be made by the GK during the normal course of play. Includes all situations where the GK diffuses a direct chance on goal or an indirect opportunity such as a dangerous cross or through ball. GK's should be given credit for all saves... not just the ones that are a result of shots on goal.
  • Exceptional Saves: Great goalkeepers keep their squads in games by making a couple saves every game that could easily result in a goal for the other team. This subjective call by the statistician is a count the number of times a GK has made an incredible save. Penalty Kick Saves, Routine Saves, and Exceptional Saves are summed to create the Total Saves statistic.
  • Exceptional Plays: Occasionally goalkeepers can be credited with an exceptional play that falls outside the traditional role of goalkeeper. This category counts all other exceptional plays that should be identified as part of goalkeeper performance. This would most likely include distribution the directly leads to a goal, moving forward to create a direct chance at goal, scoring, etc...
  • Errors: Borrowed from baseball, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a goalkeeper faulting on a play in a manner that opens up an opportunity for the opposition to make a play, when such a play should have been prevented given ordinary effort by the goalkeeper.
  • Critical Errors: Errors that lead to a goal allowed.
  • Error Rate: A measure of Errors against the sum of Touches + Tests.
  • Critical Error Rate: A measure of Critical Errors against the sum of Touches + Tests.
  • Save Percentage: A measure of goals allowed during normal play (not including penalty goals) against against the sum of Routine Saves + Exceptional Saves. Save percentage has long been a staple statistic, but the GKGrades version is thought to be a better representation because saves include all situations where the GK diffuses a direct chance on goal or an indirect opportunity rather than just shots on goal.
  • Save Percentage + PKs: A measure of goals allowed against against the sum of Routine Saves + Exceptional Saves + Penalty Saves. For purposes of this stat, 1 penalty kick goal is weighted at only 25% of a goal allowed in normal play.
  • GK RatingTM:  Borrowed from the concept of a passer rating or quarterback rating in the NFL.  A GK RatingTM is a cumulative measure of the total performance of a goalkeeper. GK RatingTM is an algorithm calculated using each goalkeepers's total touches, tests, goals allowed, PK goals allowed, routine saves, exceptional saves, PK Saves, errors, and critical errors. A GK Rating does not have a maximum or a minimum, but a rating of 100 or above is considered to be exceptional.  A GK Rating below 80 is considered poor.




Friday, June 11, 2010

World Cup GK Profile: Óscar Pérez (Mexico)

Óscar Pérez
Squad No: 1
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 36
Birth Date: Feb 1, 1973
Birth Place: Mexico City, Mexico
Height: 5' 9" (1.74m)
Weight: 159 lbs (72 kg)
Club: Jaguares (MEX)
International Caps: 52

Club History
Jaguares (MEX): 2009-
Tigres (MEX): 2008-2009
Cruz Azul (MEX): 1993-2008



from Wikipedia (full wiki)
Óscar "El Conejo" Pérez Rojas is a Mexican football goalkeeper who formerly played for the Mexican team, Cruz Azul .

He was capped 46 times for the Mexican national team between 1997 and 2005. He played four games at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and was selected for the 1998 FIFA World Cup but never played. He has been the starting goalkeeper for Cruz Azul since 1997 when they won the championship in the 1997 Winter Season. More Recently he has been awarded for staying at the club for 400 appearances, making it a record. But now he has moved to UANL Tigres and has now been the starter of 4 games in the Apertura 2008. After spending 1 year at Monterrey, now he moved to Jaguares de Chiapas.

Oscar was noted to be the best goalkeeper in Mexico from the years of 1998 to early 2002. Once Javier Aguirre left the Mexican team, Ricardo Lavolpe became coach, and Oswaldo Sanchez took over his spot. For the world cup 2010 Perez was called up again following several impressive showings in friendlies leading up to the competition.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

2010 World Cup Goalkeepers - By The Numbers: Size



2.82
The largest goalkeeper at the World Cup is Australia's Mark Schwarzer.   At 6' 5" and 217 pounds, Schwarzer carries 2.82 pounds for every inch of height.  The 37 year old "socceroo" recently helped Fulham reach the Europa League final and has been linked to a possible transfer to Arsenal.




Next on the height-to-weight ratio list is Tim Howard (USA/Everton) at 2.80 pounds per inch. 


74
The average and median height of the goalkeeping pool at the 2010 World Cup is 6' 2" (74 inches).


6
6 of the 32 projected starters at the goalkeeping position are under 6 feet tall.   This group includes Lee Woon-Jae (South Korea), Justo Villar (Paraguay), Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria), Boubacar Barry (Ivory Coast), Khune Itumeleng (South Africa), and Noel Valladeres (Honduras).


6' 6"
At 6' 6" (78 inches), the tallest starting goalkeeper at the 2010 World Cup is 36 year old Konstantinos Chalkias of Greece.

5' 10"
At 5' 10" (70 inches), the shortest starting goalkeeper at the 2010 World Cup is 33 year old Noel Valladeres of Honduras.  Noel's idol was former Mexico goalkeeper Jorge Campos, who was extremely short by current international standards at (5' 6" or 65 inches).   Valladares shares another notable trait with Campos in that they are both very skilled with the ball at their feet.   Both men began their careers playing striker.

UPDATE:  5' 9"
With Perez making the start over Ochoa in the first match vs. South Africa, Oscar Perez of Mexico is the shortest starting goalkeeper at 5' 9".




2.169
The smallest goalkeeper at the World Cup is the Ivory Coast's Boubacar Barry.   His 5' 11" and 154 pound frame calculates as 2.169 per inch of height. 




Country Goalkeeper Age Height Weight lbs/inch
Australia Mark Schwarzer 37 6' 05" 217 2.82
USA Tim Howard 31 6' 03" 210 2.80
Italy Gianluigi Buffon 32 6' 03" 205 2.73
Ghana Richard Kingson 31 6' 00" 192 2.67
Cameroon Carlos Kameni 26 6' 01" 190 2.60
England David James 39 6' 05" 200 2.60
Slovakia Jan Mucha 27 6' 02" 192 2.59
Denmark Thomas Sorensen 33 6' 04" 196 2.58
Chile Caudio Bravo 27 6' 00" 185 2.57
New.Zealand Mark Paston 33 6' 05" 198 2.57
Spain Iker Casillas 29 6' 01" 187 2.56
S.Korea Lee Woon-Jae 37 5' 11" 181 2.55
Slovenia Samir Handanovic 25 6' 05" 194 2.52
Honduras Noel Valladares 33 5' 10" 176 2.51
Algeria Lounes Gaouaoui 32 6' 02" 185 2.50
Portugal Eduardo 27 6' 02" 185 2.50
S.Africa Khune Itumeleng 22 5' 11" 176 2.48
Nigeria Vincent Enyeama 27 5' 11" 174 2.45
Paraguay Justo Villar 32 5' 11" 174 2.45
Netherlands Maarten Stekelenburg 27 6' 04" 185 2.43
Serbia Vladimir Stojkovic 26 6' 05" 187 2.43
Argentina Sergio Romero 23 6' 04" 183 2.41
Switzerland Diego Benaglio 26 6' 04" 183 2.41
Brazil Julio Cesar 30 6' 01" 174 2.38
Germany Manuel Neuer 24 6' 03" 176 2.35
N.Korea Ri Myong-Guk 23 6' 02" 174 2.35
Greece Konstantinos Chalkias 36 6' 06" 181 2.32
Japan Seigo Narazaki 34 6' 02" 168 2.27
Mexico Guillermo Ochoa 24 6' 00" 159 2.21
France Hugo Lloris 23 6' 02" 161 2.18
Uruguay Fernando Muslera 23 6' 03" 163 2.173
Ivory.Coast Boubacar Barry 30 5' 11" 154 2.169


Mark Schwarzer's World Cup Destiny: From Sydney to Stuttgart

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

2010 World Cup Goalkeepers - By The Numbers: Age & Experience

22
The age of the youngest starting goalkeeper in the 2010 World Cup.  South Africa's Khune Itumeleng is 22 years old.   Itumeleng has 26 caps under his belt, more than Sergio Romero (Argentina), Hugo Lloris (France), and Fernando Muslera (Uruguay) combined.   Romero, Lloris, and Muslera are all 23 years old and have combined for a total of 22 international appearances.
39
David James (England) is the oldest projected starter at 39 years old.   Unfortunately, James may not get to start in the 2010 World Cup as a minor knee injury has sidelined the Portsmouth keeper.  This may force Fabio Capello to place the 30 year old Robert Green between the sticks.   Green has only 10 international appearances while James has recorded 50 international appearances.  England players reportedly want manager Fabio Capello to name David James as his first choice goalkeeper during the 2010 World Cup.


130
South Korea's Lee Woon-Jae is the most capped goalkeeper starting in the 2010 World Cup.  The 37 year old Woon-Jae has accumulated 130 caps since the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.    Lee will be one of two players (other being Rigobert Song of Cameroon) to be part of a 2010 World Cup squad that also played in 1994 World Cup.





5
The German squad had always had a history of carrying experienced goalkeepers into the World Cup (Schumacher, Kahn, Meier).  2010 will be different as the 24 year old Manuel Neuer, with only 5 senior international appearances, will assume the starting goalkeeping role for a program that has finished 4th place or better in 11 of 16 World Cups (Germany was banned from 1950 and withdrew from 1930).  

Neuer's 5 caps may be the least of the starting World Cup goalkeepers, but he is the most capped GK on the German squad over Hans-Jörg Butt (3), and Tim Wiese (2).  
The probable choice as the German No. 1 prior to 2010, Robert Enke, committed suicide in 2009 while battling depression.









Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Roster of Projected Starting Goalkeepers for 2010 World Cup

With the first game of the World Cup just days away, GKGrades.com has compiled a list of probable starting goalkeepers for each of the participating countries.

There are still a few starting jobs in limbo...
Click on the GK name for a full profile...

Country No. Goalkeeper Age Caps
Algeria 1 Lounes Gaouaoui 32 48
Argentina 22 Sergio Romero 23 6
Australia 1 Mark Schwarzer 37 74
Brazil 12 Julio Cesar 30 48
Cameroon 1 Carlos Kameni 26 55
Chile 1 Caudio Bravo 27 43
Denmark 1 Thomas Sorensen 33 86
England 1 David James 39 50
France 1 Hugo Lloris 23 10
Germany 1 Manuel Neuer 24 5
Ghana 22 Richard Kingson 31 78
Greece 1 Konstantinos Chalkias 36 26
Honduras 18 Noel Valladares 33 72
Italy 1 Gianluigi Buffon 32 101
Ivory.Coast 1 Boubacar Barry 30 45
Japan 1 Seigo Narazaki 34 76
Mexico 13 Guillermo Ochoa 24 37
Netherlands 1 Maarten Stekelenburg 27 27
New.Zealand 1 Mark Paston 33 23
Nigeria 1 Vincent Enyeama 27 54
North.Korea 1 Ri Myong-Guk 23 33
Paraguay 1 Justo Villar 32 73
Portugal 1 Eduardo 27 14
Serbia 1 Vladimir Stojkovic 26 33
Slovakia 1 Jan Mucha 27 15
Slovenia 22 Samir Handanovic 25 38
S.Africa 16 Khune Itumeleng 22 26
S.Korea 1 Lee Woon-Jae 37 130
Spain 1 Iker Casillas 29 103
Switzerland 1 Diego Benaglio 26 27
Uruguay 1 Fernando Muslera 23 6
USA 1 Tim Howard 31 50

Popular Posts