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.
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.
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.
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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.
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