A Year In Goalkeeping - 2012
Now crowds have returned and live football has again resembled the real world, we haven’t felt the need to boot the time machine up in a little while. At the risk of gathering dust we thought that we would give it a spin.
If you’re still reeling from an England penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy in a European Championships, have just seen a successful Olympic games for Great Britain and are listening to doomsday sayers all too regularly, you may be forgiven for thinking nothing has changed. That is where you are wrong.
Welcome back to 2012...
Kit - England
If you think losing to Italy on penalties in a European Championship is a new thing, think again. Back in 2012 England lost in the same manner after a 0-0 draw in the Euro quarter final, thanks in part to a cheeky paneka by Andrea Pirlo.
Joe Hart wore a controversial red shirt in that game, but it was the change kit England he wore from 2012-13 that was the most eye-catching.
In the early 2010’s goalkeeper shirts were typically simple designs, but Umbro’s turquoise St George’s cross pattern was slightly more daring. A mix of varying shades of turquoise and green, this is one of England’s more iconic goalkeeper shirts in recent times, despite the lack of success it would feature in.
Transfer - Hugo Lloris, Lyon to Tottenham
Hugo Lloris was one of Andre Villas Boas’ first signings as Tottenham manager, but the World Cup Winner has far outlasted his former boss. In the summer Lloris will have reached a decade with the club that he has served with distinction.
Signing for £8million from Lyon, the Frenchman has been linked with many big money moves since and must be considered as one of the best purchases of Spurs’ recent history.
Lloris already had 30 France caps to his name when making the move to North London in the summer of 2012 and was lauded as the answer to Tottenham’s goalkeeping worries. It’s safe to say he lived up to expectations.
Performance – Petr Cech - Chelsea v Bayern Munich- Champions League Final
So Italy beat England on penalties at the Euros and Chelsea won the Champions League? Are you sure it's not 2021?
Whilst Edouard Mendy kept a clean sheet in Chelsea’s win over Manchester City in May, Petr Cech boasts the finest goalkeeping performance in the Blues’ European history.
Back in May 2012, Chelsea, who had only finished 5th in the Premier League that season, were unsurpisingly under the cosh in the final against Bayern Munich in the Bavarian’s own backyard.
Cech was magnificent as Roberto Di Matteo’s men took the Germans to extra time, pulling off some great saves.
The most significant was an extra time penalty from former teammate Arjen Robben in extra time which gave Chelsea within grasp of an unlikely European victory.
Cech’s penalty heroics did not stop there and saved crucially from Ivica Ollic and Bastian Schweinsteiger, having agonisingly missed out on Bayern’s first three penalties despite diving the right way.
Didier Drogba slotted home the winning penalty and the glory for Chelsea.
In Other News... Casillas makes history
In 2012 Iker Casillas made history by being the first ever goalkeeper to lift three consecutive international honours after Spain thrashed Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final.
By this point the Real Madrid icon had taken the captain’s armband from Carlos Puyol and so was the one to lift the historic trophy for arguably the greatest international side of all time.
Casillas was heralded as the catalyst for Spanish victory by uniting Barca and Real factions within the side, following disparaging comments made by Xavi before the tournament.
Iker Casillas rightly cemented his status as one of the very best of all time.