There is always enjoyment when outfield players don the goalkeeper gloves. There are several causes for such events. The first explanation might be that a manager has utilized all of his substitute goalkeepers and his first-choice goalkeeper’s game has been abruptly ended by injury or a red card. A second would be if a first-choice goalie was injured or fired and was replaced by a second-choice goalie, who was then hurt or fired and was unable to continue, leaving no known shot-stopper on the bench or on the field. Even less frequently, an outfield player must start the game in goal because the team doesn’t have any goalkeepers available.
Find the list of outfield players who have donned the goalkeeper gloves in the past below.
Olivier Giroud – AC Milan (2023)
Olivier Giroud as a goalkeeper wasn’t something we needed to see until it really transpired. The 1-0 victory over Genoa by AC Milan included a lot of late drama, as both teams’ goalkeepers were dismissed. Genoa was fortunate to still have a substitute available and was able to insert a real goalkeeper. AC Milan had just made their final substitution, which required an outfielder to move into goal. Giroud used his gloves, and it’s a small miracle that the ensuing free kick was deflected and hit the crossbar. He didn’t have any luck, though, when he rushed out to deal with a ball over the top, got a crucial fist on it, and then smothered at the second chance. Giroud earned a spot in the goalkeeper’s second on the AC Milan website thanks to a clean sheet!
Chaker Alhadhur – Comoros (2022)
In 2022, Comoros participated in the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. Against all odds, they advanced to the round of 16 as one of the top third-place teams. They finished ahead of Ghana in their group with a 3-2 victory in the final match. Comoros, one of the tournament’s underdogs, had a lot of support from neutrals. That support grew as they got ready to play Cameroon, the tournament’s hosts, in the final round.
However, Salim Ben Boina suffered an injury in their second group stage match against Morocco, while his teammates goalies Ali Ahamada and Moyadh Ousseni both tested positive for COVID-19, making it a bad tournament for the Comoros’ goalkeepers. In order to prevent this, several teams drafted four goalkeepers, but Comoros didn’t have a fourth and chose left-back Chaker Alhadhur to start in goal.
John O’Shea – Manchester United (2007)
After Edwin van der Sar suffered an injury late in a league away game at White Hart Lane against Tottenham Hotspur, the former Manchester United defender replaced him in goal. John O’Shea went in goal since United had utilized all three of its substitutions. Even better, he produced a great one-on-one stop to help United win the game 4-0 and keep their clean sheet.
John Terry – Chelsea (2006)
Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini suffered injuries during Chelsea’s Premier League trip to Reading in what was typically an odd game. Mr. Chelsea appeared, and John Terry stepped into the goal to try to assist his team in winning on the road. He duly delivered, maintaining a clean sheet and giving the Blues a 1-0 victory. Two injured goalkeepers, two yellow cards, and a remarkably capable replacement goalkeeper.
Cosmin Moti – Ludogorets (2014)
Prior to their crucial qualification match against the champions of Romania, Steaua Bucharest, the Bulgarian champions Ludogorets had never played in the Champions League. Cosmin Moti, a center-back by trade, accepted the duty of advancing toward goal and as a result, entered Ludogorets legend. When the game proceeded to penalties, Moti converted his own attempt and stopped two others from Bucharest to advance Ludogorets to the Champions League for the first time ever. In 2015, Ludogorets renamed the “Moti stand” at their stadium in recognition of his accomplishment.
Henri Lansbury – West Ham (2012)
Whitepool and West Ham. The Championship Play-Off Final between these two teams would take place in May. West Ham coming out on top 2-1 over Ian Holloway’s team. However, earlier in the season, during a league game at Bloomfield Road. Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green was dismissed for a foul on Roman Bednar. With West Ham leading 2-1, Green’s dismissal had a real chance to ruin the outing for the traveling fan. Henri Lansbury, an ex-Arsenal youth player, took his place. Sam Allardyce regretfully declined to send a backup goalkeeper up north, which allowed Lansbury to go in.
Phil Jagielka – Sheffield United (2006)
In a game dubbed “David vs. Goliath,” a football cliche par excellence, Neil Warnock’s team faced Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal squad. When Warnock favorite Paddy Kenny hobbled off with a groin injury, Sheffield United had a 1-0 lead. Due to Warnock’s infamous lack of goalkeepers on his substitutes bench, Phil Jagielka was forced to change into a goalkeeper’s jersey and replace Kenny. Jagielka’s performance was summed up by a superb reaction stop from a Robin van Persie shot.
Alex Revell – MK Dons (2016)
MK Preston vs. Dons. 1-1. Playtime is just over ten minutes. Cody Cropper, the Dons goalkeeper, fouled Preston’s Eoin Doyle in the area as time wound down, earning him a red card. There were no further replacements, so Alex Revell went up to take the ensuing penalty kick.
Kyle Walker – Manchester City (2019)
In November 2019, City traveled to Atalanta for a competitive Champions League group stage match. The first task for the England international was to stop an Alejandro Gomez free-kick, and he succeeded in doing so, albeit without making the best of saves. That stop, meanwhile, was the first by an English goalkeeper in the competition in three years, and he went on to keep a clean sheet. However, he will undoubtedly be grateful to his City teammates for their outstanding work in maintaining the ball over the ensuing minutes. This was one of the memorable instances when one of the outfield players have donned the goalkeeper gloves.
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