What is the KEEPERsport Goalkeeper Day?

Goalkeeper Day is a holiday by KEEPERsport dedicated to all goalkeepers. This year, we're celebrating goalkeepers for the fifth time. Apart from KEEPERsport's Goalkeeper Day, there are other holidays for goalkeepers, such as the International Goalkeeper Day celebrated annually on April 14th. However, for us at KEEPERsport, November 11th holds a unique significance as the Goalkeeper's Day.

 

 

  • Why 11.11.?

    The jersey number 1 is globally recognized as the number of the starting goalkeeper. A football team's goalkeeping trio is often referred to as Number One, Number Two, and Number Three, this isn't coincidental. Lots of active and former top goalkeepers proudly represent the illustrious Number 1. It seems logical for us to celebrate goalkeepers worldwide on 11.11.

    Our celebration extends to goalkeepers with different jersey numbers as well. A prominent current example is Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma, the goalkeeper for PSG, who has worn the number 99 since his time at AC Milan, signifying his birth year, 1999.

    Fun fact: There have been outfield players who've worn the number 1 jersey too, including Jonathan de Guzman (Chievo Verona) and Pantelis Kafes (AEK Athens).

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What are we celebrating?

Goalkeeper Day pays tribute to goalkeepers around the worlds. Too often goes a goalkeeper's performance underappreciated. Mistakes tend to stick in memory more than exceptional saves. Even if, as a goalkeeper, you've made several remarkable saves during the match, a single mistake can overshadow it all. In contrast, a forward can often redeem a poor performance with a single goal. Today, we celebrate the unsung heroes of football — the goalkeepers.

A glaring example of the goalkeeper's underappreciation can be seen in the Ballon d'Or award, with Lew Yashin remaining the sole goalkeeper ever recognized as the world's top footballer. At KEEPERsport, we're committed to giving all goalkeepers worldwide the recognition and respect they deserve, regardless of their playing level or age. That's why, every 11.11 we join with goalkeepers around the world to celebrate Goalkeeper Day, a global tribute to these unsung heroes of the game. Join the celebration of players between the posts!

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History of goalkeeping

Football has been around since 1863, it wasn't until 1903 that the position of goalkeeper came to be. In the initial rulebook of 1863, any player could handle the ball. Following a rule change in 1871, only one player was allowed to handle the ball and advance it to the halfway line. Since this player was still officially considered an outfield player, they often wore a cap to distinguish themselves from others on the field. At that time, field players could swap with the designated ball-handler during the game with a signal to the referee and the exchange of the cap.

From 1903, the penalty area was defined, and goalkeeper clothingwas introduced, solidifying the goalkeeper's role. Until the 1920s, bare hands were used to play, before the first goalkeeper gloves came into use. These early gloves were primarily made of leather or wool. It wasn't until the 1970s that companies started producing goalkeeper gloves with latex grip elements, marking a significant turning point in their development.

Fun fact: The first patent for goalkeeper gloves was actually filed by the British inventor William Sykes in 1885, nearly 90 years before the industry became interested in manufacturing goalkeeper gloves.

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