All goalkeepers are known to be a little crazy. Being a goalkeeper is a very unique and special job, and it’s certainly not a role built for everyone. Isolation, individual responsibility, and sheer physicality inherent to being a soccer goalkeeper makes this a difficult position to be in on the field .
Goalkeepers are trained differently, they work twice as hard and they require to be twice as fit as the average field player. A massive range of different skills and attributes are required to become a solid goalkeeper. In some cases it may come naturally, but most have to be learned over the course of years of hard training.
A short description of the role would be: Goalkeepers are the last line of defense. Their job is to guard their goal and keep a “clean sheet”, stopping the opposing team from scoring goals, and instructing the line of defense in order to help them achieve this goal on stopping the strikers from the other team to score.
One of the most important remnants of the goalkeeper role is that they can use their hands. While field players will be penalized (and the opposing team awarded a foul) for touching the ball with their hands, goalkeepers rely on the use of their hands massively and their hands are always protected by Goalkeeper Gloves. This unique handling advantage is only applicable inside the team’s 18 yard box. outside their box, the handball laws apply to the Goalkeeper as well.
Keepers are responsible for dealing with various types of shots, crosses, high balls, low balls, headers, saving free kicks and penalties, and of course scooping up any balls that come their way. For these reasons, all goalkeepers wear specially designed goalkeeper gloves that protect their hands and add grip to help them control the ball better on impact.
Included in the Goalkeeper “job” besides making saves, is that of distributing the ball in a number of situations. Over and under-arm throws (overthrow and bowling) are an important aspect of distribution in particular when the team is looking to start a quick counter attack from the 18 yard box, as are goal kicks. Goalies will often take any free kicks that are awarded within their own defensive third of the field.