Edwin Van Der Sar is the undisputed best goalkeeper. Life after the end of a football career

Edwin van der Sar can be called a unique footballer without any exaggeration - his career peaked between the ages of 35 and 40, the age when most players leave football.

Edwin van der Sar

Country: Holland.
Position: goalkeeper.
Born: October 29, 1970
Height: 197 cm.

Biography and career of a football player

Edwin was born in the small town of Voorhout, located in the province of South Holland, where he also began playing football in local clubs. Since childhood, he was much taller than his peers, so somehow it happened by itself that he got into the gate.

“I played in the amateur children’s team for two years, and once the coach said:“ You know, you are the tallest, get into the goal. ” Then I thought, "This is the last time I play football," Edwin later recalled.

It is not known how van der Sar's fate would have developed if the then coach of Noordwijk had not been on a short leg with Louis van Gaal and advised him to pay attention to the young goalkeeper.

"Ajax"

1990-1999

So van der Sar ended up in Ajax, and a little later Louis van Gaal became the head coach of the team. Despite this, Edwin two and a half years had to sit behind Stanley Menzo, the second at that time, after van Breckelen, goalkeeper of the Dutch national team.

Only in the middle of the 1992-1993 season did van der Sar take his place at the Ajax goal, but he took it firmly, remaining the permanent guardian of the Amsterdam club's goal for seven years.

Despite being tall, even for a goalkeeper, van der Sar had good jumping ability and excellent reaction. "Van der Saiv" - such a nickname was given to him by his teammates. And in terms of kicking, Edwin is still one of the best goalkeepers in the history of world football.

The best for both the club and the goalkeeper was the 1994-1995 season, when he won the national championship, as well as the European Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup, and Edwin van der Sar was recognized as the best goalkeeper in Europe.

By the way, speaking for Ajax, van der Sar scored a goal against De Graafschap, having converted a penalty. it is impossible to name it, of course, but also one scored ball not every goalkeeper has a track record.

Juventus

1999-2001

The transition to the strongest championship at that time was undoubtedly a step forward, especially considering that Ajax players began to actively buy up richer clubs, especially since thanks to the decision in the Bosman case, the existing limit on legionnaires was canceled.

Van der Sar spent two seasons at Juventus and spent them on high level... I repeat, Serie A was the strongest at that time. European league, and Juventus twice became the second in the championship in those years, losing a point to Lazio for the first time, and two to Roma in the second.

By the way, it is interesting that the then coaching club Carlo Ancelotti because of van der Sara even changed the tactics of the team's game when switching from defense to attack. The fact is that in the Dutch championship goalkeepers traditionally took part in the beginning of the attack, and van der Sar, accustomed to such a game from childhood, played great with his feet.

“At first, I was required to immediately knock the ball away from the goal. But now the coach knows that I can start a sharp attack, and uses this quality of mine,” the goalkeeper himself explained.

In general, foreign goalkeepers, given the level of the Italian goalkeeper school, have a very hard time in the Apennines. Van der Sar, for example, became Juventus' first legionary goalkeeper.

Before the start of the 2001-2002 season, Juventus acquired Gianluigi Buffon, and the club's management made it clear that the main stake would be made on him. Therefore, van der Sar left Turin.

Fulham

2001-2005

At the time of his transfer to Fulham, van der Sar was already 30 years old - the age for the goalkeeper was far from critical, but this transfer was perceived by many as the beginning of the decline of the Dutch goalkeeper's career.

“Yes, he plays in the elite championship, but big clubs don't need it anymore,” fans and experts reasoned about this.

So it was at first - Edwin van der Sar spent four seasons in the “summer residents”, while remaining the main goalkeeper of the Dutch national team, and Fulham's highest achievement over the years was 9th place in the championship.

But everything changed overnight.

"Manchester United"

2005-2011

In the summer of 2005, van der Sar ended up at Manchester United, which for several years, after leaving, experienced problems at the No. 1 post.

It was not clear that they decided to solve this problem with the help of a 35-year-old goalkeeper, last years who played not for the strongest club. And many even openly laughed at this transfer.

But Sir Alex knew what he was doing, otherwise he would not have been a great coach. In the person of van der Sar, "Manchester United" acquired the most reliable rear, and the fans forgot about the goalkeeper problem for six years. Four championship titles were won by the Red Devils in van der Sarom at goal.

And the Dutchman himself has updated several "eternal" records for the number of "dry" minutes. First, the Premier League record set by Peter Cech fell (van der Sar did not miss 1,032 minutes in a row). Edwin then set the England championship record since 1979 (1103 clean minutes), then surpassed the British record (1212 minutes), and finally the world record with 1311 no conceded minutes in the national championship.

It was in 2009, and it is not surprising that that season Edwin van der Sar was named the best goalkeeper in Europe for the second time in his career, and achieved this at the age of 38. And a year earlier, van der Sara's save in a penalty shoot-out with Chelsea London brought Manchester their third-ever European Cup.

Van der Sar's farewell to Manchester United could have turned out not only beautiful, but outstanding, or something (I don't even know which epithet is more appropriate). Last time he entered the field with the Red Devils on 28 May 2011 in the Champions League final against Barcelona. Alas, United lost that match, and I must admit that they lost on business.

Netherlands squad

1995-2008

In 1994, Edwin van der Sar in the Dutch national team went to the World Cup in the United States, but only as a reserve goalkeeper. And he played his first match for the national team on June 7, 1995.

The debut turned out to be not the most successful - the Dutch lost in the match qualifying tournament the national team of Belarus. But the trouble is the beginning: later van der Sar became the first number of the "orange" team for a long 13 years, taking part in four European championships and two world championships ( world championship 2002, the Dutch missed), where he was invariably the main goalkeeper.

The Dutch have left three of the six tournaments after being defeated in a penalty shootout. Particularly offensive were the defeats in the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup against Brazil and Italy.

According to many fans, the Dutch national team was the best team at those tournaments, and deserved to win at least one of them. And here I have heard reproaches against van der Sar: if only he knew how to reflect a penalty ...

Yes, come on! Not a single goalkeeper has ever lost a penalty shootout. The goalkeeper can win it, but the field players always lose, because the chances of a kicker from 11 meters are incomparably higher than the chances of a boxer.

After the 2008 European Championship, Edwin van der Sar announced his retirement from the national team, but played for it two more matches in the qualifying cycle.

Edwin van der Sar's farewell match

And the legendary goalkeeper said goodbye to big football on August 3, 2011. At the Amsterdam Arena stadium, Ajax and the Dream Team played for which Van der Sar's former partners in Manchester United and the Dutch national team played.

Edwin himself also played for Dream, which won with a score of 2: 1.

Edwin van der Sar titles

Team

Four-time Dutch champion.
Three-time Dutch Cup winner.
Three-time Dutch Super Cup winner.
Four-time champion of England.
Two-time FA League Cup winner.
Three-time English Super Cup winner.
Two-time Champions League winner.
Winner of the UEFA Cup.
Winner of the European Super Cup.
Winner of the Intercontinental Cup.
Bronze medalist of the European Championships in 2000 and 2004.
Semi-finalist of the 1998 World Cup.

Individual

The best goalkeeper in Europe in 1995 and 2009.
The best goalkeeper in Holland 1994-1997.
The best footballer of the Netherlands in 1998.

Van der Sar is the only goalkeeper in the world to win the Champions League with two different clubs.
In 2016, van der Sar resumed his playing career. True, for just one match - his first club Noordwijk, playing in the fourth division, was left without goalkeepers, and Edwin had to enter the field. The game ended 1: 1, with van der Sar hitting a penalty!

Van der Sar is the record holder for the number of dry minutes in the matches of the final stage of the European Championships - 594 : 0 in favor of the Netherlands).
40 years and 212 days was van der Sar on 28 May 2011 - the day Manchester United played in the Champions League final against Barcelona. He is the oldest player to have played in the League Championship final.
In the list of the best goalkeepers of the twentieth century, compiled according to the results of a poll of specialists and journalists in 2000, Edwin van der Sar took 29th place. But let's not forget that his best years fell on the present century

Family and personal life of Edwin van der Sar

Edwin is an example of an exemplary family man, his name has never flashed on the pages of the yellow press and no scandals have ever been associated with him. His wife is Annemarie van Kesteren. The couple have been married since 2006 and have a son and daughter.

Having finished playing, van der Sar did not stay out of football - now he is the CEO of his native Ajax.

Although his debut in the national team was, to put it mildly, not very successful. After a series of great appearances for Ajax in the Champions League, then-Orange coach Guus Hiddink in June 1995 put Van der Sara in the qualifying match European Championship with Belarus. However, there was a tremendous embarrassment. The Dutch lost in Minsk, and the only goal was scored by Sergei Gerasimets after a mistake made by Van der Sara. Five years later, all this - the loss of the Dutch to the Belarusians and the mistake of Van der Sarah - seems even more unrealistic.
Unlike most Ajax players in the mid-90s, Van der Cap is not a graduate of the famous football school club. He started playing for the amateur team Noordwijk and ended up in Amsterdam in 1989 thanks to the friendship of Noordwijk coach Ruud Bring with Louis van Gaal. Four years later, after several blunders by Stanley Menzo in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals against Auxerre, Van der Sar had a chance to win a spot in the starting squad, which he used brilliantly. Largely thanks to Van der Sar, “Ajax” won the Champions League, Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup in the mid-90s, and also had no equal in the Dutch championship for three years in a row. However, after the decisions of the European court in the Bosman case, the great team fell apart. Van der Cap, by the way, stayed in Amsterdam the longest. Only a year ago, he finally decided to change the environment.
Many presenters have claimed the Dutch goalkeeper European clubs including Manchester United, who were looking for a replacement for Peter Schmeichel. Van der Cap chose Juventus. “I decided to go to Italy because I really like to study other cultures, and there is not much difference between Holland and England. But that does not mean that I don’t like the Premier League. Maybe I still have time to play in England ... More importantly. all it was for me to be in a great club ... Juventus is without a doubt one of the greatest clubs in Europe. "
In Turin, Van der Cap got used to it very quickly. Juventus have conceded just 20 league goals in 34 games, far fewer than any other team, and it is not the goalkeeper's fault that the Turin missed the Scudetto. Nevertheless, Van der Cap admits that his first season in Italy was not as easy for him as it might seem at first glance. “The tasks of goalkeepers in Italy and Holland are significantly different. In Holland, entertainment is as important as the result, and therefore creative functions are assigned to everyone, including goalkeepers. In Italy, the result is the only criterion, and for goalkeepers the most important thing is - reliability"...

general information

Nickname: Van der seiv
Was born: October 29 1970 (37 years old) Voorhout, Netherlands
Citizenship:Netherlands
Growth: 197 cm
Weight: 83 kg
Position: Goalkeeper

Club information

Club: Manchester United
Number: 1

Career

Club career
1990-1999 Ajax Amsterdam 226 (1)
1999-2001 Juventus 66 (0)
2001-2005 Fulham 127 (0)
2005- Manchester United 105 (0)

National team
1995- Netherlands 128 (0)

Source: ru.wikipedia.org

Van der Sar returned to the national team

Renowned goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar, who retired from the Netherlands after UEFA EURO 2008, is returning to the national team, uefa.com reports. However, the goalkeeper immediately warned that he took this step only because in the next matches with Iceland and Norway, the Dutch had simply no one to stand.

His last, 128th, international match, van der Sar played in the quarterfinals of UEFA EURO 2008 against the Russian national team (1: 3). Before the home matches with the Icelanders and the Norwegians, the main goalkeeper of the Dutch, Maarten Stekelenburg, was injured, and the other goal guard of the national team, Henk Timmer, has not yet recovered from a groin injury. So the goalkeeper of “Manchester United” had to come to the rescue, because for Michel Worm this is generally the first call to the national team.

"I was surprised by the challenge. I did not expect to be able to return, but at the same time did not want to leave the national team. However, this does not mean that next time I will accept the invitation again. Bert van Marwijk said that this is just a matter of one case. I I will play only in two matches, and after the duel with the Norwegians I will definitely leave, "said van der Sar.

Netherlands: Edwin van der Sar
Van der Sar remains in the national team (03.10.2008)
Van der Sar will play against Iceland and Norway (03.10.2008)
Edwin van der Sar will decide to continue his career in December (14.07.2008)
Edwin van der Sar: "We can win the Premier League and the Champions League again" (06.0 ...
Van der Sar could only repeat Thuram's record (23.06.2008)
Edwin van der Sar agreed to help his national team (08.10.2008)
Van der Sar: "I will definitely leave after the fight with the Norwegians" (8.10.2008)
EDWIN VAN DER SAR
Matches with Edwin Van der Sar in the 2008/09 season
Edwin Van der Sar (Manchester United)
Edwin van der Sar: Manchester United deserved it (22.05.2008)
Netherlands: # 1. Edwin van der Sar
England
"Grandpa" Edwin. Edwin Van Der Sar, who appeared in the Dutch national team under Guus Heade ...

Van der Sar: "I didn't expect to have to return"

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar said he did not intend to return to the national team on a permanent basis.

“It was difficult to refuse. I was a part of this team for a long time and always felt a sense of responsibility. I thought not only about my personal interest, but always cared about the goals of the team. To be honest, I was surprised. I did not expect to have to return. However, this is not means that I intend to repeat this. Bert said that this is only for one time. Two matches, that's all. After the game with Norway, I will end my performance in the national team, "said van der Sar.

Edwin van der Sar: "The match with Norway will be the last in the national team"

The goalkeeper of Manchester United and the Dutch national team Edwin van der Sar, who in qualifying matches 2010 World Cup against Iceland and Norway will replace the injured Martin Stekelenburg, said he did not intend to return to the national team on a permanent basis.

“It was difficult to refuse. I have been a part of this team for a long time and have always felt a sense of responsibility. I thought not only of personal interest, but always cared about the goals of the team.

To be honest, I was surprised. Didn't expect to have to go back. However, this does not mean that I intend to repeat this. Bert said it was only for one time. Two matches and that's it. After the game with Norway, I will finish my performance in the national team ”, - quoted by van der Sara on the official website of UEFA.

Edwin van der Sar: "Russia has excellent chances in the semifinals"

Holland goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, after the defeat in the match with Russia in the quarterfinals of Euro 2008 (1: 3), told Sports.ru correspondent in Switzerland about the reasons for the team's unsuccessful game.

“We were not able to demonstrate the same level of play as at group stage... Euro is such a fleeting tournament where you can score nine points in a group and then be eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Russia has excellent chances in the semifinals, no matter who is its rival. You have a very fast, technical team that shows beautiful combination football. There are some great players, but their names are very complicated, I can’t pronounce, ”said the Manchester United goalkeeper.

Van der Sar: it was hard to say no

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar commented on his return to the Dutch national team.

“It was hard to say no,” says the goalkeeper. “For a long time I was part of this team, I have a responsibility to partners and fans. I don’t think only about myself, I am interested in the fate of the team.”

"Actually, I was surprised. I did not expect an invitation after I announced my retirement. But that does not mean that next time I agree. Bert (van Marwijk is the head coach of the Dutch national team) says that this is only one once. Two matches and that's it. After Norway I will definitely finish. "
Recall that van der Sar finished playing for the national team, after the departure of Holland from the European Championship, losing to Russia (1: 3).

Edwin van der Sar: "Better to play on artificial turf"

The Manchester United goalkeeper, who deflected the decisive 11-meter from Nicolas Anelka, in a conversation with the SE correspondent expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the lawn in Luzhniki, but reproached not the Russian side for this, but UEFA.

The stadium in Moscow is good, - admitted the Dutchman. - The atmosphere in Luzhniki was excellent, which, unfortunately, I cannot say about the field. I slipped in front of a goal in our goal, and other players did not keep their balance. I don't think it was a good idea for UEFA to try to replace the artificial pitch and lay the natural turf at the last moment. I know that the Russian people have done a lot to make the new lawn of high quality. In general, everything related to the match, they organized very well. But next time, I think UEFA should choose arenas where the need to change the pitch cannot arise at all.

- What are the first feelings of a goalkeeper who won a penalty shootout in the Champions League final?

- The whole team won the series, and I just gave her all the help I could. Much also depended on the force and precision with which the partners beat. And perhaps experience helped me to reflect the last blow. Some instinct prompted that Anelka would hit exactly this corner ...

May 23, 2008

At each World Championship, the best teams are trying to answer one question: who is stronger in modern world football, Europe or Latin America... This time, you will have to remember three of the best Latin American teams: ball wizards from Brazil, temperamental Argentines and explosive Uruguayans, and three best European teams: uncompromising Italians, technical Germans and aspiring Englishmen.
Champion Titles:
Brazil - 1958,1962,1970,1994
Argentina - 1978, 1986
Uruguay - 1930,1950
Italy - 1934, 1938, 1982
Germany - 1954,1974,1990
England - 1966

Funny football

Book

Author: Price: 99.00 rub. Weight: 100g

Own goals and mistakes, nerves and emotions, goals scored and conceded, hand-to-hand fights of players and referees, falls and collisions, laughter and tears, the joy of victory and the bitterness of defeat - you will see all this in our unique fil ...

Edwin Van der Sar is one of the key links in the second golden generation of Ajax. As part of the capital's team in the 90s, this goalkeeper won five championships and three Cups of the country. Louis van Gaal's charges were indomitable in the European arena as well - in 1992 they won the UEFA Cup, and three seasons later won the Champions League. Then in the final in Vienna, “Ajax” defeated “Milan” with a score of 1: 0. Later, Edwin won the European Super Cup.

In 1999, after Angelo Peruzzi left Turin for Inter Milan, Van der Sar became the first foreigner to score against Juventus, and for two seasons was the main goalkeeper of Old Senora. In 2001, Juve acquired Gianluigi Buffon from Parma, and the chances of Edwin appearing in the base became limited.

The Dutchman was acquired by English Fulham for 11.5 million euros, with which he signed a four-year contract. During the time spent in the “summer residents”, he played 154 matches.

Van der Sar has an incredible reaction for a person of this physique and tall(197 cm). Plays in a modern manner, often leaving the goal, and essentially fulfilling the functions of the last defender.

Edwin is the main goalkeeper of the Dutch national team. In the summer of 2004, it was in many ways that Van der Sara's excellent performance at the European Championship helped the Orange to reach the semifinals of the tournament.

On July 1, 2005, Edwin van der Sar joined United in a two-year deal with the Red Devils.

The Dutchman was United's first acquisition since Malcolm Glazer's purchase of the club and joined the team on the team's July Far East tour. He became the latest in a long line of goalkeepers that Fergie tried at No. 1 post since the departure of Peter Schmeichel in 1999. Mark Bosnich, Massimo Taibi, Raymond van der Gove, Fabien Barthez, Ricardo and Roy Carroll could not succeed Big Dan and left the club.

The 197-centimeter goalkeeper proved to be of great skill at all levels and was believed to stabilize the club's play on the last frontier with his immense playing experience after inconsistent play at Tim Howard's team goal. With the start of the 2005-06 season, Sir Alex Ferguson made Edwin number one, and soon the commentators stopped talking about the "goalkeeper problem" at Old Trafford.

Van der Sar has become a model of stability, and it is difficult to remember the serious mistakes in his game, in this first season for him with a new team, on the contrary, he had a great season, helping out the team at crucial moments. He set a rare achievement for a player - appearing in the starting lineup of United in all 38 league games, and became only the fourth player in the club who managed to do this, since Gary Pallister, who also played all the games in the national championship in the 1994 season. -95.

Given his age, he is certainly not a long-term player on the team, and Tim Howard was supposed to take on the role of a stunt double and gain experience to replace him when the time comes to take over # 1. However, Tim Howard's recent transition at Everton they will leave him as stunt doubles for Tomasz Kuszczak and Ben Foster. Van der Sar is still the main goalkeeper of the Dutch national team, played at the World Cup in Germany and will play for his national team at least until Euro 2008.

In the 2006-07 season, Edwin played in 32 Premier League games, 12 Champions League games and 3 FA Cup games. He missed several domestic league games after breaking his nose against Tottenham in a clash with Robbie Keane, otherwise he would have spent almost the entire championship at United's goal.

The Dutchman's excellent playing form was one of the decisive factors on Manchester United's path to the championship title. Suffice it to recall how he did not allow Peter Crouch to score on last minute the game at Anfield, which ended in a 1-0 win for Manchester United, deflected a strike from Mark Viduka at home against Borough, keeping his team in a 1-1 draw. In May 2007, he saved Darius Vassel's penalty kick in the City derby, allowing the Mancunians to win with a 1-0 lead.

The next day, after a draw between Chelsea and Bolton, it became clear that these three points brought the Red Devils the title. And although Van der Sar became the Dutch champion four times with Ajax, this is his first success in one of the leading European championships, the English one.

In the 2007-2008 season, Edwin secured his place in Manchester United history by defeating Nicolas Anelka's penalty shootout in the Champions League final at Luzhniki Moscow. Interestingly, Van der Sar's season also began in August with a penalty shoot-out and also against Chelsea, when he saved three hits in a row and helped his teammates win the FA Super Cup.

At 37 years old, Edwin is still a model of stability and managed to keep his goal clean in 23 games of the season, while United set a club record in the English championship, conceding only 22 goals during the championship. In European matches, he conceded only 3 goals at all, and rightfully won the second gold medal in the Champions League in his distinguished goalkeeper career.

The 2008-09 season proved once again that the van der Sar acquisition was one of Ferguson's greatest coups in the transfer market. The unfading Dutchman managed not only to successfully conduct another football year his career, replenish his impressive collection of medals of the highest standard, but also break several goalkeeper records.

The Dutch goalkeeper had 14 consecutive Premier League matches from November 8, 2008 to March 4, 2009, which totaled 1,311 minutes, not only setting a Premier League record, but also surpassing several other English gatekeeper records and elevating Edwin by 6 -th line in the world rating of "penetration resistance" of goalkeepers.

21 times during the English championship, Edwin left his goal “clean” and rightfully became the owner of the Premier League Golden Gloves prize, which is awarded to the goalkeeper for this very achievement and was included at the end of the year in the England championship team.

After breaking a finger and injuring his wrist in a preseason game with Bayern Munich, van der Sar missed the start of the 2009-10 season and made his first appearance on 17 October against Bolton in a 2-1 win for the home team. But it was only one of five of his appearances in the starting lineup until mid-January, as an injured knee and illness of his wife again prevented him from helping his teammates.

Finally, returning to position number one, on January 16 against Burnley, which United win 3-0, Edwin becomes Manchester United's oldest player in the post-war era, appearing at 39 years and 79 days, and proves that he is more important than ever for the team. His equanimity, composure, experience and amazing reaction are a huge plus for the "red devils". The five defensive players once again look unapproachable, and van der Sar is undoubtedly the central figure in this fortress. Having played 29 matches with United in the season, in 14 of them the Dutchman kept his net clean, while becoming the best among the Premier League goalkeepers in terms of the percentage of reflected shots on their goals (81%).

Despite rumors throughout the season that Edwin is close to ending his a brilliant career, he signed a new one-year contract with the team, and for at least one more season, the Dutchman's fans and teammates need not worry about the last frontier.

2011

2005 1995 and with Manchester United in 2008 year. IN 1995 and 2009

1992 of the year and the Champions League 1995 of the year. IN 1995 1996 1997/98 ).

IN 1999

2001

2005

5 May 2007 2006/07

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Edwin van der Sar is a Dutch footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Finished his career in 2011 year. For more than thirteen years, Van der Sar was the main goalkeeper and captain of the Netherlands national team, for which he spent 130 caps, which is a national team record.

Van der Sar began his career at Ajax, where he spent nine years. Then he played for Juventus and Fulham, and in 2005 year moved to Manchester United. Van der Sar is one of the few footballers to have won the UEFA Champions League with two different clubs: Ajax in 1995 and with Manchester United in 2008 year. IN 1995 and 2009 years van der Sar was named the best European goalkeeper.

Edwin van der Sar began his career in the clubs of his hometown where Louis van Gaal noticed him. As a result, van der Sar moved to Ajax, becoming one of the key players in the club's second “golden generation”. With Ajax, he won four league titles, three Dutch Cups and the UEFA Cup 1992 of the year and the Champions League 1995 of the year. IN 1995 year he was named the best goalkeeper in Europe. Van der Sar also played in the Champions League final 1996 of the year, but in that match, Ajax lost to Juventus in a penalty shootout. In total, van der Sar played 226 matches for Ajax and scored one goal from the penalty spot (in the match against De Graafschap in the season 1997/98 ).

IN 1999 year van der Sar moved to italian club Juventus, for which he spent 66 games in Serie A, after which he lost his place at the gate. He became the first non-Italian goalkeeper in Juventus history.

Disagreeing with the role of substitute goalkeeper at Juventus, van der Sar moved to Premier League club Fulham in 2001 year for the amount of about £ 7.1 million. In total, he played 154 matches for the “summer residents”.

Van der Sar joins Manchester United on 10 June 2005 year, the amount of the transfer was not disclosed (according to some sources, it was £ 2 million). Main coach United Sir Alex named van der Sar the best goalkeeper of the team since Peter Schmeichel.

5 May 2007 van der Sar took a penalty against Manchester City, securing a 1-0 win for United in the Manchester derby. The next day, Chelsea failed to beat Arsenal at the Emirates, guaranteeing United's ninth Premier League win and Van der Sar's first championship medal in England. Edwin was included in the PFA Team of the Year at the end of the season 2006/07 ... Three months later, van der Sar was the hero of the FA Super Cup, repelling 3 penalty kicks from Chelsea players from the penalty spot before United won the Super Bowl.

Season 2007/08 became very successful for van der Sar: he helped the club to win the Premier League league title, as well as the Champions League. In the Champions League final, it was van der Sara's save after Nicolas Anelka's penalty shootout that secured Manchester United's victory over Chelsea.

12 December 2008 2009/10 .

January 27 2009 of the year, after beating West Bromwich 5-0, van der Sar helped Manchester United set a new club and Premier League record with 11 clean sheets ( 1032 minutes) in a row. Previous record set by Peter in season 2004/05 , was 10 matches ( 1025 minutes). The series of clean sheets did not end there, and four days later van der Sar broke the English championship record held by Reading's Steve Det ( 1103 minutes) and set by him in 1979 year. On February 8, van der Sar had another clean sheet with West Ham, and his streak lasted until 1212 minutes, breaking the British record set by Aberdeen goalkeeper Bobby Clarke ( 1155 minutes) in 1971 year.

18th of Febuary 2009 the "dry series" van der Sarah lasted until 1302 minutes, which surpassed the world record for one season, which was set by Jose Maria Bulhubasic ( 1289 minutes) in the Chilean Championship in 2005 year. The record streak was interrupted in the match against Newcastle on 4 March, when van der Sar conceded a goal in the 9th minute of the meeting. In total, van der Sar spent 1311 minutes without conceded goals in the championship. This dry run was a key factor in winning Manchester United's 11th Premier League title. Van der Sar won the Golden Glove this season with 21 clean sheets in the Premier League.

Van der Sar injured his finger in a pre-season Audi Cup match and missed 12 of United's old games this season 2009/10 ... 6 october 2009 of the year van der Sar made his first appearance after injury in a match between United's reserve squad and Everton. He returned to the main squad on 17 October, playing against Bolton in a 2-1 win for United. On November 21, van der Sar was injured again and was eliminated for 12 matches, including due to family reasons (before Christmas, his wife had a cerebral hemorrhage). 16 january 2010 he returned to the team when United beat Burnley 3-0.

26 february 2010 of the year van der Sar has extended his contract with United for a period of one year, until the end of the season 2010/11 ... In the end of January 2011 Edwin announced his decision to retire at the end of the season 2010/11 .

The last match of van der Sar's career was the Champions League final 2010/11 against Barcelona, in which the Catalan club won 3-1.

(Born 1970)

He played in the clubs Noordwijk and Ajax (Holland), Juventus (Italy). In 2001 he moved to the Fulham club (England). Since 1995 he has been the goalkeeper of the Dutch national team.

For more than ten years, the main goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has taken his usual place at the gates of the Dutch national team. Outwardly, he is, perhaps, the complete opposite of Oliver Kahn - the figure is not powerful, but long and thin, his face surprisingly retained boyishly simple-minded features, and besides, Edwin van der Sar's ears are somehow quite childish protruded. The German and the Dutch also differ in the goalkeeper's manner - van der Sar plays not at all tough, but rather elegantly, but at the same time very rationally. Van der Sar also has one more "zest" that distinguishes him from other goalkeepers: he owns the most accurate pass at any distance, and often the sharp attack of the Dutch starts right from his goal.

But, of course, his main duty is to protect his own gates, with which he copes with dignity. Both Dutch footballers and numerous fans of the Orange team are confident in the reliability of their goalkeeper.

And the first "pancake" in the national team came out with him, I must say, "lumpy" - just like many other wonderful goalkeepers. In June 1995, Guus Hiddink, then coach of the Dutch national team, for the first time entrusted the 25-year-old goalkeeper with a place in goal in the qualifying match of the European Championship against the team of Belarus, which is far from the strongest opponent. The game took place in Minsk. The Dutchmen did not succeed in attack that day, and van de Sar made a gross mistake, and Sergei Gerasimets scored the only goal.

Nevertheless, Hiddink believed in the young goalkeeper, considering his oversight as an annoying misunderstanding or a manifestation of excessive excitement. The coach could not help but be impressed by van der Sar's performance at his club Ajax. Just in 1995, Ajax reached all possible heights: became the winner of the European Champions League, beating Milan in the final - 1: 0, then won the European Super Cup, defeating Real Madrid from Zaragoza, and finally became the owner Intercontinental Cup, beating the Brazilian club Gremio.

In addition, in the mid-1990s, Ajax became the Dutch champion three times. To a large extent, the club owed all these successes to the game of its goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. However, the whole team was then great and almost entirely consisted of pupils of the famous football school "Ajax", among whom were, for example, Patrick Kluivert and Edgar Davids.

But van der Sar himself, who was born in the city of Voorhout, got to Ajax in a different way. He began playing for the amateur team Noordwijk, whose coach Ruud Bring was a friend of Ajax coach Louis van Gaal. Bring and recommended young goalkeeper to your friend. So in 1989, Edwin van der Sar ended up in a professional club, but sat on the bench for four long years. Only in 1993, when the main goalkeeper of "Amsterdam" Stanley Menzo "failed" in the quarterfinal match with the French "Auxerre", van Gaal decided to entrust van der Sar with a place in goal. Since then, he never left this place, reaching the greatest heights with the team.

However, it so happened that in next year many leading players left Ajax for various reasons. True, the club again managed to reach the Champions League final, but lost to Juventus. The main time ended in a draw 1: 1. Italians won on penalties - 4: 2. Nevertheless, there was nothing to blame the goalkeeper for, he played brilliantly.

In the same 1996, van der Sar, together with the Dutch national team, came to England for the European Championship as the main goalkeeper. In the first two matches of the group stage, he left his goal intact - the Dutch drew with Scotland - 0: 0, and defeated Switzerland - 2: 0. However, the last match with the hosts of the tournament, the England national team, became for the Dutch football Waterloo - 1: 4. And nevertheless, the “orange” reached the quarterfinals, where they met with the French national team. The main time ended in a draw. But the French won the penalty shootout - 5: 4.

Despite the failure of the Dutch national team, van der Sar was already called one of the best goalkeepers in the world, celebrating his elegant and unique game. True, some people considered his inability to reflect penalty kicks as his weak point. The French scored all five of the five penalties. But, on the other hand, claims should be made against the Dutch outfield players who scored fewer balls than the French ...

The Dutch were strikingly unlucky in penalties and all other big tournaments. Sometimes they didn’t score penalty marks even during the playing time. And this despite the fact that the Dutch national team invariably had an excellent selection of players, and you could expect much more from it.

At the 1998 World Cup in France, van der Sar again conceded only two goals in three group stage matches. In the match of the eighth final, the Dutch defeated the national team of Yugoslavia - 2: 1, and in the quarterfinals, the national team of Argentina - 2: 1. In the semifinal match, the Dutch played on equal terms with the Brazilian national team. The main time ended 1: 1. The Brazilians won on penalties - 4: 2.

This fatal misfortune with the penalty kicks reached its climax at the 2000 European Championships, held in Holland and Belgium. A place for final match we chose a stadium in Rotterdam, and, of course, the whole of Holland was waiting for the victory of the native “orange” team. The Dutch national team came out, the winner in the group, having won three victories, including over the then world champion of the French national team - 3: 2. In the quarterfinal match the national team of Yugoslavia was defeated - 6: 1. But then came the day of the semi-final with the Italian national team, which was then headed by the legendary goalkeeper of another generation, who became a coach, Dino Zoff ...

Zoff chose a purely defensive option that was usual for himself. Soon enough, one of the Italians was sent off the field. It seemed that a powerful Dutch attack was about to break the Italian defense. But the score remained zero until the end, although the Dutch hit penalty kicks twice. Italians goalkeeper Toldo parried one blow, the other hit the post. The Dutch failed to score in additional time... And again in the penalty shootout the Dutch national team lost - 1: 3.

Another failure of the national team did not shake the reputation of Edwin van der Sar - he remained and remains to this day one of the strongest goalkeepers in the world. As for him club career then shortly after the 1998 World Cup he moved from Ajax to Juventus, Italy. In his first season for the Turin club, van der Sar conceded only 20 goals in 34 matches - significantly less than any other goalkeeper in Serie A. However, the goalkeeper himself noted that the goal of goalkeepers in Holland and Italy is noticeably different. “In Holland, entertainment is as important as the result, and therefore the creative function is assigned to everyone, including the goalkeepers. In Italy, the result is the only criterion, and for goalkeepers the most important thing is reliability. " And in 2001, Edwin van der Sar signed a four-year contract with English club Fulham.

Now the famous Dutchman has the best time for the goalkeeper of football maturity and wisdom, and he is going to play for a long time. He considers the experience of Dino Zoff, who became the world champion at forty years old, as an example for himself.