Goalkeepers who scored in the English premier league increased from zero to 6 between the years 2000 and 2021.
The game of football has evolved over the years and continues to. In times past, defenders stopped opposition attacks but these days, they launch attacks.
Modern-day right and left backs now create more goals than some midfielders and attackers.
The likes of Dani Alves and Marcelo established themselves as the best in their respective positions not just for preventing attacks but for launching them.
The role of goalkeepers too has also been modified depending on the managers’ requirements or tactics. Today, goalkeepers are as good with their feet as they are with their hands.
Guardiola’s team always features goalkeepers who are as good with the ball at their feet as they are with their hands. The likes of Victor Valdes, Manuel Neuer, and Ederson.
The question is, how good can they be with the ball at their feet that they somehow manage to score a goal/goals?
Well, before going into details, it may interest you to know the Highest Scoring Goalkeepers in Football History.
Below are 6 notable instances in that goalkeepers shocked the world with their goal-scoring abilities.
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel is one of the greatest goalkeepers to have ever represented Manchester United. He represented Manchester United between 1991 and 1999 and scored a memorable equalizer against the Russian side, Rotor Volgograd.
Prior to this time, he had scored 6 goals in the colors of Hvidovre and 2 goals for Brondby respectively. He made history when he became the first goalkeeper to score in the English premier league.
Read: Average Footballers who Became Successful Coaches
His only English premier league goal came later in his career at Aston Villa when he hammered in a thunderous strike against Everton.
He scored in the 90th minute of his team’s 3-2 loss to Everton in the 2001/02 season. That strike was so beautiful, you may mistake him for an attacker.
Read Also: Best Americans To Play in The Premier League
Asmir Begovic
Asmir Begovic did not just score a goal, his goal earned him a place in the famous Guinness Book of World Records.
Begovic represented Bournemouth, Chelsea, and Portsmouth in the English premier league, but it was with Stoke City that he added his name to the list of goalkeepers who scored in the English Premier League
On the 2nd of November 2013, Begovic scored a bizarre goal against Southampton to give his team a 1-0 lead. He scored within 13 seconds of the match.
Begovic received a back pass just 6 yards out of his goal line, then hit the ball long into the opposition half which caught the Southampton goalkeeper, Artur Boruc off guard.
That goal was scored from 97.5 yards away from the opposition goal and duly earned him the record as the ‘longest goal scored in football.
Read Also: How Many Premier League Games In A Season?
Tim Howard
The former United States of America goalkeeper is amongst the goalkeepers who scored in the English premier league.
Howard moved from Manchester United to Everton on loan in the 2006/07 season before making his move permanent the season after.
During his time at Everton, Howard established himself as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper and registered more than 400 appearances in all competitions.
Read: Write Football Articles for Money in 2021
Howard scored his English premier league goal in a match between Everton and Bolton Wanderers on Jan 4th, 2012. He received the ball just inside his 18yard box and with a Bolton Wanderers player closing him down, he kicked the ball long into the other half.
The bounce of the ball just outside the 18yard of the opponent’s goal wrong-footed the opposition goalkeeper. The goalkeeper’s desperate dive could not prevent the ball from finding the back of the net.
Interestingly, Howard was not ecstatic about his goal despite his teammates swanning around him. He later revealed that he refused to celebrate out of “sympathy” for the other goalkeeper.
Read Also; Are Defenders More Favored For Individual Awards in Football Than Defenders?
Brad Friedel
On February 21st, 2004, Brad Friedel’s Blackburn Rovers went up against Charlton in the English premier league. Charlton was 2-1 up heading into the 89th minute of the match before Friedel scored to level the match at 2-2.
That goal came after the ball fell kindly at his feet in the opposition’s 18-yard box when he went up for a corner.
Friedel’s goal added his name to the list of goalkeepers who scored in the English premier league.
Unfortunately, Charlton scored just before the full-time whistle denying Friedel a fairytale point-saving goal.
At the final whistle, the goalkeeper had his hands on his head. He must have wished the score remained 2-2.
Read Also: The Premier League Top Scorers Prediction
Paul Robinson
Paul Robinson is a former England International who represented Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Blackburn Rovers, and Burnley in the English premier league.
He scored his first career goal in a league cup match between Leeds and Swindon Town. That goal leveled the score and took the match into extra time. His team eventually won in a penalty shootout where Robinson saved a penalty.
He scored his English premier league goal against Watford while representing Tottenham. On March 17, 2007, Robinson did the unbelievable.
Outfield players struggle to score from free-kicks but Robinson, a goalkeeper, made a mockery of them when he scored from a free-kick just outside his own penalty box!
That goal made him the first English goalkeeper to have scored in the English premier league.
Alisson Becker
Liverpool’s Alisson becker scored a last-minute header against West Brom in an Epic Premier League Match.
Since his move from Roma, this is his only goal for Liverpool.
Although Alisson is so good with his feet, his last-gasp header will continue to live rent-free in the heads of Liverpool fans around the world.
To understand more about Alisson’s Goal, we compiled a list of 6 Lessons learned from his goal. You should read it.
Read Also: The Best Liverpool Players of All Time
Conclusion
Although it is rare to watch Goalkeepers score in the Premier League, the reality is a few of them have done it.
In this article, we have the list of goalkeepers who scored a goal in the English premier league.
Which of these Goalkeepers are you fond of the most? Share your thought in the comment box.
Further Reading:
