Courtois deserves to be the best goalkeeper in the world

One can’t remember the last time there was a goalkeeper who almost decided the entire Champions League final like Thibaut Courtois just showed against Liverpool.

On the morning of May 29 (Hanoi time), Liverpool played an overwhelming match against Real Madrid. Statistics don’t lie. “The Kop” launched up to 24 shots towards Real Madrid’s goal with an expected goal index (xG) up to 2.14.

In theory, coach Jurgen Klopp’s team and his students must score at least 1 or even 2 goals. But they could not celebrate once, because in the wooden frame opposite was Courtois, the goalkeeper just had a performance that went down in tournament history.

Unbelievable performance

Courtois became the first goalkeeper in Champions League history to make nine saves in a final. Before that, Alisson (final season 2018/19) and Edwin van der Sar (2010/11) both hold a record of 8 saves in a Champions League final.

Since Europe’s most prestigious tournament was renamed the Champions League, not many times one has witnessed such a brilliant performance by a goalkeeper in 90 minutes of play. Out of a total of 24 Liverpool shots towards Real Madrid’s goal, 9 of them were on target. And of those 9 shots on target, at least 3 situations are opportunities to score ten goals if Courtois doesn’t make a brilliant save.

Sadio Mane held his head in regret when his early shot was pushed by the opponent’s keeper and hit the post. The Senegal striker made a near-perfect ball, if not for Courtois’s fingertips. Then Mohamed Salah, the 2022 Ballon d’Or candidate, suffered the same fate as his teammate with Mane.

In the second half, right after Vinicius Jr scored a surprising opening goal for Real Madrid, Liverpool woke up with a series of stoppages. In the 69th minute, Salah had a high-level situation when he easily passed Ferland Mendy on the right wing to hit a shot from close range. But once again, Courtois’ right hand blocked the ecstasy.

The way the Real Madrid defense jumped up to hug Courtois after a save in the 69th minute said it all. Casemiro jumped up to hug Courtois, Eder Militao and David Alaba shouted as if Real Madrid had just scored a goal. The Belgian goalkeeper became the biggest support for “Los Blancos” in a match where they were overwhelmed by the opponent.

Not that Liverpool played poorly in the Champions League final, “The Kop” only succumbed to a Courtois who played too explosively in the wooden frame. “Today, I need to win this final,” Courtois said after the final. “I need it for my career, for all my efforts and for my name to be respected.”

The Real Madrid hero declared: “Because I don’t think I get enough respect, especially from England. I see a lot of criticism even after a great season, saying I’m not enough. well, so I want my name to be respected by the people there.”

After winning the Champions League this season with Real Madrid, the goalkeeper born in 1992 probably does not need to seek recognition from experts and fans of the foggy country anymore. “Courtois is so good,” ex-British player Gary Lineker exclaimed.

The three best teams in England at the moment, Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool all hold a grudge against Courtois’ talent in the Champions League this season. That is the unequivocal affirmation of the 30-year-old goalkeeper.

Affirmation

Coach Ancelotti said that he also found it hard to believe what Courtois showed in the final. “I can’t believe what he did today,” said the Real Madrid captain. In the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Man City, Courtois’ amazing saves at the end of the game were the premise to open a historic comeback for Real Madrid.

Jack Grealish understands that better than anyone. The English star was launched into the field by Pep Guardiola with the intention of taking advantage of the player’s physical strength and speed to deliver the finishing blow. In the semi-final at the Bernabeu, when Man City were leading 1-0, Grealish had a run down the left wing and hit a dangerous shot but Courtois narrowly saved it with his feet.

Before that, in the quarter-finals against Chelsea, Courtois also played two excellent matches against his old team. At Stamford Bridge the first leg, when the score was 3-1 for the visitors, the Belgian goalkeeper made an amazing save from Cesar Azpilicueta’s shot. Coach Thomas Tuchel later admitted things could have been different had Chelsea scored in that situation.

In history, only three goalkeepers have received the Man of the Match award in the Champions League final. These are Oliver Kahn (2001), Edwin van der Sar (2008) and most recently, Courtois. But it should be remembered that Kahn and Van der Sar were honored after their team won in a penalty shootout.

Courtois didn’t need that, he decided the fate of Real Madrid in 90 minutes, with saves like a goal. The legendary temple of the Champions League now bears Courtois’ name. Perhaps it will take a long time to see a brilliant performance of a goalkeeper like Courtois in the Champions League final.