Goalkeepers are different

It's an old saying in football, but it's certainly true!

Traditionally speaking, goalkeepers are the most eccentric and entertaining players on the pitch, and in honour of that fact, I've compiled a list of the daftest, most interesting 'keepers in footballing history...

Jorge Campos: The High King of daft goalkeepers. This Mexican midget (He's about 5"2, and that's being generous!) was not only a pretty good 'keeper, he was also pretty handy up front (he once scored 14 goals in one season!). However ask any football fan the first thing they think of when they hear his name, 9 times out of 10 it's his self-designed fluorescent jerseys that he'll be remembered for. And by God, where they fluorescent...

Rene Higuita: This Colombian is also remembered for one thing primarily: His amazing "scorpion kick" save from a 30 yard volley. Anyone old enough to remember Italia '90 may also recall him passing the ball back and forth with one of his defenders, only to have it taken off him by a charging forward...Not one of the most savoury characters, he's been involved in the cocaine and child kidnapping industries, the latter accounting for his not attending the 1994 World Cup...

José Luis Chilavert: The man who put Paraguay on the map, he too was known for scoring the odd goal and was the nominated free kick and penalty taker for his club! An imposing figure in goal, he appeared in 2 World Cups and is revered in his home country, in fact he'll probably be President some day...

Walter Zenga: An Italian goalkeeping legend in a country that has produced so many top line 'keepers, Zenga was known for saving everything-and I mean everything-with his feet. In fact, in watching him play for 4 years, I think I saw him save with his hands about 5 times. No exaggeration. Currently the manager of Steaua Bucharest in Romania.

Thomas Ravelli: His father was Italian, but this Swedish international brought a real spark to the team that reached the world cup semis in '94. Known for his dramatic saves and a tendency to swivel the ball around his back for the hell of it, his exuberant personality lives on in the hearts of Swedes and football anoraks...

Dmitri Kharine: Known for his gravity-defying permed mullet and his insistence on always wearing tracksuit bottoms, he was the star of the decidedly average Chelsea team of the mid-90s. See, the boys at Stamford Bridge have always had a thing for Russians...

By: Patrick Duffy

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