Disagreements with the aristocracy over the pay of masons led Edwin to found a criminal organization called the Defias Brotherhood. Van Cleef was considered one of the most dangerous threats to the kingdom until the heroes of the Alliance killed him in the depths of the Deadmines.
Becoming
Since childhood, Edwin has been Matthias Shaw's best friend, and he taught him the art of shadows, hoping that one day they would work together.
Over time, Edwin was elected head of the guild of masons - the best builders among people. They were unsurpassed creators, and their taste and flair were forever preserved in the beautiful buildings erected by the guild. Masons worked for many years to rebuild Stormwind after the First War. Edwin also led the construction of the Netherguard Fortress, which was supposed to patrol the Dark Portal.
When the restoration of Stormwind ended, the aristocrats, under the influence of Lady Katrana Prestor, refused to pay enough gold for the work, claiming that the masons were demanding too much. Although the guild received some payment for the years of work, the masons felt they deserved much more. Edwin openly demanded compensation, and in response, the aristocrats ordered the dissolution of the guild.
This demand angered Van Cleef, and he led a large-scale riot on the streets of Stormwind. The rebellion was chaotic and had consequences: Queen Tiffin Wrynn, Varian's wife, was killed in the chaos. Edwin fled the capital along with his loyal masons and announced the creation of the Brotherhood of Defias. During the uprising, Edwin's most trusted assistant, Basil Tredd, was detained and thrown into the city prison. While awaiting trial and investigation, Tredd was practically forgotten.
Defias Brotherhood
Edwin knew about the insecurity of Westfall and used his superior strength to drive many farmers from their lands and seize several gold mines. Van Cleef had resources at his disposal, and he used them to draw up a plan with which he could take revenge on the Stormwind government.
The leader of the Brotherhood taught his people the thieving skills he had learned in the capital, and helped them adapt to the new life of criminals who attacked travelers. When the Stormwind City Guard began fighting the Brotherhood, the outlaws armed themselves with instruments and weapons provided by Van Cleef and his mechanics.
Edwin's tactics became increasingly ruthless: the Brotherhood robbed merchants who brought goods into the city and continued to seize farmland that provided food for the inhabitants of Stormwind. Van Cleef received more and more money and used it to bribe mercenary troops. Some of the Brotherhood were captured, but Edwin was able to play in his own interests here too - an uprising was organized in the prison.
Dead Mines
Source of information in this section – World of Warcraft Classic.
Edwin's secret refuge was the Dead Mines, located under the Westfall Mountains. He is on board a ship in a vast grotto and was waiting for the right moment to finally deal with his enemies - the Stormwind nobility. However, a traitor also appeared among the Brotherhood, who agreed to cooperate with government officials. He led a squad of heroes through a secret passage into the Brotherhood's hideout, and the massacre began.
The heroes were able to make their way to the ship on which Van Cleef was hiding, and defeated his closest associates. Vanessa, Edwin's daughter, hid in a secluded place and watched as the heroes destroyed her father and cut off his head as proof of their victory. The head was delivered to Grian Stonemane, who declared that this event meant the collapse of the Defias Brotherhood.
Heritage
It turned out that among the aristocrats there were conspirators who agreed to cooperate with the Brotherhood to destroy King Varian. The SIU agents managed to find out about this in time and dealt with the conspirators. The king was informed of what had happened, and he thanked the heroes for foiling the Brotherhood's plans and killing Van Cleiff.
Later, Jaina Proudmoore, whose men encountered Brotherhood outlaws on the shores of the Dustwallow Marsh, discovered that the Brotherhood had taken part in Varian's kidnapping, planned by Katrana Prestor.
Five years after her father's death, Vanessa van Cleef has grown enough to begin reviving the Brotherhood.
Although his debut in the national team was, to put it mildly, not very successful. After a series of excellent performances for Ajax in the Champions League, then-Orange coach Guus Hiddink included Van der Sar in the squad for a European Championship qualifier against Belarus in June 1995. However, there was a huge embarrassment. The Dutch lost in Minsk, and Sergei Gerasimets scored the only goal after a mistake by Van der Sar. Five years later, all this - the Dutch loss to the Belarusians and Van der Sar's mistake - seems even more unreal.
Unlike most Ajax players of the mid-90s, Van der Cap is not a product of the club's famous football school. He started playing in the amateur team Noordwijk, and came to 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 was given the chance to win a place in the first team, 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. It was only a year ago that he finally decided to change his surroundings.
The Dutch goalkeeper was claimed by many leading 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 this does not mean that I do not like the Premier League. Maybe I will still have time to play in England... More importantly "All I wanted was to be at a great club... Juventus is without a doubt one of the greatest clubs in Europe."
In Turin, Van der Cap settled in very quickly. Juventus have conceded just 20 goals in 34 matches in the league, far fewer than any other team, and it is not the goalkeeper's fault that the Turin side missed out on the Scudetto. However, Van der Cap admits that his first season in Italy was not as easy 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".
Naturally, Van der Sar had to rebuild. However, the Dutchman so impressed Juventus coach Carlo Ancelotti with his ability to make accurate passes to teammates with his feet that the goalkeeper was allowed “liberties” when putting the ball into play, and one could even say that over the past season, Juventus’ style of action when moving from defense to the attack has undergone significant changes. “At first they asked me to immediately kick the ball away from the goal in a critical situation. But now they know that I can launch a sharp attack, and they use this quality of mine.”
The problem for Van der Sar so far is that he doesn't know the habits of Serie A strikers very well. "In Holland I knew everything - the favorite maneuvers of the forwards, their style of hitting the goal. In Italy I have to learn it all over again."
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, in order to achieve perfection, Van der Sar still needs to improve his game at the exits, especially with high serves. The Dutchman is also not a penalty saver. At Ajax in the 1996 Champions League final against his current club, and with the national team in the 1996 European Championship quarter-finals against France, and in the 1998 World Cup semi-finals against Brazil, he failed to save a single shot in the post-match series. However, Van der Cap believes that there is no pattern here.
“As the European Championship approaches, the pressure increases,” says Edwin. “But I take it calmly. I only have problems sleeping when I miss a ball that, in my opinion, could have been saved.”
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“In general, I think the grandiose expectations of our fans cannot affect the team’s performance for the worse. After all, we have long been accustomed to this, and then almost all of us play for big clubs. The main thing is to approach the European Championship in optimal physical condition.”
By the way, the fact that the Dutch goal is defended by a Juventus player is a good sign. In the post-war years, the Italians won two major tournaments, the 1968 European Championship and the 1982 World Cup, and both times the team's goalkeeper was a representative of the Old Lady. namely Dino Zoff.
By the time a footballer reaches 30, he is usually past the peak of his career, with waning enthusiasm and an abundance of injuries bringing him closer to the decision to hang up his boots. But goalkeepers are an exception to this rule: they are like fine wine - they get better every year. They go against the flow, winning as many minutes from Time as possible. The best goalkeepers in the world decide for themselves when to retire. And injuries are almost never the reason for this.
Edwin Van der Sar is the best of the best goalkeepers in the world, a top-class player who has no equal, he exceeded all the wildest expectations at a time when everyone had already written him off. This is not some kind of artisanal wine; he is a noble wine of the colors of Ajax and Manchester United, of which he is rightfully considered a legend. He ended his career playing in one of the best clubs in world football, thus putting an end to football history, poor in sudden changes and devoid of high expectations. Ajax -> Juventus -> Fulham -> Manchester United - briefly about his career.
Like so much about Ajax, Van der Sar's early career was influenced by Johan Cruyff, part-time footballer and philosopher and full-time genius. He visualized a 3-4-3 formation in which the goalkeeper is the same field player as the other 10, except with gloves. He changed the general understanding of the role of the goalkeeper, proposing to interpret football as nothing less than a “game of goalkeepers.” He was looking for a goalkeeper who would be "the finishing touch to his picture of total football."
Stanley Menzo was Cruyff's first taste of the game, the goalkeeper he described as the most important player in the 1987 European Cup Winners' Cup-winning squad. Menzo read the game well and passed the ball with ease. He was at the same time an unsurpassed “flying” goalkeeper, actively participating in the actions of the field players. But he became only a “pilot version” of the sweeping goalkeeper whom Cruyff wanted to see in his team. His mistake in the 1992 UEFA Cup final cost him his place in the team. Van der Sar replaced Menzo. If Menzo even disappointed his mentor somewhere, then Van der Sar completely solved his dilemma of finding the ideal goalkeeper.
Cruyff's legacy at Ajax is extensive, but his famous system rarely paid due attention to the goalkeeper position. But it was his special ideals that formed the basis for the rise of the lanky boy from Warhout. A native of one of the Dutch villages located on the plains of the Netherlands, he late declared himself in professional football. At the age of 10, he joined the Foreholte club, where he played for five years, and then moved to Noordwijk for another five years.
And there an event happened that changed his fate for the better. Youth team coach Ruud Bröning often played cards with Ajax coach Louis van Gaal. When Van Gaal said that he was looking for a goalkeeper, Bröning offered him Van der Sar, who immediately interested him.
Although he never even dreamed of performing at a professional level, he simply could not refuse Ajax, who were interested in his services. The move was a huge step for the inexperienced goalkeeper. But even then, there was no better place in the world to hone skills and talent. Van der Sar played his debut match under the leadership of Leo Beenhakker. Due to Menzo's injury at the end of the 1990/91 season, he played nine matches in a row.
The twenty-year-old guy had the habits of a gymnast, which did not quite fit into the typical scheme of actions of a goalkeeper. He conceded just three goals in nine matches, but one of them cost Ajax three points against sixteenth-place GSK Sappemer and ultimately victory in the Eredivisie. The team lost the championship to PSV. Van der Sar acted quite confidently against strong opponents. The appearance of Van Gaal in his life was the impetus for the development of his career, but it was Frans Hoek, who was already a skilled goalkeeper trainer, who helped Van der Sar play in such a way that he best suited Cruyff’s vision of the ideal goalkeeper.
Considering the fact that Van der Sar started his career as a defender, it is not surprising that he was able to achieve such success in launching attacks. He was a tall and powerful player, so no one doubted that this position suited him perfectly. And yet he was destined to link his fate with the goal frame and goalie gloves. He once recalled the modest story of his transformation from defender to goalkeeper: “One day the team didn’t have a goalkeeper, and the coach told me: “Since you’re our tallest, go to the goal, my friend.” The same thing happened to many goalkeepers.”
It was a sign: his destiny was to play within the frame. His progress in the Ajax system was not so rapid. During the entire 1991/92 season, he never received a minute of playing time, but managed to take advantage of the situation, disappearing at the training base and honing his goalkeeping skills under the guidance of Hook.
His work in two training sessions a day mostly focused on strengthening his weak areas. But in Ajax's goalkeeper training, what mattered most was improving the two main aspects of their game. In one of his interviews, Raymond Verheyen spoke about them in detail. “The most important aspects of the game that are most emphasized are the ability to participate as an 11th player and the ability to return the ball correctly.”
Hook believed that it was very important to get it right and as quickly as possible, so he had to play as high as possible and find his teammate without fail. He was so convinced of this that he even practiced this game episode separately during training. Ajax's mentality of getting back into action as quickly as possible benefited van der Sar's progress and helped him eventually become a sweeping goalkeeper. Frans Hoek's coaching methods for preparing goalkeepers are known all over the world, and it was van der Sar who became his first student.
Van der Sar was strong in the traditional aspects of a goalkeeper's game - acting in the frame, intercepting serves from the flank, but he did not have a craving for excessive heroism. The latter was especially welcomed by Hook, who preferred the goalkeeper to remain on his feet in all but very emergency situations. It was Hook who initiated him into the mysteries of the art of performing as a sweep goalkeeper.
Made this technique even more popular and valuable. But to achieve success, he had to have high-quality skills and the right attitude. He was trained to organize defense in such a way as to reduce to a minimum the need to make a save. Moreover, if necessary, he had to demonstrate the ability to resolve even the most dangerous situation. According to Cruyff he was "very perfect." That is why his team's brilliant attack began from the defense, or rather from the very heart of that Lamborghini, with the arms and legs of Van der Sar.
After getting his chance at half-time against Cambur in October 1992 as a substitute for Menzo, he went on to make four more appearances in a row. But then Menzo returned to the gate again. The young player wanted to leave for Den Haag, but he was asked to stay and be patient. And after a 2-1 defeat to PSV and two errors by Menzo in the match with Auxerre, van der Sar got his way.
He returned to the starting lineup for the away match against Volendam and never left it again. In each of the following seasons he played at least 40 matches. He was very happy, although he did not show his feelings publicly. Goalkeepers are usually overly expressive, but this Dutchman was an exception to the rule. He was always calm and unshakable. In football it is impossible to do without expressing your emotions, be it triumph or disappointment. But van der Sar never showed anger in case of defeat, and after victory he seemed absolutely calm. He didn't want to throw out his emotions.
Simon Cooper spoke about the episode that occurred after Van der Sar's nightmare match against the Irish national team, as a result of which his team was eliminated from the 2002 World Cup. In the locker room after the final whistle, he noticed how the light of rage was reflected on the mirror table, dancing in his eyes. But instead of throwing thunder and lightning, he simply pushed a paper cup off the table. It was the biggest outburst of rage of his life. At Ajax, he learned the skills of psychological flexibility and emotional control, and they did not leave him even in the most difficult moments.
Van der Sar won numerous titles with Ajax: five Eredivisie titles in five years, three Dutch Cups, a historic Champions League triumph and much more. And then there was a desire to change something. After nine years of playing for the club, no one at Ajax interfered with his desire to leave the club. Van Gaal planned to convey his fate just as carefully and accurately to Sir Alex Ferguson, as if it were the most important pass in his playing career. But this throw was interrupted by the opposing striker in the colors of the Old Lady.
Realizing that Peter Schmeichel would soon leave the team, Ferguson did everything in his power to sign Van der Sar. Despite the differences in playing style, he seemed to be the best replacement for the Dane. But at the time the Scot was also interested in the services of Villa's Mark Bosnich. But it was only after Martin Edwards had already signed Bosnich's contract that Ferguson received a disappointing report on his performance.
Van der Sar, succumbing to the persuasion of the Italian giant, was going to move to Turin. Ferguson said he reached him while “he was waiting for his flight to Turin.” The Scot tried to convince him, but he turned out to be a man of his word. Ferguson was only a day late, which cost him years of disappointment. It seems that this transfer was doomed even before the parties got in touch. And this situation made both sides regret it more than once.
Although van der Sar made 66 appearances for Juventus over two seasons, Turin seemed the wrong place for his unique style. When he joined the club in 1999, he was considered the best goalkeeper in the world, so no one doubted that he would quickly adapt to everything. But it didn't work out.
In the Netherlands he could take risks, but in the Italian calcio they preferred to reduce the risk to a minimum, and this meant reducing the time the ball was in defense. His powers were significantly limited, which affected his self-confidence. And this despite the fact that then he was at the peak of his form. He was supposed to prosper. He was promised that the team would change their style of play to better suit him. But later these words were renounced, especially under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti.
When van Gaal, who headed Barcelona, invited him to join him, he decided to refuse and stay in Turin. However, the critics who nicknamed him “Van der Gol” were not going to stop. His glaring error against Lazio cost Juventus the Scudetto, but it was not the only one. The club asked him to have his eyes tested. He went to a specialist and lost confidence that he could even catch the ball. So, after the fabulous money paid for Gianluigi Buffon from Parma in 2001, no one doubted that van der Sar had no future in Turin. The "man with oily hands" was forced to leave.
After Italy, he finally moved to England. If you remember what happened next, the conclusion suggests itself: he left Juventus at the right time, because a couple of years later the team was mired in the “Calciopoli” scandal. But Fulham is hardly the best choice. Of the four clubs for which the Dutchman played, this one raises the most questions. Team owner Mohammed Al-Fayed promised to turn the club into the "Manchester United of the south of England." It sounds funny, but it interested him. Armed with a decent salary and the gift of a villa in Richmond, the Dutchman moved to London.
He spent four years there, but this period brought only one disappointment for van der Sar, who was at the peak of his form. Van Gaal, who coaches the Dutch national team, promised him that after his excellent performance at the 2002 World Cup, top clubs would be interested in him. But defeat by the Irish national team dashed all hopes, and Craven Cottage became his home for four whole years.
Despite Arsene Wenger's incredible instincts, it remains a mystery why he ignored Van der Sar's brilliant performances for Fulham against his Arsenal side. He and his family were comfortable in London. But Wenger and Ferguson were stubborn and seemed to deliberately not notice the talented goalkeeper. They ignored Van der Sar, who was standing on their doorstep, and refused to pay compensation. Ferguson eventually got his wish and in 2005, six long years later, he signed van der Sar for £4 million.
After Van der Sar's refusal, Ferguson was doomed to performances by mediocre goalkeepers. But it took him some time to call again. Ruud van Nistelrooy's positive recommendation about Van der Sar's suitability for the team was enough to sign the contract. Life rarely gives you a second chance, but Van der Sar was no stranger to going against common sense. This was his second coming, he was different from the first at Ajax, and it also became fateful. It was a turbo boost to a fading career.
Three Premier League triumphs, many other cups, multiple selections in the team of the season, individual awards and records, including 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal in the Premier League - a record that is unlikely to be broken, and much more - that's what he will always be remembered for at Old Trafford. But still, the most memorable moment in his career was the 2008 Champions League final.
Van der Sar's weak point was penalties: throughout his career, he lost in series more than once. Despite his outward steadfastness, deep down he also wanted to be a hero, and he also wanted to surpass his predecessor in the national team, penalty king Hans van Breukelen. After their meeting, he finally realized that the key to success lies in understanding the opponent's weaknesses, and not in relying on luck. This small nuance opened up huge advantages.
This advice helped him a lot in the following penalty shootouts, especially in that Moscow match. The Chelsea players were told to shoot to the goalkeeper's left as Van der Sar usually fell to the right, but they were in for a surprise. A man of great intelligence won the mind games. As Nicolas Anelka approached the spot, the Dutchman indicated that he was going to fall to his left. This forced the Frenchman to shoot to his right, which was exactly what a smiling Van der Sar needed. In that rare moment, he beamed with happiness. He threw his hands into the sky, because he had overcome his demons. It was the most memorable moment of his career. He deserved a "Van Breukelen moment" and he got it.
When Jaap Visser offered to be his biographer, Van der Sar was concerned that the vicissitudes of his career would not be enough to warrant a book. There were no scandals, gloss or high-profile events in his life. He himself once said: “Sorry, but I’m not very rock and roll.” He was the complete opposite of the explosive Peter Schmeichel. Perhaps he had never even done a wheel before the Champions League final.
Van der Sar never wanted to attract everyone's attention. He preferred to manage the defense calmly and effectively. When his wife Annemarie van Kesteren became seriously ill, he decided to retire to be there and was unwavering in his decision. When non-professional club Noordwijk asked him to become a "keeper for one match", he returned to help. Now he is the executive director of Ajax, who is slowly saying goodbye to his passion to conquer new heights.
He is a devoted family man for whom football is not the only love of his life. He can still intimidate his opponents by calmly shaking their hands before a match while sending a "don't mess with me" message. But off the field he is actually a good-natured person. He is an icon, a one-of-a-kind goalkeeper who has left his mark on football history. Fans may splurge on Manuel Neuer, but Van der Sar was a truly exceptional goalkeeper. There's no need to be rock 'n' roll if you're already irreplaceable. This is Edwin Van der Sar: a humble man, a great player and a true legend.
Edwin Van der Sar is one of the key links in Ajax's second golden generation. As part of the capital team in the 90s, this goalkeeper won five championships and three national Cups. Louis van Gaal's men were also indomitable on the European stage - in 1992 they won the UEFA Cup, and three seasons later they 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 play for Juventus, and for two seasons he was the main goalkeeper of the Old Lady. In 2001, Juve acquired Gianluigi Buffon from Parma, and Edwin's chances of appearing in the first team became limited.
The Dutchman was acquired by English Fulham for 11.5 million euros, with whom he signed a four-year contract. During his time with the Summer Residents, he played 154 matches.
Van der Sar has incredible reflexes for a man of his size and height (197 cm). Plays in a modern style, often coming out of goal and essentially serving as the last defender.
Edwin is the main goalkeeper of the Dutch national team. In the summer of 2004, it was largely Van der Sar’s excellent play at the European Championship that helped the Orange reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
On 1 July 2005, Edwin van der Sar joined United on a two-year deal.
The Dutchman was United's first signing since Malcolm Glazer bought the club and joined during the team's tour of the Far East in July. He was the latest in a long line of goalkeepers Fergie tried in the No. 1 job following the departure of Peter Schmeichel in 1999. Mark Bosnich, Massimo Taibi, Raymond van der Gouw, Fabien Barthez, Ricardo and Roy Carroll failed to become Big Dan's heirs and left the club.
The 197cm tall goalkeeper had proven his skill at all levels and, with his vast playing experience, it was believed that he would stabilize the club's game in the final stretch, after inconsistent performances in goal for Tim Howard's team. At the start of the 2005-06 season, Sir Alex Ferguson made Edwin the number one and commentators soon stopped talking about the "goalkeeping problem" at Old Trafford.
Van der Sar became a model of stability, and it is difficult to remember serious mistakes in his game in this first season for him in a new team, on the contrary, he had a great season, helping the team out at crucial moments. He achieved the rare feat of starting all of United's 38 league games, becoming only the fourth player to do so since Gary Pallister, who also started all of United's league games in 1994. -95.
Given his age, he is certainly not a long-term player for the team, and it was assumed that Tim Howard would take on the role of backup and gain experience to replace him when the time came to take over the No. 1 job. However, the recent transfer of Tim Howard Everton retain him as backup to Tomas 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 matches, 12 Champions League games and 3 FA Cup games. He missed several matches in the national championship after breaking his nose in the away match with Tottenham in a collision with Robbie Keane, otherwise he would have spent almost the entire championship in the United goal.
The Dutchman's excellent form became one of the decisive factors on Manchester United's path to the championship title. Suffice it to remember how he prevented Peter Crouch from scoring in the last minute of the game at Anfield, which ultimately ended in a 1-0 victory for Manchester United, and saved Mark Viduka's shot in a home game with Boro, saving his team a draw. 1-1. In May 2007, he saved Darius Vassell's penalty in the derby against City, which allowed the Mancunians to win by a minimal score of 1-0.
The next day, after Chelsea's draw with Bolton, it became clear that these three points brought the Red Devils the championship title. And although Van der Sar became the Dutch champion four times as part of Ajax, this is his first success in one of the leading European championships - English.
In the 2007-2008 season, Edwin secured his place in Manchester United history by saving Nicolas Anelka in the penalty shoot-out in the Champions League final at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. It’s interesting that Van der Sar’s season began in August, also with a penalty shootout, also in a game against Chelsea, when he saved three shots in a row and helped his partners win the FA Super Cup.
At 37 years old, Edwin still remains a model of stability and managed to keep a clean sheet in 23 matches of the season, while in the English Championship United set a club record, conceding only 22 goals during the championship. In European matches, he conceded only 3 goals, and rightfully won the second gold medal in the Champions League in his outstanding goalkeeping career.
The 2008-09 season once again proved that the acquisition of van der Sar was one of Ferguson's most successful moves in the transfer market. The evergreen Dutchman managed not only to successfully spend the next football year of his career, adding to his impressive collection of top-quality medals, but also to break several goalkeeper records.
The Dutch goalkeeper did not miss 14 matches in a row in the Premier League from November 8, 2008 to March 4, 2009, which amounted to 1311 minutes, and became not only a Premier League record, but also surpassed several other English records for goalkeepers, and raised Edwin to 6 1st place in the world rating of “impenetrability” of goalkeepers.
21 times during the English championship, Edwin kept a clean sheet and rightfully became the winner of the Premier League Golden Gloves prize, which is awarded to a goalkeeper precisely for this achievement and was included in the English championship team at the end of the year.
After breaking a finger and injuring his wrist in a pre-season match against Bayern, van der Sar missed the start of the 2009-10 season and did not make his first appearance until October 17 in a match with Bolton, which ended in a 2-1 victory for the hosts. But it was only one of his five starts until mid-January, as an injured knee and his wife's illness again prevented him from helping his teammates.
Finally returning to the number one job on 16 January in a match 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 calmness, composure, experience and amazing reactions are a huge plus for the Red Devils. The back five once again looks impregnable, and the central figure in this fortress is, of course, van der Sar. Having played 29 matches for United this season, the Dutchman kept a clean sheet in 14 of them, becoming the best among Premier League goalkeepers in terms of percentage of shots saved on his own goal (81%).
Despite rumors throughout the season that Edwin was close to finishing his illustrious 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 final milestone.
Do you remember those football players who made history? Which ones did we admire? Along with the end of the careers of the greats, it was as if an entire era was passing away. Where are they now?
Probably everyone remembers the 2008 European Championship and that match when our players defeated the Dutch. But now it’s not about our team. Most of all then went to the goalkeeper, who, indeed, went down in history as one of the best.
He has 14 trophies with Ajax, an Intertoto Cup with Juventus and a second with Fulham, 11 titles with Manchester United, fourth place at the 1998 World Cup and bronze at the 2000 and 2004 European Championships. And these are just team achievements. “Golden Glove”, a special PFA award for services to football, seven-time winner of the best goalkeeper status and, finally, the oldest player in the Champions League final in history. Edwin van der Sar is a truly great footballer.
The Dutchman was born on October 29, 1970, and ended his career at the age of 41. But now a little biography, it is indeed very rich and exciting. Since childhood, Edwin was significantly taller than his peers, so it somehow happened naturally that he stood in goal. As he himself says, the coach of the team for which he played as a child told him: “You know, you’re the tallest, stand in the goal.” And then Edwin decided that he would never play football again. But everything turned out differently. The then coach of Noordwijk, for whom Edwin played, was on good terms with Louis van Gaal, who advised him to pay attention to the young goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. That's how he ended up at Ajax. But despite this, he had to be in reserve for two whole years. But already in 1992 his finest hour came. Van der Sar defends the Ajax goal from the first minutes. And he does this incomparably, which allowed him to subsequently stand in them for about 7 years. At the same club, he was even given the nickname “Edwin van der Save” for his excellent reaction, jumping ability and other qualities that only the best goalkeeper could absorb.
A little later, fate decreed that Edwin began to defend the colors of Juventus. As he himself later admitted, he made a mistake here, because at that time Alex Ferguson himself called him to his place. But the Juve goalkeeper’s performance did not work out there, and they gave him to Fulham. And two years later an important stage came in his life. Manchester United finally achieved their goal and bought Edwin. It was from this moment that the peak of his career began. Van der Sar, whose biography is truly impressive, was named the team's best goalkeeper. This is what Sir Alex Ferguson, the head coach, said himself. Already here he felt at ease and met the hopes of everyone who believed in him.
Playing for the national team began back in 1994, although at that time he was still a reserve goalkeeper. But this did not scare Van der Sar, he knew that this was just the beginning, as it was at Ajax. Here he waited not two years, but one. And from the first moment of the game at the start, he firmly took his place in the goal of the Dutch national team.
He ended his career at 41 years old. Just imagine! By rising to stardom at such a late age, he changed the traditional understanding of a goalkeeper's career. The ideal football player is an elderly, experienced head on young legs. He probably could have continued his career further, but it was affected by family problems.
What is the ex-football player doing now?
He did not stop there, and after the end of his football career, “Van der Sar’s boring retirement” began.
The Dutchman has his own website called “Edwinvandersarfoundation.com”, on which he talks about the implementation of his projects aimed at supporting people with traumatic brain injuries in the areas of rehabilitation, participation and prevention. It all started when his wife suffered from a similar disease in 2011. In 2017, the foundation turns 5 years old; in honor of this, Edwin made a special anniversary tour of Holland. Van der Sar also loves animals and regularly donates amounts to various funds for their protection.
In 2016, the football player even had to resume his playing career. True, only for one match. His first club, Noordwijk, was left without goalkeepers at that time, and Edwin had to take the field. The match ended with the score 1:1. But even without any match practice, he managed to save a penalty!
In November of the same year, the former goalkeeper of the Dutch national team and Manchester United officially became the director of Ajax FC, where he spent 9 years as a player, and since 2012 he has been director of marketing. But the football field does not want to let go of its hero. Edwin sometimes puts on his gloves again and takes his now familiar position, sharing his experience with young football players. It's not every day you get the chance to train with a great athlete. So the young generation of Holland is in the capable hands of a great player.