Over the last few years Spain cannot escape the curse of the goalkeeper. Not one of two Spanish goalkeepers made embarrassing blunders. The latest is Unai Simon while guarding the Spanish national team against Croatia in the last 16 of Euro 2020.
Competing at Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark, on June 27, 2021, Unai Simon was forced to pick up the ball from his net after he failed to control a backpass from Pedri. Pedri’s backpass ball that bounced slightly slid into the Spanish goal after passing through Unai Simon’s feet. As for the final result, Spain won over Croatia with a score of 5-3. These results made La Furia Roja qualify for the last 8 of Euro 2020.
Since Unai Simon made a blunder in the Euro 2020 round of 16 match, his name has become a trending topic some time ago. The generation of Spanish goalkeeper blunders that Unai Simon made at Euro 2020, was like deja vu.
Here are some of the embarrassing blunders of the Spanish goalkeeper:
Iker Casillas
This Real Madrid legend is arguably the beginning of blunders made by the Spanish goalkeeper. Iker Casillas made a blunder when Spain suffered a humiliating 1-5 defeat to the Netherlands in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup.
Casillas made a blunder on Van Persie’s fourth Dutch goal. Getting feedback from Sergio Ramos, the Real Madrid goalkeeper failed to control the ball and was taken by Van Persie.
De Gea
The Manchester United goalkeeper has often made blunders since he was trusted as La Furia Roja’s first goalkeeper at Euro 2016. When facing Croatia in the group stage, De Gea made a blunder that made Spain lose.
De Gea made a blunder on Croatia’s first goal scored by Nikola Kalinic. De Gea, who was actually in a ready position, made the wrong anticipatory move. As a result, he did not move when Kalinic grabbed a pass from Ivan Perisic shortly before the first half ended.
Two years later, De Gea also made a blunder at the 2018 World Cup stage which was held in Russia. At that time, De Gea made a blunder when the Spanish national team drew 3-3 against Portugal in the 2018 World Cup Group B match.
In the 44th minute, De Gea failed to anticipate Ronaldo’s low kick. As a result the ball went into the Spanish goal and Ronaldo scored his second goal of the match.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Kepa, who is a Chelsea goalkeeper, also often gets the spotlight from netizens because he often makes blunders. Although he did not make a blunder with the Spanish national team, he often made this fatal mistake with his club Chelsea. Even last year, Kepa became the goalkeeper who made the most blunders of all the other Premier League goalkeepers, according to Opta data.
Adrian San Miguel
Adrian is a Spanish goalkeeper who plays for English club Liverpool. The goalkeeper who was born in Sevilla, January 3, 1987, had made a blunder when Liverpool faced Southampton in the second week of the 2019-2020 Premier League season.
In that match, in the 83rd minute, Adrian made a blunder which led to a goal for Southampton. The goal began when Virgil Van Dijk gave a backpass to Adrian. Southampton striker Danny Ings then tried to interfere with the ball at Adrian’s feet. Adrian, who tried to throw the ball forward, instead hit Ings’ feet and finally slid into the Liverpool goal.
