‘I’ll by no means recover from World Cup mistake however England may help treatment my one remorse’
For all the trophies, clean sheets and iconic saves David Seaman produced throughout his glittering career, there is one moment that continues to follow him everywhere.
The former England No.1 and Premier League, FA Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup winner with Arsenal is still forever linked to letting in Ronaldinho’s audacious free-kick at the 2002 World Cup – even if it’s still up for debate whether the Barcelona maverick truly meant it.
Cast your mind back to 2002 and football fans across the nation have flicked on their TVs while being served their breakfast during the tournament in Japan and South Korea, just to watch the Brazilian magician perform his latest moment of genius and send an early incarnation of England’s ‘Golden Generation’ packing.
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Around 35 yards away from goal, Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes had given away a free-kick in an inconspicuous position during England’s World Cup quarter-final with the five-time world champions.
Most expected Ronaldinho to swing the ball into the box. Instead, the Brazilian superstar caught Seaman off his line, sending an outrageous effort looping over the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
“You never really get over it because it’s always there. It’s more about how you deal with it and how you use it,” Seaman told Daily Star Sport.
“People still ask me now whether Ronaldinho meant it. My answer is always the same – it doesn’t matter whether he meant it or not because the ball still went in. I was told straight after the game that he hadn’t meant it, but it doesn’t change anything.
“As a goalkeeper, people remember your mistakes. Fortunately, they also remember some of the good moments, like the save I made against Sheffield United. But mistakes are part of being a goalkeeper. It’s all about how you respond.
“With Arsenal, we bounced back and won the FA Cup the following season. The important thing is whether you can recover during the game.
“If you make a mistake after five minutes and spend the rest of the match looking nervous, you’ll probably make another one. If you can put it behind you and carry on performing, that’s the sign of a good goalkeeper.
“That’s the life of a goalkeeper. You can play brilliantly for 89 minutes and make one mistake, and that’s what people remember.
“Nobody remembers some of the saves I made against Ronaldo or the other big saves over the years because one mistake tends to overshadow everything else.”
England had been a goal to the good before Ronaldinho lofted the ball above Seaman’s head – thanks to Michael Owen. However, Rivaldo fired the Selecao level.
Ronaldinho’s moment of genius put the then-four time champions ahead – but minutes after the free-kick Ronaldinho went from hero to zero when he saw red.
Seaman is now hoping England’s new generation can do what the golden one could not: win the World Cup. “Now it’s about taking that next step and actually winning something.
“That’s my one regret with England – I never won a major tournament. I was fortunate enough to win plenty of trophies with Arsenal, and there’s no feeling quite like it. But winning something with England would be on a completely different level.
“As a former player, I’d love to be there when that finally happens because it would be an incredible celebration.”
