Bruce Grobbelaar

1972/74 Highlanders (ZIM)

1975 Chibuku Shumba (ZIM)

1976 Highlands Park (AFS)

1977/78 Durban City (AFS)

1979/80 Vancouver Whitecaps (CAN) 24 matches

1980 Crewe Alexandra (ANG) (Prêt) 24 matches, 1 goal

1981/94 Liverpool (ANG) 628 matches

(English Championship : 440 matches)

(English Cup : 62 matches)

(English League Cup: 70 matches)

(Charity Shield : 8 matches) 

(Screen Sport Super Cup: 7 matches)

(Centenary Trophy: 1 match)

(European Champion Clubs' Cup : 30 matches)

(Cup Winners Cup: 2 matches)

(UEFA Cup : 5 matches)

(UEFA Supercup: 1 match)

(Intercontinental Cup : 2 matches)

1993 Stoke City (ANG) (Prêt) 4 matches

1994/96 Southampton (ANG) 40 matches

(English Championship: 32 matches)

(English Cup: 5 matches)

(English League Cup : 3 matches)

1996/97 Plymouth Argyle (ENG) 41 matches

(English 2nd Division : 36 matches)

(English Cup: 3 matches)

(English League Cup : 2 matches)

1997 Oxford UTD (ENG)

1997 Sheffield Wednesday (ENG)

1997/98 Oldham Athletic (ENG) 4 matches

1998 Chesham United (ENG) 4 matches

1998 Bury (ENG) 1 match

1998 Lincoln City (ENG) 2 matches

1999 Northwich Victoria (ENG) 1 match

2002 Hellenic FC (EFS) 1 match

2007 Glasshoughton Welfare (ENG) 1 match

With National Team :

32 caps

(Friendly matches: 8 selections)

(World Cup Qualification: 13 caps)

(African Cup of Nations Qualification: 10 caps)

(COSAFA Cup: 1 selection)

1st cap : October 12, 1980 against Cameroon (0-2)

Last cap : November 17, 1998 against Tunisia (1-1)

Rhodesia: 1 cap

Bruce David Grobbelaar

Born October 6, 1957 in Durban (AFS)

Zimbabwean, goalkeeper, 1m85

Nicknames: The Flying Guardian, Brucie

The legendary goalkeeper born in South Africa, he is not destined to play football. As a child, he was passionate about cricket. He followed his parents to Rhodesia, which later became Zimbabwe, of which he acquired nationality. He emigrated in 1980 and tried to play for West Bromwich Albion. But his work permit was refused. He had no choice but to fly to Canada where he played in Vancouver for a season. This short stint allowed him to return to England and land at Crewe Alexandra. For his first season on British soil, he played 24 matches and scored one goal. And he catches the eye of an English great: Liverpool. The legendary club is looking for Ray Clemence's replacement. Despite a difficult start, Grobbelaar remained the last bastion of the Reds for thirteen seasons, and became famous for his eccentric and flamboyant style. Between 1981 and 1994, he played 628 matches for Liverpool, winning six English championships, a European Champion Clubs' Cup, three FA Cups and three League Cups. The most successful goalkeeper in Liverpool's history has a richly decorated list of achievements. The rest of the story is a little less funny.

His legend stands out during the final at the Olympic stadium in Rome, the Reds and AS Roma unable to decide between themselves after added time. The English club's goalkeeper will make this penalty shootout legendary. Known for his eccentricity, the goalkeeper will do everything to distract opposing players. Before the third Italian shot, he pretends to eat his fillets like spaghetti. Bruno Conti hits above. But the best is yet to come. The tension is at its peak. Just before striker Francesco Graziani's shot, Grobbelaar pretended to be completely drunk. He staggers, his legs trembling, as if to better exorcise the issue. His imitation succeeded in troubling the Italian international, whose shot hit the crossbar. We then discover a clown guard. Nothing in his behavior brings him closer to other goalkeepers. Clown perhaps, but often brilliant. He is never where we expect him, often wanders at the limit of his 16 meters, or performs extraordinary displays of audacity which are not justified. He explains this improbable behavior that having experienced a civil war in Zimbabwe allowed him to put things into perspective. Despite all this, he was one of the best goalkeepers in England.

In 1985, "Brucie" took part in the infamous Heysel final, undoubtedly one of the deadliest matches in football history. He was benched by David James, the man who defended Zimbabwe's goal for 18 years (1980-1998) and left Liverpool for Southampton, the same year he was accused by the British tabloid "The Sun" of having fixed matches for the benefit of a sports betting syndicate. Accused of corruption, Grobbelaar chose to plead not guilty, explaining that in fact he was seeking to gather evidence before passing it to the police. In November 1997, thanks to this defense, he was finally acquitted and decided to sue the newspaper for defamation. The case goes back to the House of Lords, which agrees with the Sun and condemns Grobbelaar. The upper house of the British Parliament considers that although there may not have been corruption, there was nothing honest about the character's attitude and therefore the damage caused by The Sun, although real, is actually minor. Brucie, who then celebrated his 40th birthday, would never recover. Ruined despite the tidy sums amassed during his career, no longer makes anyone laugh and ends his career in the anonymity of the British lower divisions.

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