Who is Shuichi Gonda, the Japanese goalkeeper who saved Germany eight chances?

He is 33 years old and is the starting goalkeeper for Shimizu S-Pulse, a club unknown to all of us who live in the West. He was a substitute goalkeeper in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and was not called up in Russia 2018. His good performances at the club level earned him the chance to reach this World Cup and this time in Qatar 2022 he started the first group game E against Germany and stole the show being a figure and hero of his team.

The goalkeeper began in professional football in 2007, making his debut at FC Tokyo, a team where he was for eight years. He has only played 35 matches with the jersey of his national team and his idol is the well-remembered American goalkeeper Tony Meola. His dream: to be a starter in a World Cup. Today he did it and with great success.

Eight crucial saves he had in the match against the Europeans who were vital to the historic victory of the Japanese in a surprising and exciting game. His only mistake: provoking the penalty that gave the rivals the goal 33 minutes into the first half that made it 1-0.

After this, Gonda left the bad moment behind and put on the hero’s cape to be a wall against the German shots. The goalkeeper responded to the call of the technician Hajime Moriyasu and he did it in an incredible way. The coach was not afraid to make five changes in the game to turn the result around and it took effect.

Both Gonda and his team showed that the Asian teams are here to compete against the Europeans and that the football gap is shorter than ever. It is a 2 to 1 which means the most important victory in its history and Shūichi Gonda’s name will go down in the Japanese football books forever.