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Coach Education
The virtual programme was attended by 102 coach educators and goalkeeping experts, who had the opportunity to hear from global experts such as former Celtic FC and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Patrick Bonner, as well as Pascal Zuberbühler, who has plied his trade for several reputed clubs in Europe, including Fulham, West Bromwich Albion, and FC Basel. Both appeared in Euro and World Cup Final Tournaments.
Bonner, who now serves as Technical Advisor at UEFA, shared key insights into the responsibilities of the modern custodian, which have expanded beyond traditional defensive duties to include an integral role in overall team tactics.
Aided by research conducted by UEFA’s Goalkeeper Advisory Group from UEFA EURO 2024 and the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, the former Ireland international shed light on the emerging trends in the specialised role, highlighting goalkeepers’ growing influence in building attacks and maintaining possession under pressure.
The Irish legend also shared development considerations for coaches, emphasising technical proficiency, understanding tactical cues, and integrating goalkeepers effectively into both attacking and defensive structures.
“Evolution is almost constant now in the modern game. For instance, passing accuracy in the top European leagues has been on a steady rise and has made the role of goalkeepers increasingly important in the build-up phase,” said Bonner.
“Similarly, during the Euros, playing over the press was the strategy used most often to counter the high press, allowing goalkeepers to bypass pressure and initiate attacks from deeper positions.”
Meanwhile, Zuberbühler, Senior Football & Goalkeeping Expert at FIFA, complemented the European perspective with findings from the organisation’s Football Performance Insights, analysing evolving patterns identified at the latest FIFA tournaments.
Through examples from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, the former Swiss international drew attention to three distinct elements most observed among goalkeepers in the competition - supporting the space behind the defensive line, mastering the X-block save, and contributing actively to goalscoring opportunities.
The informative presentations paved the way for engaging dialogues among participants, providing representatives from AFC Member Associations with a chance to exchange views and apply the insights in their respective environments, further underlining the AFC’s resolve to ensure the success of Asian teams on the world stage.
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