| In soccer, a goalkeeper can touch the ball with his hands within the limits of the penalty zone. The goalkeeper's outfit should be different from the outfits of other players within the team and also from the outfits of opponent players and referees. The goalie wears special gloves, allowing him to hold the ball better and to soften the impact of balls kicked towards him that he must catch or deflect. The goalkeeper, who is out of the penalty zone, is considered as normal player. Lev Yashin is considered as the best goalkeeper in the history of soccer.
In many team games of sport, the goalkeeper or the goalie is the player, whose duty it is to safeguard the goal, that is, not to allow the opponent to score a goal. Usually, special rules exist, which are applicable to goalkeepers. Often, goalies wear additional gear.
Goalkeepers in various sports other than soccer:
In bandy, the goalie plays without a stick within the penalty zone (semicircle of 17 m radius). The color of the outfit of the goalkeeper should differ from the outfit of other players in the team. It is allowed for the goalie to wear protective gear and also special leg guards, which tightly cover the legs to protect from bruises upon falling and in case of a direct hit from the ball. To protect the hands, he is allowed to wear special gloves, but the fingers of the gloves of the goalkeeper should be separate and should not have webbing or traps between the fingers of the gloves. It is permitted to paste a layer of sponge, foam rubber or other material, without increasing the gloves size. The goalie also should be on skates and should wear a helmet. Usage of a protective mask is mandatory for a goalkeeper.
In ice hockey, the goalie wears a special outfit, consisting of a mask, guards, trap and a special stick. The goalkeeper can press the puck to the ice or hold the puck in a trap to stop the game (for this purpose, the goalie should hold the puck from three seconds up to a specified time and then return it for the continuation of the game). Attacking the goalie by team members of the opposite side is considered a violation of the rules.
In field hockey, the goalkeeper wears protective gear and it is permitted to stop the ball with any part of the body.
In water polo, the goalie can touch the ball with both hands, touch the floor of the pool and strike the ball with his fist at a distance of 4 meters from the goalpost. Even the goalkeeper can score goals; however, in this case, the goalie is not permitted to swim across into the opponent's zone. |
