I've always loved to watch football.  It's only in recent weeks though that I've taken a deep interest in football outside of what usually draws me in and that's the World Cup.  UEFA was just an awesome tournament and now I can't get enough. I've been going to sleep with the Fox Soccer Channel almost every night.

I played a bit of football as a kid.  I think most Americans do.  But I'm certainly not an expert on the sport.  I'm wondering from folks who've probably followed the sport a lot more closely for a lot longer than I have what impact goalkeepers really have in football?  I've always followed hockey closely and that's what football reminds me of which is probably why've I've always been drawn to the sport.  And the goalie in hockey is the most important player.  A hockey goalie can single-handedly win a game. 

But my impression from watching a lot of football in my time is that goalies are important in football, but because of the ginormous size of the net, what they can do is often limited.  You definitely notice a difference when there is a great goalkeeper tending the net, like a Buffon or a Boruc, but it doesn't seem like the same impact position that a hockey goaltender is.  I did notice that Boruc nearly single-handedly beat Austria in UEFA.  But it seems like that kind of impact performance is few and far between.

I guess I'm also baffled because there seems to be so many player jerseys for sale online.  Yet it's hard to find a player jersey of your favorite goalkeeper.  So perhaps they just aren't the heroes for younger kids like the guys who put the ball in the net?  I don't know.  Maybe someone could enlighten me on this.  I love the goalkeeping mentality because I grew up playing hockey goalie.  I'm always immediately drawn to it.