OT - Ideal pro athletes that would dominate soccer?

Submitted by Todd Plate's n… on

I always find folks' ruminations on the future of US soccer interesting and there seems to be a general consensus that the US won't be an elite soccer power until the best athletes in this country start playing the sport at an early age. 

My question then, who amongst current and former professional sports stars do you see as having the most potential to dominate in soccer?  Who are the prototypical athletes that would have excelled?

My lack of soccer knowledge makes me want to think a guy like Lebron would make an unreal goalie...huge, quick and huge.  Would Barry Sanders have been a terror had he been playing since he was a kid?  Reggie Bush?  What say you smarter-than-I mgobloggers?

jmblue

July 1st, 2010 at 12:17 PM ^

If guys Webber's size are ideal for goalkeeper, why aren't there any in the World Cup?  We aren't the only country with tall people.

A soccer goal is 24 feet wide.  You don't stop many low shots with your legs.  You do it by diving, and a guy like Webber, with his high center of gravity, isn't going to be as quick to the ground as someone smaller. 

PinballPete

July 1st, 2010 at 12:55 PM ^

I see your point and agree which is why that taller than average keeper (6'9" is about 6 in. over ideal height)) would have to be an athletic specimen, some one so freakishly gifted that he broke the mold. Few big men would have the ability to make low saves and I can think of witnessing few big men more athletic than Webber. I didn't say Juwan Howard or Terry Mills or even a pro like Karl Malone because the just don't compare to the athleticism but thanks for raining on my fantasy soccer parade.

TheLastHarbaugh

July 1st, 2010 at 1:28 PM ^

Edwin van der Sar, the dutch keeper is 6'5''-6'6''. Although he retired from international play this year (much to the dismay of the dutch national team) he is still a top flight keeper and ManU just extended his contract another year. Tall people can be elite goalies. Just last year be broke the Premier League record for most consecutive clean sheets as well as most minutes played without conceding a goal.

Also, Peter Cech, the keeper for Chelsea, is 6'5'' and considered one of the best keepers in the world. Here is some quick wikipedia info on his awesomeness.... 

He currently holds the Premiership record for fewest appearances required to reach 100 clean sheets, having done so in 180 league appearances. He also holds a Czech professional league record of not conceding a goal in 855 competitive minutes (he previously held a record for the most clean sheets accomplished in a single Premier League season (25), set during Chelsea’s 2004–05 title-winning campaign).

He also has a club record at his former team Sparta Praha, having gone 928 minutes unbeaten in all competitions in 2001–2002, when his unbeaten run in Czech league competition was combined with his performances in the UEFA Champions League. During the 2004–05 season, Čech went 1,025 minutes without conceding a goal — a former Premier League record until it was surpassed by Edwin van der Sar of Manchester United on 27 January 2009. Čech also won the Barclays Golden Gloves in both the 2004/2005 and 2009/2010 seasons. [

Although it's not 6'8'', hell even Gianluigi Buffon is 6'3'', which is fairly tall by soccer standards, and IMO, he is the best keeper in the world.

In short, tall dudes can definitely play keeper, and several of the best keepers in the world are freakishly tall.

jmblue

July 1st, 2010 at 2:54 PM ^

Webber's 6'10".  There's a pretty significant difference between 6'5" and 6'10". 

I don't think it can be done.  There's actually a case study: Hakeem Olajuwon actually was a soccer goalie until he outgrew the position and was steered into basketball.  And certainly, he had great, great feet.

TheLastHarbaugh

July 1st, 2010 at 4:29 PM ^

I was talking about LeBron as a potential keeper. CWebb would make for a terrible keeper IMO ( and could never play soccer period). I guess my main point was  6'8''  is pretty tall, but we've seen ridiculously tall keepers work before, because several of the top keepers are freakishly tall as is, so I could see LeBron working out at keeper, due to his amazing athleticism making up for the 3 extra inches he has on van der Sar and Cech.