Brad Friedel: biography, photos and achievements

Brad Friedel became one of the few American football players who could make a career in England. As part of the United States, he participated in three world championships and the Olympic Games. He was also the oldest football player in Europe, completing his career in forty-four years. For the professionalism and reliability in the game, the fans began to call him The Wall Man.

Brief information about the football player

Brad Friedel was born on May 18, 1971 in Lakewood , Ohio. His growth, according to various sources, from 188 to 193 cm, weight is supposedly 93 kg. His specialization in football was the defense of the goal, that is, he was a goalkeeper.

Brad has been involved in various sports since childhood. He excelled in football, tennis, basketball. Despite the fact that in the United States of America European football is not very popular, the athlete decided to deal with them. He did not choose tennis because of financial considerations, since this sport is very expensive, and he did not have a shower for basketball.

To achieve high results in football, Brad needed to get to Europe. He really wanted to work in England, which is considered the birthplace of this sport. From what club began his career in Europe?

Club career

Early in his career, Brad sought to become an attacker. After a while, he changed his mind and concentrated on protecting the gate. In the nineties of the last century, he could become an English player in Nottingham, but the problems with issuing documents prevented him from obtaining a work permit in the UK.

All attempts to get a football player to the English club were unsuccessful, he had to return to his homeland to begin preparations for the 1994 World Cup. He performed there as the second goalkeeper.

After the championship, he had another prospect - to become an English club player. This time he was invited by Newcastle. However, this time the British authorities did not give permission for work.

Failure with the registration of documents for work in England led to the fact that the football player could not accept the proposal of "Newcastle", he had to settle for the Danish "Brondby". He played there only one season and returned to the United States. After there was another attempt to get into the English club, but instead Brad Friedel began to work in the Turkish "Galatasaray", the American "Columbus Crew".

"Liverpool"

By 1997, the desire of the football player to work in an English club. He got to Liverpool. This time all the documents were issued, and he was able to sign a contract.

Brad Friedel belonged to the second team. The American played the debut game against Asten Villa. But for three seasons he was able to enter the field only thirty times, of which two games were within the UEFA Cup. This did not suit the ambitious goalkeeper, who saw himself as the first number.

Blackburn Rovers

After the end of the contract with Liverpool, the player decided to join Blackburn. This event took place on April 7, 2001. At that time the team participated in the First Division. Becoming the leader of the team, he brought his club to the Premier League.

The following year Friedel helped the team to beat Tottenham in the League Cup final. He saved the gate from a few hopeless moments. For this he was recognized as the best player of the match. But the fans could thank the goalkeeper not only for this game. He also performed well in matches against Arsenal and Fulham. In one of these meetings, he was able to reflect a penalty.

In the 2002-2003 season, the American goalkeeper could not miss a single goal in fifteen matches. For this he was included in the symbolic team of the year. By the end of the season he was declared the best player of the club.

In 2004, in a game against Charlton Athletic, the goalkeeper was able to score a goal. And two years later, in a game against Sheffield, the athlete managed to repulse two penalties. In this match he was declared the best player.

Friedel twice extended the contract with "Blackburn". For all the time he worked in the club, he missed only five matches. At this time, he was preparing for the World Cup 2002 with his team.

Footballer spent in this club for eight years. He did not achieve such results with any team. During this time, "Blackburn" returned to the European Cups. He liked to play at the club. One day he said that he always liked to return to Blackburn. However, the 2008 crisis in the team forced the thirty-seven-year-old goalkeeper to change the club.

Aston Villa

When Brad Friedel (football player) moved to this club, he also experienced not the best of times. However, this allowed the player to become the first number. The debut occurred in the game Intertoto Cup, in which the goalkeeper defended the goal from the players "Odense". However, in this match, he only came on as a substitute. A full-fledged debut took place against the club "Manchester City". His new club won with a score of 4: 2.

After spending three seasons, the player played about a hundred and twenty matches, and missed one hundred and forty-three games. Further his career continued in another team.

Tottenham Hotspur

The transition to Tottenham Hotspur took place in 2011. By this time, the player turned forty years old. In the new team, Brad Friedel (goalkeeper) decided to give his best. As a result, he managed to play three hundred matches without substitutions. It was his personal record. In addition, the athlete spent five hundred matches in the Premier League. After success in the work the club signed the contract twice with the goalkeeper (in 2012 and 2014). He even could withstand competition and remain the first number, despite the fact that the club management found him a substitute in the face of the goalkeeper of the French national team Hugo Lloris.

The last contract for a period of one year, an American football player signed with "Tottenham" in 2014. He was also appointed ambassador of this club. His job was to interact with fans in the US, and also to promote the club in North America.

Completion of career

In the spring of 2015, Brad Friedel, whose biography relates to football, announced that he is completing his career as a goalkeeper. In the last months of work at the club, the goalkeeper was often on the bench and went to the field only in the cup matches. After that, Brad Friedel completed his career.

In his interviews, he said that he planned to play, while for this he will have health and desire. He did not think that you can just come to training for the sake of wages. Also, the football player said that he was ready to leave football. At the same time, he noted that he will not have enough interaction with other players and club staff. All these words were said by the goalkeeper on the eve of his forty-four-year-old. By this time, the athlete was one of the oldest active players in Europe.

His career ended in "Tottenham". This is the team he was so eager to get into. The footballer said that he is leaving the magnificent club, Brad was happy to be a part of him all the four years he spent there.

Career in the national team

Brad Friedel, whose photo is presented in the article, made his debut in the team in a game against Canada. In the match, held in 1992, he did not miss a single goal. In the same year he participated in the Olympic Games.

In 1994, the football player went to the World Cup reserve goalkeeper, and in 2002 he went to the same championship as the first number. With him, the US team became a quarterfinal, losing to Germany. The goalkeeper missed only one goal. In 1998, the goalkeeper played against Yugoslavia. The US team lost, albeit with a minimal score. His nickname Wall-man Brad got during the World Cup 2002, when he managed to repulse two penalties. Since then, fans have called it that way.

In 2005, the goalkeeper announced that he was completing his international career. For the national team, Brad spent eighty-two matches.

Coach career

Brad Friedel (a former American football player) at forty-four years decided to start a coaching career. He became assistant coach of the United States of America. It was Jurgens Klinsman who recommended the candidacy of the former goalkeeper for the post of head coach of the US youth team (until nineteen years). This became his first experience in coaching career. Perhaps, Friedel's name will sound not in one championship, only as a coach of the winning team.

Main Achievements

Brad Friedel - American football player, who for a long time could not find a job in the European club. But he did it all the same. It was professionalism that helped to win both in the English championships, and in the world.

Goalkeeper's achievements:

• League Cup;
• Third place in the Confederation Cup ;
• Second and third place in the CONCACAF Cup;
• First place in the Pan-American Games.

In addition, the athlete has personal achievements. In different periods of his career he was declared the best goalkeeper and football player of the United States, a member of the symbolic team of the World Cup and the Premier League.