| Goalkeepers are different. Even if you don't watch | | | | ameliorating it. It was in early 70s that goalkeeper shirt |
| football fanatically, you know that this guy under the | | | | started resembling to a true athletic shirt, close to what |
| goalposts usually wears a different shirt and pants in | | | | we know now. The athletic jerseys became very |
| comparison with the rest of the team. Goalkeeper shirt | | | | popular in Europe, but both Britain and the USA were |
| has its own history which is quite long and interesting. In | | | | kind of slow on the uptake, so these shirts were still |
| the early history of football, the teams distinguished | | | | not well established in World Football. |
| from each other by the color of their socks, or their | | | | Despite the fact that the goalkeeper's number has |
| armbands. In 1872, in England, some teams starting | | | | traditionally been number 1, goalkeepers were sort of |
| using stripes and created new uniforms, with different | | | | late in wearing a number, mostly because they didn't |
| colors, although, still, there were many similarities. | | | | need to, since they already wore different shirt. The |
| Looking back, you will see that many of the teams | | | | rest of players had to be identified somehow, |
| kept essentially the same uniform they created in the | | | | especially since football was becoming increasingly |
| 19th century. | | | | popular and the stadiums were full of fans. Although |
| Rules were still strict though, especially for goalkeepers. | | | | there is no rule that indicates that number 1 belongs to |
| We could say that goalkeepers suffered the most by | | | | the goalkeeper, tradition does dictate that the goalpost |
| FIFA rules, until they somewhat relaxed during the 70s. | | | | guard should carry this number on his back. For the |
| They were limited to specific colors, including green, | | | | records, the first no goalkeeper player who wore the |
| blue and white, occasionally red as well. The most | | | | number 1 was Ossie Ardiles, an Argentinean player. |
| popular was green, simply because not many teams | | | | Many players followed his example, especially in |
| used green as the primer color of their uniform. Just | | | | national teams, although still goalkeepers take the shirt |
| before the First World War, goalkeepers were | | | | with number 1. |
| wearing a cap, so as to stand out from their | | | | There are some funny stories related to goalkeepers |
| teammates. In 1909 Scots decided to introduce the | | | | and their shirts. For instance the Croatian player |
| different color for the goalkeeper. | | | | Dražen Ladic wore a shirt with the number 59, |
| Goalkeeper shirts used to come in two different kinds: | | | | because that was his 59th and last game with his |
| one was quite tight and looked like a vest with long | | | | country colors in the match against France in 2000. In |
| sleeves; the second was the V neck polo sweater, | | | | 1952 Bill Lloyd in Britain was ordered by the referee to |
| which was more common until the late 60s. It was | | | | change his shirt, because it didn't look like a |
| quite heavy gear for a sensitive position such as the | | | | goalkeeper's shirt, but resembled more to a knitted |
| goalkeeper's, so manufacturers worked a lot on | | | | shirt. |