Van der Sar seeks to bow out in style
by Berend Scholten from Lausanne
Veteran Netherlands goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is looking to sign off in style in his last major tournament at UEFA EURO 2008™.
Fourth EURO
Capped 125 times, the 37-year-old captain will add his name to an élite list of players when he takes the field against Italy on Monday evening in Berne. After appearances at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 finals, he will equal the record currently shared by Lothar Matthäus and Peter Schmeichel, who each played in four UEFA European Championships. After winning the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United FC last month – a triumph secured by his penalty save from Chelsea FC's Nicolas Anelka – Van der Sar and his team-mates were denied a trophy parade for security reasons. He hopes it will be different if Marco van Basten's men come out on top in Austria and Switzerland, however.
'Have to perform'
"I remember the 1988 tournament, when the Oranje became European champions in Germany – the celebration ceremony in honour of that team is something that every Dutch citizen still remembers," the towering goalkeeper told euro2008.com. "So to experience something like that would be great. I was involved in similar celebrations in 1995 when we won the Champions League with [AFC] Ajax, so I know how nice it is. But that is not something I am thinking about at the present time. We now just have to perform in our matches and what happens after that is of no importance at this stage."
Opening test
Van der Sar admits that Monday's meeting with Group C rivals Italy does not represent the easiest start. "This week I saw them play in a friendly against Belgium and they have quality all over the pitch – in attack, defence, midfield. They are not world champions by accident, of course. No one will say it is going to be an easy match, but we all start with a blank canvas and eleven players on each side, so you always stand a chance. At the World Cup in Germany, we were drawn into the 'group of death' and we came out of there alive. We have got the experience, we did it two years ago and we are going to do it this year also."
Shades of Van Breukelen
After his Premier League and UEFA Champions League double with Manchester United this term, Dutch fans are hoping Van der Sar might go on to emulate Hans van Breukelen, the former Netherlands goalkeeper who 20 years ago became a European champion with first PSV Eindhoven and then, a month later, the Oranje. A smiling Van der Sar concluded: "It would be excellent to have the chance to experience that. But, if we win in normal time, in extra time or on penalties, I don’t really mind, as long as we win it."
I like Van Der Sar eh, but Van Breukelen was unreal boy, boss keeper
