Many Liverpool fans have been reminiscing about the club’s former goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, who turns 47 today, with his birthday acknowledged by @TheRedmenTV on Twitter.
The Poland international played a key role in the Reds’ 2005 Champions League final success, producing an extraordinary double save late in extra time to deny AC Milan’s Andriy Shevchenko and saving the Ukrainian’s penalty in the shoot-out to ensure a fifth European Cup for Liverpool (as per liverpoolfc.com).
Happy birthday Jerzy Dudek!!!
Still no idea how this happened! pic.twitter.com/Mlh9Zc5XjI
— The Redmen TV (@TheRedmenTV) March 23, 2020
His heroics in Istanbul that night were in stark contrast to another Reds goalkeeping performance in a subsequent Champions League final, with Loris Karius committing two glaring errors which led to goals for Real Madrid in their 3-1 victory in Kiev in 2018.
Dudek made 186 appearances in six years at Liverpool, although even his Istanbul heroics didn’t prevent then-manager Rafael Benitez from signing Pepe Reina just a few weeks after that final. The Pole’s Anfield career eventually petered out as he made only 12 appearances in his final two seasons on Merseyside before leaving in 2007.
These Liverpool fans on Twitter showed that they continue to hold the 47-year-old in very high regard after @TheRedmenTV showed a clip of his double save from Shevchenko in 2005:
he was exceptional gk karius wouldn’t have done that
— helen raybould (@rizz50isles1) March 23, 2020
The day he broke Shevchenko
— Junead (@JunjaMedia) March 23, 2020
Happy Birthday Jerzy. The look on his face ‘our name’s on this’.
— Stevinho (@Stevinho20) March 23, 2020
Where did that 15 years go ? Happy Birthday Jerzy forever grateful #LFC
— Warren Wooldridge (@wwooldridge) March 23, 2020
What a hero ??
— Adam McCusker (@Adam_McCusker) March 23, 2020
Thank you, Jerzy!
— David Goulbourn (@DavidGoulbourn1) March 23, 2020
Liverpool fans, do you think Dudek can be considered a club legend following his performance in the 2005 Champions League final? Comment below with your views!
