David de Gea was snubbed in the FIFA Best Goalkeeper award a couple weeks ago, but he still commonly inspires “best goalkeeper in the world” conversations. The Manchester United #1 has arguably been the club’s most valuable player the past few seasons, and he came up just one percentage point behind Anthony Martial for the club’s October layer of the Month award.
What makes De Gea so consistently elite? It’s a whole combination of factors, but there is one attribute that might just be his secret weapon. It’s a trait that he just revealed in an interview with an official club publication.
De Gea played up front as a youth, and his work as an outfield player during his childhood has given him instinct as he sees it. It’s helped him with developing catlike reflexes and fancy footwork.
“It’s pure instinct,” he told Inside Review. “It’s something you do automatically. It’s not like you think to yourself: ‘I’m going to use my feet’.
“It’s just a reaction and there are times when the ball is coming at you very close to your body and there’s not enough time to get down. I’ve always been decent with my feet so it’s another skill you can call upon.
“[As I said], as a kid, I used to play out of goal, so my touch isn’t too bad.”
“I played up front at school in Madrid, then at a soccer school there too,” De Gea continued.
“I used to combine the two roles and play as a striker and then in goal. But, in the end, I realised I was a better keeper.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune corporation blogging community Chicago Now.
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