Van der Sar: My childhood dream is to be a defender

He dreamed of becoming a defender, but ended up being one of the greatest and most successful goalkeepers in history.

He is Edwin Van der Sar, a 41-year-old player who retires. He has played for three great clubs, Ajax, Juventus and Manchester United, and has played 130 times for the Dutch national team, ranking second in history. He has also won a total of 28 trophies, including two Champions League trophies. After retiring, he became an executive of the Ajax Club and served as CEO until he left office in 2023.

Recently, Van der Sar was interviewed by Milan Sports Daily and talked about his childhood football dream.

Reporter: Why do you dream of becoming a defender?

Vandersa: My role model is my uncle, he is a defender, so my first jersey when I was a child was No. 3. Later, my position gradually moved backward and eventually became a goalkeeper.

Reporter: Can you tell us about Van Gaal's trend? He is the coach who trains you to become a talent, and you won everything under his command.

Van der Sar: Van Gaal has a group of friends who used to play cards with them at night, including my youth training coach in Nordwick. He once said to Van Gaal: "Louis, I have a 17-year-old super goalkeeper, come to see him." Van Gaal accepted the invitation and came to see me play football, and brought me to Ajax a few weeks later. He signed me as the third goalkeeper on the team and gave me a chance to play, and I eventually won the starting position.

Reporter: Debor Brothers, Seedorf, Davis, Litmanin, Rijkaard, Cruivet... Who is the best player in Ajax?

Van der Sar: If only one person can be chosen, I will choose Rijkaard. He has achieved many years of glory in the great AC Milan, and after returning to Ajax, he led us to success, especially in the 1995 Champions League final we defeated AC Milan.

Reporter: Why did you choose to join Juventus in the summer of 1999?

Van der Sar: I had two choices at that time - Liverpool and Juventus. I talked to both clubs and my heart was drawn to Italy. Serie A was the best league of the time, Juventus was a historic club and beat us in the 1996 Champions League final. I liked the black and white jersey and was interested in playing for this team that once had legendary goalkeeper Zoff.

Reporter: Have you regretted it?

Van der Sar: Juventus' situation changes a lot compared to Ajax I am used to, and there are much more difficulties. I didn't play at my best, but I didn't regret it. The forward cannot play in, the goalkeeper cannot defend, and accepting criticism is also part of the game. Living and playing football in Italy is still a great experience. The summer when I came to Juventus, my teammates often took me out for dinner - Ferrara, Uliano, Zidane, Inzagi, Zambrota, Davis... The food in the Turin restaurant is very good. At night, I would take out my credit card, but I never got the chance to pay.

Reporter: Please use one word to describe Zidane during the Juventus era.

Van der Sar: Great.

Reporter: You rejuvenated the second spring of your career when you were at Ferguson and Ronaldo. What memories do you have about your time at Old Trafford?

Van der Sar: I feel very honored to be able to play for a club with a long history and learn from a head coach like Sir Ferguson. I had a great relationship with Ferguson, his grandchildren and my children went to the same school. Ronaldo is amazing. He is always in the gym whether before or after training. I've never seen a young man who is so eager to succeed, and he always tells me, "Edwin, I'll be the best in the world." I advised him not to overtrain, but he's proven right.

Reporter: Do you still remember the penalty kicks Toti scored in the 2000 European Cup?

Van der Sar: Never. That semi-final shouldn't have entered a penalty shootout at all.

Reporter: Is Donnarumma, who just transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to Manchester City, the best goalkeeper in Europe?

Van der Sar: He is one of the best goalkeepers, just like Neuer before his injury. Ederson and Alisson are also one of my favorite goalkeepers.

Reporter: As an executive of the Ajax Club, you have also achieved a lot of results. Is it harder to win on the court or is it harder to win at the desk?

Van der Sar: These are two different experiences. After retiring, I returned to Ajax and began my career as a club manager. At first I was in charge of business affairs, then dealing with relationships with UEFA, FIFA and other institutions, and in recent years I have been CEO. It was great to be able to build a young and successful team with Ovemas, and under De Ligt and De Jong, Ajax beat Real Madrid and Juventus, who owned Ronaldo in the Champions League.

Reporter: In 2023, you, who is still working in Ajax, suddenly suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. Are you afraid of death?

Van der Sar: To be honest, no. I was immediately treated and the ambulance took me directly to the hospital where the best doctors were taking care of me. After I got home, my family and a physiotherapist were always with me.

Reporter: After experiencing these things, do you have any different views on life?

Van der Sar: Rather than saying that the outlook on life has changed, it is better to say that I am now and have a more peaceful life than I am the CEO in those years. At that time, the phone always rang and I had to make important decisions to support the team and the coach. Now I enjoy my time with my family, traveling, playing tennis, riding a bicycle if I have nothing to do.

Reporter: Is your football career over? Will we see you again in the football world in the future?

Van der Sar: I have been a professional player for 20 years and have also been a club executive. I love football. Let's wait and see... I'm more inclined to play a role in football institutions in the future.