Life on the bench: a No 2 goalkeeper looks back at the Soccer World Cup

The 2018 Fifa World Cup was officially opened with a glitzy ceremony at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Thursday June 14. And while the teams have been picked and players prepped for some of the biggest matches of their careers, sub goalkeepers may remain sitting on the bench for the duration of the event.

Being a number-two goalkeeper never felt like a burden for former England goalie Nigel Martyn, who always regarded it an honour to represent his country on such a prestigious stage.

Martyn was understudy to David Seaman at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups and believes the celebrated goalkeeper has never been matched in the national team setup since his last appearance 16 years ago.

“Since Dave, we've had many good goalkeepers, but none in his class,” he said. “I definitely think if I’d come along a little bit later, there would have been more opportunity. But that's life.”

Former Leeds goalkeeper Martyn has spent his entire World Cup career as Seaman’s understudy, going to his second successive World Cup as bona fide back-up in 2002.

“Dave was a very good goalkeeper,” Martyn told Betway Insider sports writer Adam Drury. “I’d put him in with the likes of Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton. They were the real three greats that we’ve had, and the rest of us haven’t managed to get to the heights that they’ve achieved.”

A standout performer, Martyn was no second choice, though. He spent six seasons at Leeds United, going on to win 23 England caps. He was also included in the Leeds side that reached the Champions League semifinals in 2001–02. Being picked for a World Cup – where England are this year ranked 16/1 in football betting to win – was an achievement on its own, said Martyn.

“It is a proud moment getting selected, and you’re keen to impress in training and being ready,” he said. “That’s the thing you have to be. Nobody wishes injury, being sent off the field, illness or anything on anybody else – but these things can happen.”

Martyn believes that is what drove him to work harder than his teammates, sometimes even training on days when the others were resting.

“While we were out there, we trained really hard,” he said. “The two other goalkeepers – Tim Flowers and I in 1998, and David James and I in 2002 – probably trained harder than just about anybody else.

“We were doing extra sessions, training on the day after the game when the lads who had played had a day off. We would train really hard again so we were prepared and ready if needed.”

Martyn finally got his moment in the sun when he replaced an injured Seaman for England’s final Uefa Euro 2000 group match against Romania. He also started in goal for a 2-2 draw with Greece at Old Trafford – a match that qualified England for the 2002 Fifa World Cup.

This article was submitted by Betway.