Manchester United goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, has today announced, via his management company, that he is to officially retire at the end of the current season.
Van der Sar, who has been a mainstay at the heart of the Man Utd defensive back five since 2005, when he signed from Fulham FC, has played 245 appearances for the Red Devils to date, helping them to three Premier League crowns, and one UEFA Champions League Title.
The goalkeeper has won many accolades in a long and illustrious career, which included successful stints at Ajax (the Netherlands) and Juventus (Italy).
Van der Sar’s defining moment in a Manchester United shirt came in their winning 2008 UEFA Champions League campaign, when he saved from Anelka in the Champions League Final shootout in Moscow.
With his native Netherlands, Van der Sar won 128 caps, before retiring following the Euro 2008 tournament – despite being named in the “Team of the Tournament” for that competition. He added two further caps in the qualifying games for FIFA World Cup 2010, to help his nation out, giving him a total of 130 caps.
Despite being 40 years old, Van der Sar retains a first team position with Man Utd, and is likely to until the season’s end. His decision to retire from all football comes as a result of the player’s desire to spend more time with his family, rather than any fitness or football related concern.
Manchester United are currently hot favourites to win the Barclays Premier League. If they do win the competition, Van der Sar will finish his career on the same note he has struck throughout the duration – on a high.