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Van der Sar seeks to bow out in style
by Berend Scholten from Lausanne
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Edwin van der Sar stops a shot in training (¿Getty
Images)
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Veteran Netherlands goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is looking
to sign off in style in his last major tournament at UEFA EURO 2008T.
Fourth EURO
Capped 129 times, the Dutch captain will add his name to an elite list
of players when he takes the field against Italy on Monday evening in
Berne. After appearances at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 finals, he will equal
the record currently shared by Lothar Matthaus and Peter Schmeichel, who
each played in four UEFA European Championships. After winning the UEFA
Champions League with Manchester United FC last month - a triumph secured
by his penalty save from Chelsea FC's Nicolas Anelka - Van der Sar and
his team-mates were denied a trophy parade for security reasons. He hopes
it will be different if Marco van Basten's men come out on top in Austria
and Switzerland, however.
'Have to perform'
"I remember the 1988 tournament, when the Oranje became European
champions in Germany - the celebration ceremony in honour of that team
is something that every Dutch citizen still remembers," the towering
goalkeeper told euro2008.com. "So, to experience something like that
would be great. I was involved in similar celebrations in 1995 when we
won the Champions League with [AFC] Ajax, so I know how nice it is. But
that is not something I am thinking about at the present time. We now
just have to perform in our matches and what happens after that is of
no importance at this stage."
Opening test
Van der Sar admits that Monday's meeting with Group C rivals Italy does
not represent the easiest start. "This week I saw them play in a
friendly against Belgium and they have quality all over the pitch - in
attack, defence, midfield. They are not world champions by accident, of
course. No one will say it is going to be an easy match, but we all start
with a blank canvas and eleven players on each side, so you always stand
a chance. At the World Cup in Germany, we were drawn into the 'group of
death' and we came out of there alive. We have got the experience, we
did it two years ago and we are going to do it this year also."
Shades of Van Breukelen
After his Premier League and UEFA Champions League double with Manchester
United this term, Dutch fans are hoping Van der Sar might go on to emulate
Hans van Breukelen, the former Netherlands goalkeeper who 20 years ago
became a European champion with first PSV Eindhoven and then, a month
later, the Oranje. A smiling Van der Sar concluded: "It would be
excellent to have the chance to experience that. But, if we win in normal
time, in extra time or on penalties, I don't really mind, as long as we
win it."
Euro2008.com,
6 June 2008
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