Former Belgian ace Pfaff rates Oblak as the best

Dubai - Ex-keeper eyes football academy in Dubai with Maradona

Former Belgium and Bayern Munich legend Jean-Marie Pfaff rates Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak as the best in the world at the moment.
The former goalkeeper, who made 64 appearances for Belgium including the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, felt a good goalkeeper is one who is outstanding and wins the game on his own with a not so good team.
"I think Atletico Madrid's goalkeeper Jan Oblak is the best at the moment. He has played really well recently. He was exceptional in the Champions League," Pfaff told the Khaleej Times on Thursday.
Pfaff, who made 156 appearances for German giants Bayern Munich, is here in Dubai to reunite with Argentine legend Diego Maradona against whom he played in the 1982 World Cup in Spain and the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
Apart from the reunion, Pfaff is to hold a meeting with Maradona regarding opening a top class football academy in Dubai.
"There are many other good goalkeepers like Manuel Neuer at Bayern Munich, David De Gea at Manchester United. The veteran Petr Cech has been outstanding and I have huge respect for him. He won the Champions League, the Europa League with Chelsea, a good team. But for me, a good goalkeeper is one who plays very well and you are winning the game with a not so good team," elaborated Pfaff.
Slovenian Oblak was stellar in the Champions League semifinal against Bayern Munich. The 23-year-old could also go on and set a La Liga record for the fewest goals conceded in a season. Oblak has 41 clean sheets from 69 fixtures with Atletico.
Pfaff also recalled fondly about his playing career against Diego Maradona. "He was the best, he was the best. In soccer, you have a winner and a loser. And at that time, Argentina were the top team. Argentina was Diego. He played in the 1982 World Cup in Spain and in the first game - Argentina vs Belgium, the score was 0-1 and I played very well in that game. And we won that game. Before the game, I joked to Diego that if he gave me his jersey, he could score two goals," said Pfaff.
"But jokes apart, Maradona was unique and he was world class. There is Messi now, another great player but Maradona is right up there at the top," he added.
And he wants to further that association with the launch of an academy in Dubai.
"After 30 years, after the World Cup in 1986 in Mexico, it will be a reunion with the great Diego Maradona here in Dubai. We will be having a meeting to discuss setting up a football academy here in Dubai," Pfaff said.
"It has been a dream to set up an academy to help unearth young players. I hope, together with my good friend Diego, we can set this in motion. After our playing career, it would be good to do something for young players. Effects Investment will be helping in the project," he added.
If everything goes well, the project could be up and running by August or September. "Our dream is to create an environment where players can learn. We want to prepare players here so that they can play at the top level and go on and play in Europe. Instead of them going elsewhere to learn, they can learn it here in Dubai," he said. - james@khaleejtimes.com