8 of the worst goalkeepers' mistakes in football history: Karius ranks FIRST 😅

The goalkeeper position is the most unfair in football, as goalies can do everything well and be the best in the world at some point, but most of the time when they make a single mistake, that's the end for some of them. Let's look at 8 of the worst goalkeepers' mistakes in recent history.

8. Jordan Pickford - Liverpool vs Everton (Premier League 2018)

Everton's Jordan Pickford single-handedly gifted Merseyside rivals Liverpool an injury-time winner after the Toffees had worked so hard at Anfield to earn what would have been a hard-fought point.

With the full-time whistle nearing, Liverpool center-back Virgil van Dijk's miscued volley looped high into the Anfield sky and was seemingly harmlessly heading out for a goal-kick. 

But having got his bearings wrong, Pickford decided he needed to tip the ball over the crossbar and in attempting to do so only managed to palm it into the gleefully waiting Divock Origi to pounce and send the Kop End into pandemonium.

7. Rob Green - England vs USA (World Cup 2010)

After being surprisingly handed the goalkeeping gloves ahead of the much younger and in-form Joe Hart, Rob Green suffered a World Cup nightmare in England's opening game of the 2010 tournament. 

Dempsey's strike came at a relatively easy pace for Green to deal with, but the England goalkeeper saw it squirm out of his grasp and agonisingly roll over the line. The mistake essentially epitomised the kind of disaster England's World Cup dream was going to be in the end.

6. Rene Higuita - Colombia vs Cameroon (World Cup 1990)

The afro-haired Higuita will perhaps always be fondly remembered for that scorpion kick against England in 1995. 

Unfortunately for Higuita, his attempt at a drag-back halfway inside his own half saw the legendary Cameroon striker Roger Milla sneak in and dispossess the Colombian and race away to slot home into an empty net. Perhaps Higuita just wanted to see Milla's iconic corner flag celebration up close.

5. Wojciech Szczesny - Arsenal vs Birmingham (League Cup Final 2011)

It was all perfectly set up for Arsene Wenger to claim his first piece of silverware since the Gunners' FA Cup triumph against Manchester United in 2005. 

After Robin van Persie's volley canceled out Nikola's Zigic strike in the first half, the game seemed destined to head to extra-time. But both Szczesny and teammate Laurent Koscielny had other ideas. A long hopeful punt from Ben Foster was headed tamely down by the 6ft 7in Zigic, and Koscielny was on hand to clear away. 

What the Frenchman had perhaps not leaned on was his goalkeeper rushing out to collect, and having been put off by his teammate, Koscielny's air-kick left the ball to bounce off Szczesny and right into the predatory Obafemi Martines to tap home into an open net.

4. Peter Enckelman - Birmingham vs Aston Villa (Premier League 2002)

From a routine throw-in from Swedish teammate Olof Mellberg, the ball rolled across the St Andrews turf for Enckelman to take a touch and pick out a fellow Villa player. Instead, under no pressure whatsoever, the Finnish goalkeeper attempted to clear the ball far up the pitch. Unfortunately for him, the ball trickled underneath his boot and agonizingly crossed the line to send St Andrews into absolute pandemonium.

However, as the football guidelines suggest, a goal cannot count without a touch from a player, and Enckleman himself has since claimed he was '90% sure' he didn't touch it. 

3. Scott Carson - England vs Croatia (EURO 2008 Qualifying)

In Scott Carson's case, the consequences not only for him but for the entire footballing nation was catastrophic.

Needing a win to keep their hopes of going to EURO 2008 alive, England got off to the worst possible start as then 22-year-old Carson had a moment to forget. 

Former Portsmouth and Spurs star Niko Kranjcar let fly with a dipping shot from almost 30 yards out, which unfortunately for the England keeper bounced right in front of him. The awkward bounce meant Carson could only help parry the ball into the roof of the net and set England on their way to an embarrassing 3-2 defeat at Wembley. 

2. Shay Given - Coventry City vs Newcastle (Premier League 1997)

Shay Given was one of the Premier League's most reliable goalkeepers in his time with Newcastle, but in November 1997 the fresh-faced former Republic of Ireland international was caught in a day-dream and allowed Dion Dublin to pounce.

After doing the difficult bit of claiming a deep cross ahead of both Dublin and his own defender, the Magpies goalkeeper got up quickly looking to start a swift counter-attack. After bouncing the ball, he rolled it out in front of him ready to find a teammate. 

What Given hadn't realised at this point was that Dublin had come back onto the pitch from behind him after missing that earlier cross, and sneaked in front to just rifle the ball into an empty net. 

1. Loris Karius vs. Real Madrid (2017/18 UEFA Champions League)

The German goalie was responsible for the first and third goal Los Blancos scored; first, he intended to pass the ball to his teammates with his hands and even knowing Karim Benzema was standing right in front of him, he decided to let the ball go and the Cat just had to interpose his leg to push the ball to the net. 

Later, when the game was ending, a shot by Gareth Bale looked very manageable for Karius, but he stumped and incredibly let the ball go to put the definite scoreboard. Madrid won by 3-1 and Karius had one of the worst nights of his life.