Bruce Grobbelaar

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born in South Africa, Grobbelaar grew up in neighbouring Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe), and served in the Rhodesian Army before he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps of the North American Soccer League in 1979. He gained Liverpool's attention during a loan spell at Crewe Alexandra during the 1979–80 season, and signed for the Merseyside club in 1981. Making 628 appearances for Liverpool over the next 13 years, including 440 in the League, he won the League championship with the club six times, as well as three FA Cups, three League Cups and the 1983–84 European Cup. Grobbelaar left Liverpool for Southampton in 1994, transferred to Plymouth Argyle two years later, and thereafter played for an assortment of English lower-league teams, never for more than a few games. He was appointed as goalkeeper coach for Ottawa Fury FC of the North American Soccer League in 2014. In March 2018 he was announced as goalkeeper coach for the Matabeleland football team.

In Their Own Story

With the score tied 1–1 after extra time against AS Roma, the match went to penalties. As Bruno Conti stepped up, Grobbelaar walked toward the goal smiling, then bit the back of the net in a spaghetti-eating imitation. Conti missed his spot kick over the bar. Next, Francesco Graziani approached as Grobbelaar began wobbling his legs in mock terror. Graziani also missed, and Liverpool won 4–2. Beyond this theatrical brilliance, Grobbelaar was known for berating defenders like Jim Beglin in the 1986 all-Merseyside FA Cup final. He attended many funerals after the Hillsborough tragedy, which forced a semi-final replay against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford. In his later years, he physically assaulted teammate Steve McManaman during a Merseyside derby and was injured in his final appearance on 19 February 1994 against Leeds United.

Reader's Guide

Grobbelaar made 628 appearances for Liverpool over 13 years, including 440 in the League. He won six League championships, three FA Cups, three League Cups, and the 1983–84 European Cup. He became the first African player to feature in a European Cup final and the first African to win the European Cup/UEFA Champions League. His eccentric style included famous antics during the 1984 European Cup final penalty shootout.

Did You Know?

• Grobbelaar scored his only professional goal, a penalty, in his last game for Crewe Alexandra.
• He served 11 months on active service in the Rhodesian Army during the Rhodesian Bush War.
• In a 1984 European Cup final penalty shootout, he imitated eating spaghetti before Bruno Conti missed, then wobbled his legs before Francesco Graziani missed.
• He attended many funerals of the 97 fans who died in the Hillsborough tragedy.