Sergio Goycochea


Sergio Javier Goycochea is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is best known for helping his country reach the 1990 FIFA World Cup Final with his penalty kick saves.

Club career

Goycochea played a few months in the French second division in 1991 for Stade Brestois 29, then named Brest Armorique, a team which included players such as David Ginola, Corentin Martins and Stéphane Guivarc'h. Nonetheless, the team went bankrupt in November of that year, and was moved to the third division and lost its professional-team status.

International career

Goycochea was the substitute for Nery Pumpido both in River Plate and in the Argentina national team, and got his big break at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. When Pumpido broke his leg in Argentina's second group game against the Soviet Union, Goycochea stepped in and remained the team's starting goalkeeper for the remainder of the tournament.
In the knockout stage, Goycochea effectively played a huge part in keeping Argentina in the tournament; he kept a clean sheet in the 1–0 Second Round victory over Brazil and saved penalties in the quarter-final and semi-final penalty shootout victories against Yugoslavia and Italy. He was also close to saving the game-winning penalty kick from Andreas Brehme in the final against Germany, which Argentina lost 1–0. He was chosen as the goalkeeper of the Cup's All-Star Team. Reflecting on the 1990 tournament, Goycochea told FIFA: "To my mind, it was as if we were world champions again anyway".
With the national team, Goycochea went on to won the 1991 Copa América, 1992 FIFA Confederations Cup, 1993 Artemio Franchi Cup, and 1993 Copa América. At the latter tournament, he appeared on TV commercials for a Pepsi promotion by PepsiCo's division in Guayaquil. Goycochea also was on TV commercials for Adidas years later.
His last name, Goycochea, spelled without e, but which other people of the same genealogy spell as Goycoechea, is derived from the Basque surname Goikoetxea meaning topmost house. Sergio is frequently nicknamed thus El Vasco, but also El Goyco.
Goycochea is a football journalist hosting Elegante Sport and has partnered with Diego Maradona at La Noche del 10.

Honours

Club

River Plate
Millonarios
Olimpia
Vélez Sarsfield

International

Argentina

Individual