Robert Green joins England’s goalkeeping hall of shame

Updated: 17 Oct, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Robert Green last night wrote his name into the lengthening list of England’s Hall of Goalkeeping Horrors.

From David Seaman at the 2002 World Cup and Scott Carson in a Euro 2008 qualifier, England supporters have long become used to epic errors from their goalkeepers.

David Seaman (Brazil 2 England 1, World Cup, June, 2002)

The then Arsenal keeper allowed a speculative long-range free-kick from Ronaldinho to float over his head and into the top left-hand corner, ending England's World Cup hopes at the quarter-final stage.

David James (Austria 2 England 2, World Cup qualifier, September, 2004)

Andreas Ivanschitz's long-range shot seemed like a routine save for James, but the goalkeeper let the ball squirm underneath his body for the equaliser as England threw away a two-goal lead in Vienna.

Paul Robinson (Croatia 2 England 0, Euro 2008 qualifier, October, 2006)

Gary Neville's routine backpass rolled over Robinson's foot after hitting a divot to complete a 2-0 defeat in Zagreb.

Scott Carson (England 2 Croatia 3, European Championship qualifier, November, 2007)

A nightmare debut for Carson began in horrendous fashion as he let Niko Kranjčar's speculative early shot to somehow get into the net.

Robert Green (England 1 USA 1, World Cup, June, 2010)

An apparently harmless 25-meter left-foot shot from Clint Dempsey went straight at Green, but it slipped off his gloves and rolled into the net to make it 1-1.