He shoots, he saves: Nathan nets 7m views

TWO English Premier League stars have invited an 11-yearold Irish boy to play with them after his self-isolating goalkeeping practice went viral and piqued the interest of some top goalkeepers.

Standing to one side of his goal in his garden, Nathan Fanagan fires the ball at the back wall and then runs into the goal to save the rebounding shot.

Nathan plays for Ballyoulster United’s under-12s in Celbridge, Co. Kildare, and the coaches told parents to keep in touch during the lockdown and let them know the youngsters were training.

His mother, radio broadcaster Sarah-Jayne Tobin, posted a video of Nathan’s inventive method of practising. ‘That’s why I was uploading it, so his coach could see it,’ she said.

When posting the footage, she wrote: ‘When you’re a goalkeeper, and an only child in self-isolation and trying to keep up with your training... came up with this himself! I’m so impressed.’

Nathan’s inspired idea piqued the interest of some of football’s most famous goalkeepers.

Everton legend Neville Southall told him: ‘Keep practising until you don’t let any in.’

Manchester United hero Peter Schmeichel wrote on Twitter: ‘Nothing, not even an evil virus like the Covid-19, should stop a talented goalkeeper from working on getting better. Well done young man.’ And after seeing the footage, current United goalie David de Gea said: ‘Love it.’

His team-mate Juan Mata went one step further. ‘One day, if he wants, and when all this is over, I would like to practise my free kicks with him on goal,’ he said.

Goalie Ben Foster, who plays for Premier League side Watford, described Nathan as a ‘legend’ and also invited him to a training session, to which his mother said: ‘He’s so excited, thank you!’

Nathan said of his training method: ‘I do it every day on my own in my back garden. My mum usually videos me doing football drills, running and she usually gets one or 200 people seeing it. The difference is this time, er, yeah, seven million views!’

Of the football stars who have been in touch, the player Nathan would most like to practise with is Juan Mata.

And despite being a Leeds

United fan, Nathan’s favourite goalkeeper is Manchester City No 1 Ederson Santana de Moraes, who acts as a sweeper for the team.

‘He’s my favourite, the way he plays the game kind of like the way I play it,’ he told Today FM’s Dermot & Dave show.

Milan shot-stopper Asmir Begović has promised to send Nathan a pair of goalie gloves and top sports kit-maker Adidas has offered to sponsor him.

Mum Sarah-Jayne said of the viral video: ‘He’s being the goalkeeper and the striker at the same time. I took a video for a few seconds and was going to... send it to my sister.

‘I got into work 20 minutes later and there was 400,000 views!

‘It’s just got bigger and bigger and my phone hasn’t stopped.’