LUKAS HRADECKY
The 31-year-old Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper, a mainstay between the Finnish posts for a decade, is two characters in one: a rumbustious, happy-go-lucky joker off the pitch, but deadly serious in his approach to his profession. Widely-considered one of the top five custodians in the Bundesliga, the towering Hradecky is an outstanding modern goalkeeper, combining the sharpest of reflexes, a commanding presence, comfort on the ball and a happy knack of coming out on top in one-on-one confrontations. With his long arms and legs, he forms quite a barrier.
Born in Slovakia, he was just a toddler when his family emigrated to the southern Finnish town of Turku. He clearly has inherited the ball-handling ability of his father Vlado, who played volleyball for a living. Back in 2009 while playing for Danish side Esbjerg, Hradecky had the chance to join Manchester United, only to turn down the offer: “I didn’t want to be the fifth or sixth-choice keeper there and be loaned out to a fourth division club,” he said.