From the sublime to the ridiculous, Fabien Barthez is living proof that goalkeepers are different. Yet while the flamboyant shot-stopper has committed some spectacular howlers for Manchester United it is a fact that he has rarely let France down.A superb athlete and one of the fiercest competitors around, Barthez has made the French jersey his own during nearly seven years in the national team, one of coach Roger Lemerre’s automatic choices.Lightning reflexes, supreme confidence in claiming crosses and excellent distribution from the back are 30-year-old Barthez’s strong suits.The son of a first-class rugby player, Barthez began his career with Toulouse before joining Marseille in 1992. A member of the side which won the European Cup in 1993, he made his debut for France the following year.Seeking a fresh challenge he joined Monaco in 1995, but was soon embroiled in controversy after testing positive for cannabis.He was suspended for four months but returned and helped Monaco win the French championship in 1997. Superb throughout France’s victorious World Cup campaignin 1998, Barthez would be remembered for his ritual with centre-half Laurent Blanc, who routinely planted a kiss on the keeper’s shaven head before every game. Barthez’s part in France’s victory boosted his celebrity status in France, and he has been romantically linked with the supermodel Linda Evangelista. In 2000 Barthez won his second championship with Monaco but was involved in a row with the club following a match against Marseille which led to Manchester United signing him for a record 7.8 million pounds.Filling the shoes of United’s former keeper Peter Schmeichel, Barthez soon established himself at Old Trafford as a favourite of the fans, for all his high-wire antics and eccentric skills.But after tasting glory in his first season in England, Barthez was forced to endure one of the roughest periods of his career in United’s failed domestic campaign this year.A series of shocking mistakes, most notably against Deportivo la Coruna in the first phase and against Arsenal in the League, prompted many to wonder whether Barthez was too much of a liability. United manager Alex Ferguson stood by his goalkeeper however and his faith was repaid in the second half of the season as Barthez rediscovered his best form.
