Goalkeepers are a different breed. Their position on the football pitch is completely different from any other, but they also tend to have personalities that differ significantly from their outfield teammates. Jose Sa’s example supports such claims.The 29-year-old Portuguese international was a low-key signing made by Wolverhampton Wanderers to replace the departed Roma-bound Rui Patricio. Sa arrived just before the start of the season as a pretty much unknown player, but his ability and work ethic quickly turned him into one of the staples of the Molineux club.💬 Jose Sa: “We are doing very well. We are fighting for the European competitions – that’s what we want, and we have to continue to fight – we will fight until the end.”#WWFC | #Wolves pic.twitter.com/24BgW9eDtp— Talking Wolves (@TalkingWolves) April 6, 2022 Bruno Lage’s team is currently eighth in the standings and could qualify for European competition – something that Sa is very used to. The former Benfica youth player has conceded 27 goals in 31 games so far, recording 11 clean sheets. Only Manchester City’s Ederson, Liverpool’s Alisson and Aaron Ramsdale of Arsenal have more shutouts in the Premier League. What is even more telling, Sa has got the highest percentage of saved shots of all goalkeepers in all five top leagues in Europe (Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga). On average, Jose Sa keeps 82.8% of all shots out.This guy has certainly come a long way. He only became a goalkeeper when he was 13 years old. Up to that point, he was a right-back and never thought his job would be to play football with his hands. That said, he is very good with the ball at his feet – something that is very much required from top goalies in modern football. Simply put, he’s got it all – he was just waiting to show it.What a start to life in a Wolves shirt!The top 10 saves of Jose Sa.🐺🧤 pic.twitter.com/VHtmcnx48I— Wolves (@Wolves) January 17, 2022 Sa had been waiting for his chance for a long time. He’s only had 51 senior appearances from his five-year spell at Maritimo and Porto. At that point in 2018, he was 25 years old and yet to be made the starting goalkeeper. With the legendary Iker Casillas guaranteed a place between the sticks, this guy went searching for a club where he would play regularly – and he found that in Greece. Initially, he joined Olympiacos on loan before making the transfer permanent a year later. And that’s where his career lifted off. Over three seasons, Sa won two national titles and played in the Champions League for the red and whites of Pireaus. He gained the much-needed experience and proved to everyone that he’s a reliable and able goalkeeper.Friday, 22.00: (2.30) Newcastle (3.15) Wolverhampton (3.60)Wolves boss Bruno Lage and club captain Conor Coady know they’ve gotten a great player and a top character in the dressing room. Coady hails him as an ‘incredible’ addition to the club. But the Portuguese shot-stopper was not always the confident figure you see today. Leonel Pontes, Sa’s former coach at Maritimo, says that Sa was much quieter back in the day.”He was so quiet. He worked well and was a good professional, with a good work ethic even when he was not in the starting eleven, and he knew his quality. He had confidence in himself, but he was more reserved. He had a good relationship with his teammates, but he was very reserved. I worked with him in 2014/15, and by that time, he was already about 21 or 22-years-old. All he needed was a chance to play.”There’s no way José Sá doesn’t make the Premier League team of the season. Absolutely unreal stats. pic.twitter.com/LHxyOkVUIJ— Jack Wiggins (@WiggyWWFC) April 5, 2022 Despite having one of the best seasons of any Premier League goalkeeper this year, Sa was initially left out of the current Portugal side before an injury to Anthony Lopes saw him receive a late call-up.Imagine how blessed Portugal are with top-quality goalkeepers when Sa is now considered only the second or even third-best goalkeeper in the country. He will likely travel to the World Cup in Qatar but will have to sit on the bench. Rui Patricio, his Wolves predecessor, is currently number one for the 2016 European champions.The quiet boy from Portugal keeps proving everyone wrong. With the kind of season he’s having – you wouldn’t mind having him protecting your team’s net.
