Still one of the rarities in football, but hey, it does happen. At times, outfield players have had to go in goal for one reason or the other.

It is a dramatic occurrence in football that not only showcases the versatility of the players involved but also highlights the team spirit, passion, and commitment to the team or the game in general.

This article explores some notable outfielders who have stepped into the role of goalkeeper for their respective teams during matches.

12 Players Who Have Featured As Goalkeepers

12. Olivier Giroud for AC Milan in 2023

The French striker will be remembered in the streets of Milan for his goal-scoring prowess, but also for one thing they never foresaw when signing him from Chelsea.

In his final season with the Rossoneri, Olivier Giroud had to go in goal in added time of the 1-0 win over Genoa in October, after Mike Maignan was given his marching orders following an awkward challenge on Caleb Ekuban outside his penalty box.

Giroud, who had come off the bench for the final 25 minutes of the match, spent almost five minutes in goal as the added time dragged until the 17th minute due to time wasted on VAR review. He also made a huge save in the closing stages of added time, punching the ball away at the sight of a dangerous attack for Genoa.

11. Serge Aurier for the Ivory Coast in January 2022

The Elephants of Ivory Coast were cruising to a 2-1 win over Sierra Leone thanks to Nicolas Pepe's goal, which helped them reestablish their lead after Sébastien Haller's opener was canceled out by Noah Kamara.

Unfortunately, goalkeeper Ali Sangare dropped the ball in his box in added time, allowing the opponent to score a late equalizer. It got worse as Sangare was unable to continue due to the injury he sustained in the making of his blunder.

Ivory Coast had already made their five substitutes by then, so coach Patrice Beaumelle could not bring anyone on to replace the 35-year-old. Serge Aurier went in goal for the final few minutes of the game.

10. Kyle Walker for Manchester City in November 2019

Kyle Walker is renowned for his pace and physical defending, but when his Manchester City side lost both their goalkeepers, Ederson and Claudio Bravo, in their UEFA Champions League meeting with Atalanta in 2019, he had to display an unpopular part of his game.

Manchester City lost Ederson to an injury, and the Brazilian was taken off at half-time for backup keeper Claudio Bravo, who was then sent off with a straight red card after he brought down Josip Ilicic outside his penalty area.

With no more goalkeeper on the bench, Kyle Walker was subbed on for Riyad Mahrez, and the English right-back picked up the gloves and sleeves of Bravo, then went straight to go in the 88th minute of the clash in Bergamo.

With the red card to Bravo coming in the 81st minute, it meant more than usual time was added at the end of the 90, but Manchester City did the game management part excellently, preventing the host a sight on their goal until the full-time whistle went off in the 97th minute.

9. Dani Alves for PSG in February 2018

Dani Alves is regarded as one of the best right-backs of all time. The Brazilian was pure joy during his prime in Barcelona and for the national team.

However, in February 2018, while spending time with French giants PSG Paris Saint-German, Dani Alves had to go between the sticks for the final 30 seconds of their win over Sochaux in the Coupe de France round of 16, after goalkeeper Kevin Trapp was given his marching orders due to a needless foul on Thomas Robinet.

Les Parisiens had no trouble seeing off their host thanks to an Angel Di Maria hat-trick and another Edinson Cavani strike, which gave them a 4-1 lead heading into added time.

The crazy moment came on the stroke of 90 minutes, and Trapp was penalized as a result. With all substitutions exhausted, Dani Alves went in goal and did not concede until the full-time whistle went off some three minutes later.

8. Harry Kane for Tottenham Hotspur in October 2014

Harry Kane is good at scoring goals, probably in creating them too, but one thing he'll most likely not try again is going in goal to save him self further embarrassment in the future.

The Bayern Munich striker once went from hero to zero after conceding a cheap goal, on the back of scoring a hat-trick of goals in a European game during his time at Tottenham Hotspur.

It happened in October 2014 during a round three UEFA Europa League meeting with Greek side Asteras Tripolis. Spurs were cruising to a 5-0 win thanks to a Harry Kane hat-trick as mentioned earlier and a brace from Eric Lamela.

Unfortunately, goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was sent off six minutes after Harry Kane completed his hat-trick in the 81st minute, and the overexcited striker volunteered to go in goal for the remainder of the game.

The resulting free-kick from the Lloris foul brought him down to earth, as he fumbled the ball into his net from a rather weak effort from Argentine striker, Jeronimo Barrales.

7. Robbie Savage for Derby County in March 2010

It was a day to forget for Derby County at the Madejski Stadium, now named Select Car Leasing Stadium, home of Reading, on the day when they visited for a league game in the Skybet Championship, at the time, the Coca-Cola Championship.

Derby, already losing 1-0, had to take off their goalkeeper, Stephen Bywater, due to an injury as early as the 13th minute of the match. He was replaced by backup shotstopper in Saul Deeney, who was then sent off with a straight red card after bringing down a Reading player in the box.

Robbie Savage went in goal as no other goalkeeper was left on the bench, and saw the resulting penalty skied by Shane Long.

He went on to have an enjoyable 28-game stint between the sticks, where he made a series of brilliant saves to deny the host. However, 50 minutes is a lot of time in football, for an outfield player in goal, and reality soon dawned on Savage as he eventually conceded two goals in the final 20 minutes of the game.

Reading won the game 4-1, but Savage's heroics between the sticks make that very game continue to linger in memory.

6. Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United in March 2008

Portsmouth had not won at Old Trafford in 50 years until this day, when Sulley Muntari beat Rio Ferdinand from a penalty kick to secure a 1-0 win for the visitors in their sixth-round meeting in the FA Cup.

After the scoreless first half, goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was replaced at the interval after picking up a groin injury. He was replaced by Tomasz Kuszczak was brought on as his replacement.

With Manchester United asking all the questions, they had bodies committed forward, and on a rare counter, Portsmouth won a penalty following a foul on Milan Baros by Kuszczak, who was shown a straight red card as a result in the 76th minute.

With no other goalkeeper on the bench and all three allowed substitutions used up, captain Rio Ferdinand went on goal, and even though he dived in the direction of Muntari's penalty, he stood no chance as the Ghanaian scored what was the eventual match-winner.

Ferdinand didn't concede another goal bar that penalty, but that was no consolation as United suffered a first home defeat to Portsmouth in 50 years, while they also exited the FA Cup, losing the chance to win a treble.

Manchester United would go on to win the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League titles, while Portsmouth went on to win the FA Cup, beating Cardiff City 1-0 in the final thanks to a Kanu Nwankwo strike in the 37th minute.

5. John O'Shea for Manchester United in February 2007

With Manchester United closing in on an easy 4-0 win away at Tottenham Hotspur in White Hart Lane, goalkeeper Edwin van der Saar had to be taken off with a broken nose after a collision with Spurs striker Robbie Keane.

John O'Shea went in goal for the final minutes with all three substitutions exhausted. The defender made a fine save to deny Robbie Keane later in the game, rushing off his line to smother a potential danger.

He kept Spurs at bay and ensured Manchester United finished the match with their clean sheet intact.

The former Irish defender said after the game, "I asked Edwin whether he had a clean sheet bonus when we got into the dressing room because I want half of it!"

4. Phil Jagielka for Sheffield United in December 2006

The Emirates was not the happiest place to celebrate the new year in 2007, as Arsenal suffered a humiliating defeat on the road a few days earlier.

They played away to Sheffield United, who had to field a young defender, Phil Jagielka, in goal for more than 30 minutes due to injury to their goalkeeper, Paddy Kenny, 15 minutes into the second half.

Jagielka had a sensational day between the sticks. He made a lot of saves on the evening in Bramall Lane, including one spectacular save to deny Robin van Persie.

Arsenal could not overcome Christian Ndiaye's lone goal for the hosts and suffered their first-ever Premier League defeat to The Blades.

3. John Terry for Chelsea in October 2006

John Terry is one of the foremost outfielders to go in goal in the Premier League. He had better fortune than many of his countrymen who have also been tasked to do a secondary job between the sticks.

His day came in a Premier League fixture away to Reading in 2006, when Chelsea lost both goalkeepers, Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini, to injuries. Cudicini replaced Cech after five minutes into the game, and the former was also taken off in added time of the second half.

Defender John Terry put the gloves on like a true leader and spearheaded his team from the back. However, it was too late for Reading to ask many questions, though he did make a save to keep Chelsea's 1-0 lead.

2. Jan Koller for Borussia Dortmund in November 2002

Being in goal wasn't so awkward for Jan Koller, who was at some point a goalkeeper during his youth days with the development teams. However, he became a professional striker.

In a match against Bayern Munich, Koller recalled his youth days when he was a goalkeeper, as Jens Lehmann was sent off with a second yellow card for dissent in the 66th minute of the encounter in the Munich Olympic Stadium.

Koller did his goalkeeping job to perfection as Dortmund conceded no further goals after Lehmann's sending off, and it finished 2-1 to Bayern, just as it was before the Czech striker went in goal.

1. Pelé for Santos in 1964

Pelé was an exceptional goalkeeper. So much so that the Santos sides of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s didn’t have a substitute goalkeeper on their roster for years because they considered the three-time FIFA World Cup winner as their backup option.

Pele played as a goalkeeper in four official matches, and one of the games, as well as the most iconic, was against Grêmio in the semi-finals of the Taça Brasil in 1964. Santos had won the first leg 3-1 in Porto Alegre, and a draw in São Paolo would be enough to take them through to the final.

However, Grêmio staged a stunning comeback and went 3-1 in the reverse fixture, until Pelé came to the fore, netting a hat-trick to put Peixe back in the driving seat. In the 84th minute, the referee sent off Santos goalkeeper Gilmar, and Pelé was forced to go in goal.