Fateful split second that sealed outcome

The worst fear of the goalkeeper is not the penalty. David Seaman will tell you the true definition of a nightmare. It occurs in that split-second when you know you have made a mistake. But only you know. An experienced a keeper as Seaman would have instantly calculated the trajectory and velocity of Ronaldinho's free-kick, determined his own position and, with a sickening thud in the pit of his stomach, realised a fraction of a second before the ball carried into the top corner of the net that his geometry was all wrong. Imagine the isolation of that moment.

Seaman rarely, if ever, speaks to the press these days. Sometimes he pretends it is a matter of superstition, but mostly it is just habit. Yesterday, however, on his way through the unforgiving chicken run known as the mixed zone, he stopped. He stopped and a thousand microphones anticipated his explanation. Not even Ronaldo's substitution received such attention, so it had to be a mistake or a penalty save. Otherwise few people want to talk to goalkeepers.

Seaman is 38 now and, though England have a fondness for goalkeepers of pensionable age, this will be his last chance to win a World Cup. He must have thought the time had come and with it the opportunity to fulfil a career which has obstinately stayed a fingertip short of greatness.

There was Nayim's impossible shot from the halfway line in the final of the European Cup-Winners' Cup and Dietmar Hamann's skidding free-kick which slipped through his grasp at Wembley way back in those grim days of World Cup qualification. But then there was the save in the dying moments of the Euro 2000 play-off against Scotland and a point-blank denial of Mauricio Pocchetino's header as Argentina piled on the pressure in the Sapporo Dome.

By common consent Seaman was enjoying a purple patch, safe in the air, confident on the ground. How could anyone truly question his selection? In one of his rare moments of eloquence before the tournament began, Seaman had talked of the goalkeeper's silent voice, the pessimistic one that always predicts doom, the one that wards off complacency and drives you potty.

"I'm always aware that I'm one mistake away from trouble," he said. "As a keeper, you can be a hero for 89 minutes and all of a sudden you've made an error and you're a clown. I should know from that Nayim goal.

"I'd had a great game and made plenty of saves, then nightmare. That's what people remember about the game and, to be honest, that's what I remember. I even had a funny feeling when I went back to that ground [the Parc de Princes in Paris] with England. Something like that may never happen again, but it's a reminder of what can happen to you."

And now it has happened once again. Gareth Southgate, whose missed penalty cost England a place in the final of Euro 96, had to suffer the scorn of a nation, but began his rehab with a pizza advertisement.

"David's been one of the legendary goalkeepers of our country," said Southgate. "He's been spoken about alongside Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton and he's been outstanding for us in three or four tournaments and again in this one.But football's crap really, isn't it?It kicks you in the balls when you don't deserve it. I just thought the goal was a complete fluke and David shouldn't hold himself responsible for it at all.

"In that sense, it was different from my mistake," he continued. "I wouldn't want him to go down that route."

But Seaman was careering helplessly down the road to hell as he stopped in the Ecopa Stadium, head bowed, and broke the habit of a lifetime last night. "I'm not sure whether he meant to cross it or not," he said. "The main thing is that I feel so sorry for all the fans. It's just so hard."

He wanted to say more, but only tears came, and he walked away. Ronaldinho, his tormentor, claimed later that the curling free-kick had been deliberate, that he had simply followed the instructions of his captain, Cafu, who had noticed Seaman's tendency to stray off his line for free-kicks. To the distraught England goalkeeper, intent is irrelevant. In front of an audience of millions, the nightmare has returned. And it is only the nightmares you remember.

They know how Seaman is feeling: Seven other England fall-guys

Peter Bonetti

World Cup quarter-final

(14 June 1970, Leon, Mexico)

England 2 W Germany 3 aet (2-2 at full-time)

Bonetti was called in as a late replacement for Gordon Banks, who was suffering from food poisoning. England took a 2-0 lead but then Bonetti was guilty of some costly errors, including allowing a weak effort from Franz Beckenbauer to go under his body, to let the Germans back in. They pulled back to 2-2 at full time, and sneaked the winner in extra time. Bonetti was held responsible and he never played for his country again.

Norman Hunter

World Cup qualifier

(17 October 1973, Wembley)

England 1 Poland 1

England needed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup. Hunter's "crime" was to miss a touchline tackle while trying to dispossess Grzegorz Lato. Poland broke away, Jan Domarski scored with a shot that went under Peter Shilton and England managed only a draw. Speaking about his intention to tackle Lato, Hunter joked a couple of years ago: "That was in my mind... Then the bastard checked. It caused me to go in with the right peg, which was never a good idea, and I missed him.".

Chris Waddle and Stuart Pearce

1990 World Cup semi-final

(4 July, Turin)

England 1 W Germany 1 aet

(Germany won 4-3 on pens)

Pearce saw his penalty saved, while Waddle's was a clear miss. "A lot of people still come up and say 'I'd never have taken one' and I say I wish I hadn't," Waddle said later. "There were two ways to react. Basically, you can do a Lord Lucan and disappear or stick your chest out and prove to everybody you're a good footballer. That's the one I opted for. I certainly don't dwell on the memory."

Gareth Southgate

Euro 96 semi-final

(26 June, 1996, Wembley)

England 1 Germany 1 aet (Germany won 6-5 on pens)

A dream start for England with an early Alan Shearer goal ended with a nightmare finish, losing to the Germans, again, on penalties. Southgate's weak effort even prompted his mum to ask: "Why didn't you just belt it, son?" "My miss against Germany has been difficult to live with," Southgate said. "But I'm getting through it and I'm trying to put it behind me... If we have to take penalties, I will. As one of the senior players, I feel it would be my duty."

David Beckham

1998 World Cup second round

(30 June 1998, St-Etienne)

England 2 Argentina 2 aet

(England lost 4-3 on pens)

No English footballer can ever have had to endure such a prolonged torrent of hate and abuse after a misdemeanour on a football pitch. His crime was a weak kick at Argentina's Diego Simeone while prone on the turf. His punishment was a red card, death threats, effigies of himself hanging from lamp-posts, and vitriol wherever he went. His redemption is now well and truly complete, as is seen by his rapid maturing.

Phil Neville

Euro 2000 Group match

(20 June 2000, Charleroi)

Romania 3 England 2

Glenn Hoddle's side took a 2-0 lead, Romania levelled and then Neville conceded a penalty with three minutes left by fouling the former Coventry striker, Viorel Moldovan. It was converted and England were out. Neville was vilified for an error dubbed a "dreadful mistake." He later accepted the blame and said: "I made a bad tackle, but if I was put in that situation again, I might do the same because I am a defender who is paid to make tackles."

By Nick Harris