Pirmin Blaak, the 35-year-old hockey goalkeeper of the Oranje-Rood and the Dutch national team, has been named the best goalkeeper in the world. “I had dreamed about it several times. Not all dreams come true, but this one does,” says the very happy goalkeeper of the Eindhoven hockey club.
“Yes, it was definitely a surprise,” says Pirmin, who was named by his parents after a Swiss considered one of the greatest alpine skiers ever: Pirmin Zurbriggen. “There were five nominees so I had a 20 percent chance. But it is always unexpected when you do get the prize.” He receives the award from the FIH, the global hockey association.
The goalkeeper played for HC Rotterdam from 2000 to 2016 and has now been with Oranje-Rood for almost eight years. “To one day be crowned the best goalkeeper in the world is truly a childhood dream come true.”
“A gold medal in Paris finishes it.”
He has already been named the best goalkeeper of the World Cup and the best goalkeeper of a European Championship. And after the title of ‘best goalkeeper in the world’, it is still not over for Pirmin. “If we can also win a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris next year, then it will be complete. We don’t have to qualify, so all signals are green,” he says.
“The Dutch premier league is what the Premier League is in football.”
He would also like to become champion with Eindhoven this year. “Because I have been driving back and forth from Rotterdam five days a week for eight years.”
Aren’t the top foreign clubs lining up now that he is the best goalkeeper in the world? After all, Eindhoven is not Barcelona. “No, because you can compare the Dutch premier league a bit with the Premier League in football. This is the best hockey competition and therefore has a high level.” He will therefore stay with Oranje-Rood. “Absolutely,” he says without any doubt.
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