Aaron Rasmdale says he was inspired by goalkeeping legends Jussi Jaaskelainen and Gianluigi Buffon during his early days.
Jaaskelainen was Bolton’s number-one stopper throughout Aaron’s time at the club. “As I was going through the Bolton system Jaaskelainen was a big part of my career – he was my early inspiration,” he said.
“Being able to watch him every other weekend at the home games was obviously huge for me, and then becoming close family friends with him and being able to speak to him about football and play in the garden with him and his son William, who's the same age as me.
“I’m still very close with them, but for me at that age to be around a Premier League player was huge. Also his coach at Bolton, Fred Barber, was the one who trained me in Stoke."
Speaking on Buffon, he added: “My first real memory of football and goalkeeping was the 2006 World Cup.
“That’s when I got Buffon’s goalie shirt, the gold Italian shirt with a little white undershirt, around the collar. It was short-sleeved, which is probably why I like to wear short sleeves now. So he was probably the first one I looked up to on TV.
“He was the first goalkeeper I really watched, and liked the way he played. It was probably the kit as well, a goalie with short sleeves, he stood out and he was a star.
"I think he had the headband too at that point, and they obviously won on penalties, so he was the first one I remember watching. I watched him win the World Cup, and I thought ‘wow’ but I wouldn’t say I’ve got anything from his game especially. I’d love to take his longevity though!”
Ramsdale began his career at Bolton before spells at Sheffield United, Bournemouth, Worksop Town, Chesterfield and AFC Wimbledon. He joined Arsenal in 2021.
