Going down the route of joining the goalkeeper union is not an easy one, but it is the path that 12-year-old Cooper Anderson has chosen.
He is the goalkeeper for his travel team and takes the position very seriously. He plans to climb through the ranks and eventually play in the Premier League one day.
Cooper and his dad, David, have also chosen the path of being die-hard Tottenham Hotspur fans, a bond that they love to share together.
Their passion of all things Spurs and Cooper’s blossoming goalkeeper career led David to submit a #MyPLWish hoping to connect his son with a Spurs legend to give Cooper some first-hand advice.
The Premier League combined the best of both worlds and made David’s PL Wish come true, in arranging a chat between Cooper and former Spurs goalkeeper and USMNT legend, Brad Friedel.
Friedel spoke with the father and son over Zoom, covering a variety of topics including his time with Spurs, Cooper’s current favorite player Hugo Lloris, goalkeeping strategy, and his preferred type of 'keeper gloves.
Aspiring young goalkeeper meets legend 🧤
— Premier League USA (@PLinUSA) March 7, 2022
We helped Cooper’s #MyPLWish come true by setting up a Q&A with a @spursofficial and American icon 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/fNuum4px5K
His final piece of advice was perhaps the most important of them all.
“Whatever you do Cooper, just do it with a smile on your face,” Friedel said. “Sports are supposed to be fun, not stressful.”
Cooper and his dad were over the moon to have their PL Wish come true.
Do you have a wish?
The Premier League is granting wishes throughout the remainder of the 2021/22 season.
Visit premierleague.com/MyPLWish to submit your wish and, you never know, it may just come true!