Zion Suzuki, a 22-year-old international from Japan, is on the radar of European professional football. His record-breaking run as an ever-present tungsten wall in goal for Parma Calcio has been dominating headlines. His remarkable statistics outshot him into conversation about being one of the best goalkeepers in Europe. At the moment, he sits second in the big leagues for crosses caught this season (2024/25). This rising star has been linked with big clubs such as Manchester United and West Ham, sparking interest in his future.
It wasn’t just a fluke, because last season Suzuki showcased his goalkeeping prowess by saving 55 crosses. This remarkable accomplishment led his nearest Serie A rival by an incredible 21 receptions. Only Joan Garcia of Girona, who tops the stat sheet all over Europe, was able to intercept more crosses than Suzuki. This achievement speaks volumes about his sheer dominance in the penalty box and his talent to win every aerial duel.
Suzuki’s path to notoriety started in New York City, where he was born to a Ghanaian father. Moving to Japan at an early age, he paved the way for the exciting future to come. There he refined his ideas in Japan. Next, he went to Europe, first playing on a team in Belgium but eventually ending up in Italy with famed club Parma. This path has been hard-won and often under siege. Adjusting to new leagues and styles of play is not an easy feat!
Beyond pure stats, Suzuki’s been incredible in Serie A. He placed second overall in clean streets outside the central business district. His versatility as a goalkeeper was best exemplified by his third-place finish for long passes. His knack for getting the ball to where it should go has had coaches and scouts raving. He finished second among all QBs for the farthest throw, showing off both his cannon arm and touch downfield.
Dennis Rudel, who trained Suzuki when he first came to Europe, had a lot of praise for the young goalkeeper’s talents.
“With those low power saves, his arms are so strong,” – Dennis Rudel
Rudel praised Suzuki’s unconventional style of play. He noted the Suzuki’s uncommon knack for slowing things down even when making extremely difficult saves.
“Sometimes when goalkeepers go down fast and get their fingers to the ball, it still goes backwards. That never happens to him. He has crazy power in his hands,” – Dennis Rudel
Suzuki’s reflexes and agility play a big part in his success. Rudel was impressive for his reflex-saving abilities, and on the field he was a true livewire.
“It is those low saves because he is so dynamic and so quick to get down. He has unbelievable reflexes. For me, that is his biggest strength,” – Dennis Rudel
Past reflex saves, Suzuki’s ability to throw have been raved about by coaches. At what distance could Suzuki send the ball?
“I said to him, ‘Okay, now show me how far you can throw.’ I looked away and then saw this ball flying 20 metres over the halfway line,” – Dennis Rudel
Rudel’s surprise was compounded when he learned that Suzuki had made the throw with that level of accuracy and arm strength.
“I turned around and said to him, ‘I told you to throw it not kick it.’ He just smiled back at me and replied, ‘But I did throw it,’” – Dennis Rudel
Rudel believes that Suzuki’s ceiling is as high as they come. He thinks and trusts Suzuki that he’s up to the task for Premier League.
“That is another of his strengths and why I am convinced that he can perform in the Premier League,” – Dennis Rudel
Legendary goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek played a big role in Suzuki’s early development. He called on Suzuki to move to Europe – today, not tomorrow. He emphasized to me that to truly develop, experiencing the game at a high level was key.
“I saw him in a camp and said, ‘This guy has to go to Europe as soon as possible. It does not matter what league it is. He has to play,’” – Frans Hoek
It’s this blend of Suzuki’s skill and flexibility that has made him stand out in an impressive pool of netminders.
“He went from Japan to Belgium and then Belgium to Italy. Those are big adaptations but he did it really quickly. That is what separates the really good ones,” – Dennis Rudel
With Manchester United and West Ham becoming increasingly interested in his services, Suzuki’s future looks bright. He’s had extraordinary success in Serie A. As a product of that, he has quickly emerged to become one of the hottest young prospects in European football.
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