A goalkeeper is the most absurd position on a football pitch. No player verges from the serene to the extreme than those who play their trade between the goal posts. No other position on the pitch carries such a fine margin for error. Every mistake is magnified. It cannot be hidden. One mistake can be the difference between victory and defeat. A perfect performance can be undone in the blink of an eye.
Often, because of the position’s uniqueness, goalkeepers themselves are equally as unique. The stereotype perpetuated about goalkeepers is that they are wired differently to other players. They are outliers. A quick Google search on the topic of Jens Lehmann’s antics will paint a vivid picture. Admittedly, this is an extreme example.
Manuela Zinsberger’s time at Arsenal can be summed up with a quote she gave in a 2019 interview with Arseblog, where she proclaimed:
“I also want to be loud.”
Zinsberger embodied the dichotomy of the goalkeeper. A player who was beloved by her teammates and sections of the fanbase and someone who loved them back in equal measure. There were points where she was brilliant and points where she was frustrating. Yet she was a constant presence during Arsenal Women’s ascent to massive popularity in women’s football in the UK and beyond. She was a player who bridged the gap between a few hundred fans at Meadow Park to sellouts at the Emirates Stadium. Moreover, She was someone beloved and respected by her teammates as a person just as much as she was as a player.
Zinsberger joined from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2019, but her place as Arsenal Women’s number one goalkeeper was far from set in stone. Joe Montemurro, the Arsenal manager at the time of her arrival, enjoyed healthy competition between his goalkeepers. Rotation between her and Pauline Peyraud-Magnin was commonplace. In Zinsberger’s second season, she competed against Australian international Lydia Williams for the starting spot in goal.
Jonas Eidevall’s approach to goalkeeping was not as quirky and Zinsberger was the Swede’s definitive number one. The 21/22 season was Zinsberger’s best, winning the WSL Golden Glove and keeping 13 clean sheets. Team honours followed, with Arsenal winning back to back Continental Cup titles in 2023 and 2024. In particular, her save against Chelsea in the 2024 Continental Cup Final will be her defining moment. With Lauren James bearing down on goal, Zinsberger somehow managed to get a deft touch with her left boot to divert the ball away. It was nothing short of match winning. In the crucial moment, she was up to the task.
Alongside her domestic endeavours, she was a regular starter for Austria. Since making her international debut in 2013, Zinsberger has represented her country at two European Championships and accumulated over 100 caps. In 2017, Austria were the surprise package, reaching the semi-finals of the Euros in their first appearance at a major tournament. Zinsberger started in all of her country’s games. Her biggest achievement for her country was winning the Cyprus Cup in 2016.
Despite the success, mistakes were not absent from her game. Some sections of the fanbase grew frustrated with her perceived inconsistency and believed that Arsenal could do better. The arrival of Daphne Van Domselaar in the summer of 2024 suggested another duel for the first choice position but it was quickly apparent that the writing was on the wall for the Austrian international. However, her professionalism was exceptional during this period.
As Arsenal Women closed in on the Champions League in 2025, Zinsberger clung to her teammates on the bench in anticipation of the final whistle and was the first to rush onto the pitch at the conclusion. She was just as thrilled to see the players on the pitch deliver the highest honour in European club football from the sidelines. Her attitude was a testament to her ability as a teammate, prioritising and cherishing the success of the club over her own personal ambitions and goals.
The reaction from her teammates to the announcement of her departure paints a vivid picture. Former teammate Beth Mead commented “The Best”, whilst Steph Catley was equally as glowing, stating “It was an honour to be your teammate.” There are dynamics between players that fans are not privy to. Their influence on dressing rooms and behind the scenes are sometimes just as important to what they contribute on the pitch. Maybe without Zinsberger’s encouragement, Arsenal’s greatest triumph could not have been possible.
Eventually, Zinsberger needed to put herself first. With a wife and child to consider, a move closer to home seemed inevitable. Borussia Dortmund are not just signing a goalkeeper who will make an impact on the pitch, but a person whose legacy will be defined just as much by what she contributes off it.
