Super Eagles goalkeeper Ojo Olorunleke has lamented the tendency for goalkeepers to bear the brunt of criticism when teams concede goals, insisting that shot-stoppers are unfairly made scapegoats in football.

The 29-year-old custodian made the observation whilst responding to a social media post by sports journalist Totori Master, who had defended Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana after the Cameroonian was blamed for a goal conceded during the Europa League final against Tottenham.

Totori Master had posted on Facebook, “Luke Shaw deflected the ball to a very tricky position and Onana’s attempt to save the ball failed. Why blame Onana?”

Olorunleke replied, “Na we dey suffer am pass pastor,” which translates to “It is we (goalkeepers) who face blame the most.”

The former Enyimba goalkeeper’s comments highlight a long-standing issue in football where goalkeepers often become the primary targets of criticism when defensive errors lead to goals, regardless of the circumstances that created the scoring opportunity.

Olorunleke, who was part of Nigeria’s squad at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast where the Super Eagles finished as runners-up, speaks from considerable experience having faced his own share of criticism throughout his career.

The goalkeeper recently completed a move to Ethiopian side Wolwalo Adigrat University on a short-term deal after his contract with Sudanese giants Al Merrikh SC was terminated in January.

His departure from the Sudanese club came barely seven months into what was supposed to be a two-year contract signed last July.

According to reports from Al Merrikh fans, Olorunleke’s exit was attributed to several factors, including family conditions in Cairo, disagreements with former Italian coach Giovanni Solinas, and frustration over his exclusion from the Super Eagles squad following the club’s decline in performance.

The goalkeeper had complained about the lack of training quality and his relationship with the coaching staff, particularly with the Brazilian goalkeeper coach at the time. His absence from recent Nigeria squads was reportedly a source of significant frustration for the player.

Before his move to Sudan, Olorunleke had established himself as one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the Nigeria Professional Football League, leading Enyimba to their record ninth league title two seasons ago.

His performances with the People’s Elephant earned him recognition as one of the country’s top shot-stoppers.

The debate around goalkeeper criticism has become increasingly relevant in modern football, where social media amplifies every mistake and fans are quick to assign blame following disappointing results.