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Today the whole world fell in love with Kasper Schmeichel. Don't bother fact-checking this. It’s true.
Schmeichel led Denmark to a 1-0 victory over Peru in the team’s opening game of the World Cup. He dominated the proceedings and was undoubtedly the Man of the Match. In the process, he broke several records held by his father the legendary Peter Schmeichel.
6 - The last Danish goalkeeper with more saves in a World Cup match than Kasper Schmeichel v Peru was Peter Schmeichel (9 v France in 1998). Successor. pic.twitter.com/tFazZAG7q3
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) June 16, 2018
Most consecutive minutes without conceding for the Denmark national team:
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 16, 2018
Peter Schmeichel: 470 minutes (1995)
Kasper Schmeichel: 471 minutes and counting (2017-present)
Like father, like son. pic.twitter.com/lrpG30hDmB
Kasper Schmeichel has now kept five consecutive clean sheets for Denmark in 2018.
— bet365 (@bet365) June 16, 2018
He now holds the record after surpassing his father Peter Schmeichel's run of four.
pic.twitter.com/eK1qsuevXa
The Dane’s performance kept the team in front as Peru applied immense pressure, especially as the game reached its closing stretch. Peru finished the game with 53 percent of the possession and 17 attempts at goal. He responded by piling up six saves of the more difficult variety, including this one:
Kasper Schmeichel is doing his best brick wall impression. pic.twitter.com/WJ1j93rqPH
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 16, 2018
He was in such good form that he was able to telekinetically send Christian Cueva’s attempted penalty to the moon:
Cueva's penalty was ... not close. pic.twitter.com/djigVYt9EE
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 16, 2018
Schmeichel was Leicester City’s first player to receive playing time in this World Cup, and represented well enough to erase some of the lingering concerns from his unremarkable season. And as if his obscene saves weren’t enough to make the rest of the world love him, he also wrote an endearing Players Tribune article - published today - chronicling his journey to Premier League immortality with Leicester, and now the World Cup with Denmark.
It was a big day for Kasper Schmeichel and we’re happy to have the world jump on the bandwagon. Just don’t take him from us, please.