Who was the goalkeeper in the film "Escape to Victory"?

The goalkeeper in “Escape to Victory” was Sylvester Stallone, who played Captain Robert Hatch. Hatch is an American prisoner of war who joins the Allied football team and becomes its goalkeeper for the staged match against a German side.

Released in 1981 and directed by John Huston, the film combines a wartime escape story with a football drama. Its cast included Michael Caine as Captain John Colby and Pelé as Corporal Luis Fernandez, alongside real football stars such as Bobby Moore, Osvaldo Ardiles and Bobby Charlton. In North America, the film was released simply as “Victory.”

A common mix-up is confusing Stallone’s fictional role with the professional footballers who helped make the match scenes realistic. Irish winger Kevin O’Callaghan was also used as a goalkeeper in the film, while former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks coached Stallone and helped with his goalkeeping scenes. Stallone reportedly injured a finger while attempting to save a penalty kick from Pelé during filming.