Irish goalkeeper at the center of the Champions League celebrations in Brest

It was a massive evening in France as Stade Brestois 29 stormed to a 4-0 victory over FC Red Bull Salzburg to extend their unbeaten run in the Champions League, and as with all great celebrations, it was Brest’s young Irish goalkeeper, who was at the top center.

Although Ireland’s success in world football is now a shadow of the glory days of Italia 90, USA 94 and even the infamous Saipan 02, Ireland’s exceptional production of world-class goalkeepers has not changed.

While it used to be players like Packie Bonner and Shay Given who carried the tricolor on the world stage, in recent years Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher and Southampton’s Gavin Bazunu have been fighting between the posts for the Irish team for a starting place.

However, it now appears that Bazunu and Kelleher could have company as a 20-year-old Irishman takes his place among the substitutes for Brest in their Champions League game against FC Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday evening.

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The Irish goalkeeper is delighted with Brest’s success in the Champions League

20-year-old Noah Jauny, who played for Ireland as a minor, is currently Stade Brestois 29’s third goalkeeper and was on the bench in last night’s win over Salzburg, with the Irishman clearly taking the lead in the post-match celebrations against Brest.

Born in Dublin in 2004, Jauny began his career at Home Farm Academy in Dublin before moving to Shamrock Rovers aged around twelve, where he played alongside Gavin Bazunu. While interest was reported from English football clubs in 2020, Jauny instead opted for a move to Brest in France.

Last but not least, Jauny seems to be having fun, with the Dubliner taking center stage in all of Brest’s post-match celebration videos.

A little 𝐜𝐫𝐢 𝐝𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞 to start this day? 😎 pic.twitter.com/UNqC61xyZA

— Stade Brestois 29 (@SB29) October 2, 2024

While Noah Jauny himself is from Dublin, his father Stephane Jauny, a former League of Ireland player who played for Dundalk and St. Pats among others, is from France. Therefore, Noah’s family ties seem to have made the transition somewhat easier when he moved to Brest at 16.

While the move to France may be a more alternative route than the one most aspiring Irish goalkeepers take, Jauny appears to be having no trouble settling in, with the 20-year-old from Ireland also finding himself at the center of Brest’s post-match selfies.

Great!

Relive the joy of the Ty-Zefs in the locker room after their incredible victory on the Salzburg lawn ⚡️

3 minutes 45 of pure pleasure 😍

— Stade Brestois 29 (@SB29) October 2, 2024

Whether or not the ease with which Jauny has seemingly settled in is due to his family ties, his clearly valued place in the Brest squad can only bode well for the Irish goalkeeper’s future.

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