A masked German goalkeeper and an outrageous rabona that has broken the internet

It was the former Germany and Bayern Munich player Oliver Kahn who said that to be a goalkeeper required “an element of insanity”. 

His compatriot, Aberdeen goalkeeper Marius Muller, proved he has the gene on Saturday when he produced a completely unnecessary rabona clearance inside his own six-yard box.

It was missed by the commentator but the reaction of the fans inside Pittodrie was amusing in itself. As if they had just seen a dog on a bicycle.

Some were stunned into silence, others let out a guttural laugh and a few even took to social media to check whether they had imagined it. His manager Stephen Robinson, a stern Northern Irishman at the best of times, simply shook his head in disbelief when asked about it at full time. 

Am I a few too many drinks in or has Muller done a 30 yard rabona?

— Potent Polvara (@VivaSheep) August 15, 2026

Social media has lapped up the flamboyance of Muller’s rabona skill, which happened in the 38th minute of a second-round League Cup tie against Dundee.

The Aberdeen defence were tasked with sweeping up a long ball over the top, and the ball was gently played back to Muller, who was a couple of yards to the left of his post. Rather than a conventional swipe upfield, he produced the most laid-back rabona possible, crossing his right leg behind his left and lofting the ball into the air. He jogged back between the sticks as if nothing unusual had happened. 

In fairness to him, his left-back did play the ball back to his weaker side and he was being pressed by a Dundee attacker. But many were wondering whether the surname of the player who passed it back to him — Nesta Guinness-Walker — may have impaired his thinking. 

Goalkeepers can have fun too

Just ask Aberdeen’s Marius Müller who produced this audacious rabona against Dundee #PremierSportsCup pic.twitter.com/OK3mtGnDvs

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) August 16, 2026

Muller’s rabona worked in the sense that he got the desired loft on the ball and sent it 40 yards up the pitch. But in a stadium just 550 yards from the swirling winds of the North Sea, perhaps a conservative punt down the channel with his swinger would have made more sense. 

Having the temerity to perform a rabona as an outfield player can be a divisive act. Manchester City midfielder Rayan Cherki was put on the naughty step by Pep Guardiola earlier this year when he set up a goal via a rabona pass.

“(Lionel) Messi is the best player to play the game but I never saw these kinds of crosses,” City’s manager said. “If it is effective, it is fine. But I like the simplicity because I learned from Messi that I never make a mistake with the simple things.”

You can read more about the history of the rabona, and learn from an expert how to execute one, in The Athletic’s How To series.

To attempt it as a goalkeeper is a whole other level of brave. Particularly in Scottish football, a culture not exactly renowned for its appreciation of mavericks. Nathan Oduwa was almost chased out of the country for attempting a rainbow flick for Rangers against Alloa in 2015. 

It did not quite have the level of danger to it as Rene Higuita’s scorpion kick against England in 1995 when, rather than catch a shot, he produced an acrobatic clearance with his heel. But that was a friendly match.

This was a knockout game on a day when the mood around Pittodrie was pretty pessimistic. They were mired in a relegation scrap for much of last season and their manager was already facing questions about his long-term future the day before the game, such was the dismal performance last week against the same opponents, Dundee.

That was a 2-0 loss, but perhaps Muller’s clearance inspired a newfound confidence in his Aberdeen team-mates. They seemed more relaxed after half-time and scored three goals in 13 minutes to wrap up victory.

Zweites Heimspiel in der schottischen Liga und Marius Müller macht eine perfekte Rabona
So was hat man niemals von einem Torwart in Aberdeen genossen. Hut ab! https://t.co/XO9iQGqosf

— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) August 16, 2026

Muller arrived with big shoes to fill as the successor to Dimitar Mitov, the Bulgarian who was sold to St Pauli this summer. Mitov’s penalty shootout exploits against Celtic in May 2025 won Aberdeen their first Scottish Cup in 35 years.

A rabona in only Muller’s sixth game since joining from Wolfsburg is certainly one way to ingratiate himself. The first act of a future cult hero, whose black aluminium face mask — worn due to previous head collisions — just adds to the eccentricity.

Who knows, maybe after proving a lucky charm, the German ’keeper will make it a regular occurrence? If so, they may need to stock up on some pacemakers at Pittodrie.