Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel revolutionised goalkeeping, according to Brentford stopper Dan Bentley.
'The Great Dane' would have been nearing the end of his career when the 23-year-old keeper would have started watching the game.
But the legend's influence on football has stuck around to this day and he is still considered as one of the greatest to play that position in the history of the game.
He said: “I appreciated Schmeichel and he was one I looked up to for sure but I learnt a lot about him as I got older just studying him, watching documentaries and watching him opposed to watching goalkeeper.
“If I'm watching the game live, I'm genuinely watching the goalkeeper. Obviously, I'm keeping an eye on what is going on.
“Especially when I was a youngster, and until this day, I watch things and pause and rewind things. I'm my own biggest critic. I'm a huge perfectionist.
“Peter Schmeichel would be the one that sticks out. He revolutionised how goalkeeping was at the time and took it to a different level.”
Bentley also has admiration for goalkeeping icons Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon, who is set to make his 1,000th senior start when Italy take on Albania in Palermo.
The Bees goalkeeper added: “Casillas and Buffon are two that I have huge admiration for. What they achieved in the game is mindblowing really.
“That really gives me more drive to match what they've done in their careers. For them, I'd say they were the two that stick out most in goalkeepers that I look up to.”
That said, Bentley will not be modelling his entire game on them and would take something from any goalkeeper, test it out in training and, if successful, add it to his game.
He explained: “You take loads of bits from loads of goalkeepers. I couldn't model myself on Casillas.
“As a kid I used to go in goal with whoever on my back. I'd try and act like them and how they were but I've never modelled myself on anybody.
“I model myself on myself. I'm my own man. I don't want to be the next Joe Hart or whoever. I want to be the next Dan Bentley and have my own legacy.
“There are bits I take from all different goalkeepers. For example, Jan Oblak (for Atletico Madrid against Bayer Leverkusen) – it was incredible.
“He's coming to prominence but I've known about him for years. (Thibaut) Courtois and (David) De Gea – I watched at Atletico Madrid and before they made their moves to the Premier League.
“If there's something I like the look of, I might give it a go in training. If it works, great. If not, then no problem. I don't think anyone is the finished article.
“If you asked Casillas or Buffon, they'd say they're still learning. I think there are bits you can take from everybody and learn from different goalkeepers and people but I've never modelled myself on anybody.”
Bentley was speaking at a Kits for Kids event sponsored by Wickes, official DIY partner of the EFL.
72 children's football clubs across England and Wales have been rewarded with new kit, thanks to a national competition by Wickes. Local teams have been given the ultimate reward, with sets of brand new kit from Mitre, together with over 1,000 EFL tickets to all Kit for Kids winners to watch their local EFL team play.
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