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Goal.com 50: Julio Cesar (16)
Goal.com's countdown of the 50 best players of 2008-09 continues, and at No. 16 is the lively Julio Cesar...
| Bet: | Returns: | Inter £12.22 | Draw £58.00 | Novara £120.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Inter £12.50 | Draw £52.50 | Novara £130.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Inter £12.50 | Draw £55.00 | Novara £100.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Inter £12.50 | Draw £55.00 | Novara £130.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Inter £12.50 | Draw £50.00 | Novara £100.00 |
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Jul 23, 2009 10:00:13 AM
17. 
Julio Cesar's season can be summed by the term 'peak performance', as he was always consistently at a high-level for both club and country.
Playing in 44 matches for Inter last season, Cesar's wonder-saves made the Nerazzurri an even more awkward force to be reckoned with - as coupled with their classy outfield players, they had a goalkeeper that could pull off the odd miracle when necessary.
Cesar's parries no doubt frustrated many a striker in Italy, and that trend will likely continue as the South American continues to challenge as one of the elite goalkeepers in the league.
Sir Alex Ferguson could also tell you of the merits of the 29-year-old, as he put in a man of the match performance at the San Siro in Inter's Champions League round of 16 first-leg encounter against Manchester United.
The Red Devils controlled proceedings, but some fine stops from Cesar - on Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs, in particular - kept Inter from what would have been a deserved loss, which would have effectively ended any hopes they had of progressing in the competition with 90 minutes to play. Despite their custodian's heroics, Jose Mourinho's men came up short at Old Trafford in any case.
Inter's waltz to yet another Serie A title should in part be attributed to the former Chievo man's heroics. He was arguably one of their top three performers, along with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and compatriot Maicon. Even when Inter did slip up, like in a 1-1 draws against Torino and Cagliari in mid-season, the scoreline could have been worse if not for the agile man between the posts.
Overall, he started 36 of 38 Serie A matches and was as reliable as coach Jose Mourinho could hope for - Inter only conceded 32 goals in their title-winning run and the ex-Flamengo man is disproportionately responsible. The domestic campaign ended with well-earned silverware for Cesar.
Team Player | Cesar celebrates the Scudetto
As with any team that typically wins titles, Cesar sometimes only needed to make one key save per match, but he was always ready and on his toes when called upon to be the difference.
Finally, the shot stopper's season ended on a very high note, helping Brazil to Confederations Cup champion status in South Africa. He played in all five matches for the Selecao, and although the Brazilians were dominant for a majority of the tournament, he made a couple of very important saves against South Africa in the semi-final, which was won by a late free-kick from Dani Alves.
Taking home yet another medal only enforced what anyone who has followed his career already knew, Julio Cesar is one of the top goalkeepers on the planet.
Barring any major loss of form or injury, the man worthy of the Selcao will be the starting goalkeeper for Carlos Dunga at next year's World Cup and in 2009-10 he will once again try to bring Nerazzurri president Massimo Moratti the Champions League trophy he has coveted for so long.
2008-09 HONOURS
Inter
Serie A, 2009
Brazil
Confederations Cup 2009
Adam Scime, Goal.com
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