From tough beginnings in Slovenia to close friends in the NBA, Atleti’s star shot-stopper is undoubtedly a fascinating character.

1. He wasn’t an immediate hit after joining Atleti
He may now be one of the very best goalkeepers in the world and a four-time winner of the Zamora Trophy for LaLiga’s top goalkeeper, but Jan wasn’t a starter from the very beginning at Atlético de Madrid. He started out as a backup to the more experienced Miguel Angel Moya after his €16 million 2014 transfer – a LaLiga record for a goalkeeper at the time – from Benfica. Initially, he only played cup matches but cemented his first-team slot after coming on as a substitute for the injured Moya in a Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen in March 2015. He’s never looked back.