A little over a month ago during a Syria versus Japan soccer game, one of the goalkeepers had one of the strangest clearances we have ever seen in soccer.

We always mention how NHL goalies are a different breed than players, and we think the exact same thing about soccer goalies. It takes a special type of person to openly choose a position where people shoot a puck or a ball at you as hard as possible, but that’s what they picked to play.

In this instance, Syrian goalie Ibrahim Alma gives us a perfect example of how goalkeepers are a different breed as he picks up the ball as if he’s going to attempt a routine punt, before unpredictably swinging his right arm as hard as he can and punching the ball into the air.

The punch was actually far more impressive than we imagined a punch would be, but probably still less effective than the punt would have been. However, the punch did send the ball down the field, so at the end of the day Alma did his job.

The game ended in a 1-1 draw between the countries, but viewers will remember this bizarre punch before ever remembering the outcome of the match.

(H/T r/sports)