Fabien Barthez or stepovers. He was also very quick off his line, and often acted as a sweeper-keeper, thus contributing to the evolution of the role. While he received plaudits for his goalkeeping ability in the media, throughout his career Barthez also frequently came under criticism from pundits for his stubbornness, and his aggressive, unorthodox, and eccentric style of play, as well as for taking unnecessary risks, and was also deemed to be inconsistent, unreliable, and prone to errors and lapses in concentration. Through his career, Barthez was known for his active romantic life, and dated Canadian model Linda Evangelista. She became
Fabien Barthez however, at times he was still caught out on high balls due to his lack of height, and he also came under criticism on occasion for his indicisiveness when struggling to deal with crosses. A flamboyant and instinctive keeper, he was also extremely agile, and possessed excellent reflexes, which enabled him to produce spectacular, acrobatic, and decisive reaction saves; he also possessed a good positional sense. In addition to his shot-stopping abilities, Barthez was also known to be a passionate, popular, and highly recognisable footballing figure, who stood out for his outgoing personality, self-assurance, and composure under pressure, as well