Rulli: "When I'm between the sticks, my decisions are taken with a cool head and not in a panic"

He's a bright young Argentine who gives off an air of calm and whose fine handling mean that he's destined for a bright future in the game. He goes by the name of Geronimo Rulli (20 May 1992, Buenos Aires) and he's the man who has made the Real Sociedad number 1 spot his own since checking in at Anoeta in July 2014. Signed on loan from Estudiantes de la Plata, Rulli was tasked with filling Claudio Bravo's gloves following the Chilean's move to FC Barcelona, and the young custodian has taken to life in San Sebastian and has proved himself to be a more than able deputy. "I came here to make my mark and I hope that the fans and my teammates are happy with me."

This term Rulli has proved time and time again that he really is worth his weight in gold to the Basques. Looking back on the campaign, the Argentine international assesses his season in the following terms: "I went through some tough spells, when things were really bad, but then I had some good times and I ended the campaign by performing to the sort of level I want to. All of this has helped me to progress as a player."

Rulli started 36 of La Real's 38 Liga BBVA fixtures, including heroic displays against Barcelona and Real Madrid at Anoeta, which earned him rave reviews the world over. When quizzed about said clashes, the Basques' number 1 declared that "those matches are just another game to us, but obviously there's more media interest. My teammates put in an incredible performance and I was lucky enough to pull off some good saves, those were nights when pretty much everything went right."

Having just celebrated his 24th birthday, the Argentine shotstopper is set to keep pulling his gloves on for many a day yet. On the back of his second season at Anoeta, the youngster spoke of his hopes for the future: "It's not down to me, Real Sociedad will need to make it happen and let's hope that it gets sorted as soon as possible."

When asked to describe his playing style, the custodian, who is amongst the top goalkeeping prospects in LaLiga, stated that "If I had to pick out a strength, I would say that I'm very laid back and when I'm between the sticks, my decisions are taken with a cool head and not in a panic. I base my whole game around that and that's my main strength."