Manuel Neuer and David Da Gea are currently regarded as the best goal keepers in the world. Manuel Neuer has already achieved so much with both Bayern Munich and his national side while Da Gea has all the ability to go on for atleast another 10-12 years at the top level football. How do they compared to some of the greatest goal keepers to have ever graced the beautiful game ? Here is a definite list of top 10 greatest keepers of all times.
NO#1. Iker Casillas (Spain & Real Madrid)
Iker Casillas has won everything there to be won for a footballer. He made his debut for Real Madrid at the tender age of 17 and never looked back. 5 La Liga titles, 3 Champions League, 4 Copa Del Rey makes him one of the most decorated player in spanish domestic football.
At the international level he guided Spain to 2010 world cup win and two back to back European championship titles in 2008 and 2012. No goalkeeper in history of football has achieved so much what Casillas has done in his career. He might be nearing to lose his national team place to David Da Gea but he will go down as the greatest goalkeeper of all times.
NO#2. Gianluigi Buffon (Italy & Juventus)
If it was not for Casillas, Gigi Buffon will be the greatest keeper in the last 20 years. He has so many records to his name since starting his career at the highest level with Parma. Juventus paid a world record fee of £32.5 million for a goalkeeper in 2001 to buy Buffon and since than he has been a rock for Juventus in goal.
Buffon guided Italy to World Cup 2006 triumph with the final win over France on penalties. He just turned 36 and still showing no sign of slowing down. 2014-15 was one of his best seasons with Juvenuts where they won the League, Italian cup and reach the final of the Champions League against Barcelona where Buffon was excellent.
NO#3. Manuel Neuer (Germany & Bayern Munich)
Started his career with FC Schalke back in 2006 and ws immediately regarded as the next great keeper for Germany and successor to Oliver Kahn. He made 156 appearences for Schalke before moving to Bayern Munich in 2011. Manuel Neuer has won everything there is to be won with Bayern Munich.
Since joining Bayern Munich he has not only won titles but have improved so much in all aspect of the game specially his superb sweeping and distribution skills. After finishing 2010 world cup and euro 2012 as best keeper of the tournament he guided Germany to their fourth world cup win in 2014. He is still in the peak of his career at the age of 29 and we can safely assume atleast another 5-6 years at the top of his game and he might go down as the greatest keeper of all times when he hang up his gloves.
NO#4. Dino Zoff (Juventus & Italy)
Dino Zoff was regarded the best ever before the likes of Casillas and Buffon came onto the scene. He played for number of Italian sides (Udinese, Napoli, Montova) but his longest and most successful stint was with Juventus where he won 6 league titles, 2 Italian cup and UEFA Cup.
Dino Zoff played for Italy from 1968 to 1983 and earned 112 caps. Highlight of his career was when he guided Italy to 1982 world cup win as captain and won the best keeper of the tournament award becoming the oldest player to win the world cup at the age of 40. He also won 1968’s European championship with Italy.
NO#5. Lev Yashin (Dynamo Moscow & Soviet Union)
Lev Yashin was so good that the “best goalkeeper in world cup award” (Yashin Trophy) is named after him. He was a one club man and only played for Dynamo Moscow from 1950 to 1970 and won all the domestic honors with Moscow. He represented Soviet Union national team and won 78 caps and played in three world cups. International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) regard him the best keeper of 20th century.
NO#6. Gordon Banks (Leicester City & England)
This might be a controversial inclusion as Gordon Banks lacks the winning medals of other great keepers in the list. But boy was he good if we just compare them purely on agility, reflexes and shot-stopping skills. His save of Pele’s close range header back in 1970 world cup is still regarded as the greatest save of all times.
High point of his career was with national team England when he guided them to world cup win in 1966 where he only gave away two goals in whole competition.
#7. Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United, Denmark)
Probably the greatest goalkeeper to have played in rebranded premier league since 1992. Schemeical started his professional career with local danish clubs Gladsaxe-Hero before moving to Brondby in 1987 where he played four years winning three league titles and cup competitions. He moved to Manchester United where he spent highly successful 9 years from 1991 to 1999 winning 5 premier league titles, 3 FA Cups and the Champions League in 1999.
He was also part of Denmark national side which went on to win 1992 European Championship. In terms of technical ability he was one of the best and even with a massive figure of 6 ft 3 in he was quite agile.
NO#8. Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich & Germany)
Probably the greatest one-on-one stopper Kahn had a massive presence in goal for both Bayern Munich and Germany. He become the only keeper in history of football to win “golden ball” Best player of the tournament award in 2002 world cup. Although he failed to keep Brazil away from winning the world cup final but Germany won’t be in the final if it was not for Kahn single handed performances.
He won multiple league and cup titles with Bayern Munich and highlight his Bayern career was that 2001 champions league final win over Valencia. He is widely regarded as the greatest keeper to have not win the World Cup or European championships.
NO#9. Sepp Maier (Bayern Munich & Germany)
One of the greatest player and certainly the best keeper for Germany post war era, Sepp Maier played for Bayern Munich and Germany national team from 1962 to 1979. He guided Germany to world cup and european championship titles while as Bayern Munich keeper won 3 european titles and 3 bundesliga titles making him one of the most successful keeper to have come from Germany.
NO#10. Fabien Barthez (Marsielle, Monaco & France)
Barthez was technically not the best keeper but he had a major impact on France’s dominant era where they won FIFA World Cup 1998 and UEFA Euro 2000. Barthez represented number of clubs in France most notably Marsielle and Monaco. He also had a four year spell with Manchester United.
jennings?shilton?arconada?
How is Barthez above Southall?
Or anyone else for that matter. This was clearly written by some greenhorn too young to have enough credibility to assess the qualities of goalies who retired before he was even born. He just picked a few World Cup winners, the added Yashin and Schmeichel ( cause everyone knows they were good, right?), and published it. Lazy journalism with no research put into it.
Casillas should never be at the top of anybody’s list. He is one of the most overrated goalkeepers of all time. He was lucky enough to play behind the golden age of spanish football. Casillas is known for making mental errors. Casillas was benched at Real Madrid. None of these great goaltenders were ever benched. Casillas is 34 yet Real Madrid got rid of him even though great goalkeepers continually play into their late thirties on great teams. Oh, he must have went to a top flight team…haha, nope. He went to play in Portugal, not even a top 5 league in Europe. Gianluigi Buffon is the best keeper.
Peter Schmeichel.
Any list of “best goalkeeper ever…” is a joke and incomplete without Peter Schmeichel in the Top-3 (most likely at nr. 1)!
Oh dear, you have got this so wrong, it’s embarrassing. Casillas is nowhere near number one goalkeeper of all time. He’s not even in the top ten. Technically, Buffon is the greatest ever, he is a pure goalkeeper and has redefined the role in the modern game. All keepers are post-Buffon now. Schmeichel should also be included, as should Shilton. And Barthez at number 10? He’d be lucky to get in the top 100.
Cause childs, to make a “best goalie” ranking, take into count team prizes…wrongly, instead to look at their individual prizes (good way to make a ranking of a single position).
Bullshit, i don’t understand why people take on count the team prizes to define “the best keeper” if we have to make the best goalie ranking we have to see all their individual prizes.
And there’s no one that have more individual prizes than Buffon.
Even Perrotta was able to win a WC with Italy, so he is the best midfielder of the history?….c’mon.
If you THINK that Casillas knows his trade, Neuer is better than Schmeichel and there was ever a better keeper than Gigi, I KNOW that you should take up… ice-hockey (or something else for that matter) immediatelly!
Lazy article, only focusing on current players and ignoring those from earlier eras, except for a few obvious ones. What the hell do you know about Lev Yashin? We must take it on faith that he was good, since his career predated the era when everything was recorded, but we get to see plenty of the current crew of pretenders and they aren’t much good. I can only hope Neuer is not really the world’s best goalie. He is a human blooper reel. He has no clue when to come for crosses, and I have literally seen him duck out of a challenge and give up a free header just to save his own skin! Yashin certainly didn’t do that! Then there’s your hero Casillas. He looked good when Spain were winning everything, there was a legitimate debate over whether he or Buffon was better, but there’s no doubt anymore. Iker’s confidence seemed to desert him, and he became a liability. He has never rediscovered his old form, and it’s a pity Del Bosque can’t see it because Spain will never win anything else with him in net. I’ve been watching football for five decades, and Buffon is the only active goalie who ranks with the all-time greats. Neuer will be lucky to make the top 50.
i see a lot of people who says that San Iker, doest deserve to be the best, is the only keeper who got everythig that could have a football player, him was magnifique, age is a problem for everybody, and the fact that Buffon its even now great, doest change the Iker position, will be hard for anyone to win, what him has one. i think that Iker is no#1 ever, of course, Buffon, of couse, Smeiche… of course Canizarez, of course, Van der Saar… but Iker, is no#1, tell a sport where trophy doest matter, if him got them all, is the best! check youtube his saves if you are too young, and dondt see his start if career
U forget 2 mention the most decorated goalkeeper yet, with more titles than Casillas, & in mine & a lot of others eyes the best keeper yet, Victor Valdes, 32 major titles to his name to date, & 2 goalkeeper of the year honours. Now at Middlesboro, & back to his best, at 35 he may still have a few years ahead. Check his stats, his names “Victor Valdes” he’s won more than you !!!!!!
I think Buffon should be on top of the list. He is by far better than Casillas….
1. buffon
2. zoff
3. schmeichel
4. maier
5. kahn
6. yashin
7. shilton
8. banks
9. neuer
10. carrizo
Wat about Edwin van der sar.he is far better than cassilas an buffon
Level Yashin instead of Casillas. Because Lev Yashin had Balloon D’our
whoever says casillas doesn’t deserve 2 b on top should pls go and check stats Iker is d only keeper 2 have won d IFFHS goalkeeper of d year 4 a record 5 times and he has appeared in the fifpro 11 more Dan any goalkeeper so as 4 me I’m sticking with casillas