Best Goalkeepers In Football History

Goalkeepers are sometimes underestimated or underappreciated in rankings of the finest football players, yet they are more agile and focused than players in other positions. The goalkeeper’s job is to do everything they can to keep the ball out of a 7.32 x 2.44-meter goal. Goalkeepers must stay awake for several minutes before being called upon to play, and they frequently make split-second judgments that can determine the result of an entire game. The top 10 goalkeepers in history are listed below.

Football is not only among the most popular sports in the world today but also among the sports with the highest salaries. Goalkeepers, sometimes known as goalies, are one of the roles on a football team that act as the final line of defense. The top football goalkeepers in history are listed here.

Gianluigi Buffon – Italy

Michele Buffin, an Italian football player, was born on January 28, 1978. He is a goalkeeper who competes for Parma in Serie B. He is regarded as a superb goalkeeper by many, and by some, he is the finest. And for his whole career, he remained one of the highest-paid sportsmen.

He is one of the rare players with over 1,100 registered appearances in their professional career. Bufon held the Serie A record for the longest uninterrupted minutes without giving up a goal during the 2015–16 season; between March and November, Bufon played 974 uninterrupted minutes without giving up a goal.

Gianluigi Buffon

With 176 caps, he holds the record for most appearances for the Italian national team. He now ranks ninth among all football players in terms of appearances. After participating in four European Championships, Bufon took a bronze medal at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. He also successfully participated in the 1996 Olympic squad and captured two FIFA Confederations Cups.

Buffon set a record by keeping five perfect games during the 2006 World Cup. In 2008, he received the Yashin Award, and in 2012, he was chosen for the competition team. Buffon also won honors from UEFA for making it to the semifinals of the European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

Lev Yashin – Soviet Union

Former Soviet goalie “Black Spider,” also known as “Black Panther.” He is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the annals of the sport. In addition, he is among the tallest football players in history. Yashin’s reputation for reinventing the position resulted from his control over the whole defense.

Lev Yashin

He kept more than 270 clean sheets throughout his career and captured gold in the Olympic football competitions in 1956 and 1960. Yashin was the only player to win the Ballon d’Or as a goalie, which was given to him in 1963.

Between 1958 and 1970, he participated in four World Cups, and in 2002, he was selected for the FIFA World Cup Dream Team. He was named for the FIFA All-Time Team during the 1994 World Cup, and in 1998, he was included in the World Team of the 20th Century.

According to FIFA, Yashin has stopped the most penalty kicks in professional football history. He is unquestionably among the most successful players in the FIFA World Cup.

Iker Casillas – Spain

Spanish footballer Iker Casillas Fernández is a former goalkeeper who played for Spanish teams. Casillas is one of the greatest goalkeepers since his spectacular saves have earned him the nickname “San Iker” (Saint Iker). As one of the most talented shot-stoppers globally, he is athletic, has excellent reaction time, and is a quick-reacting player.

During his lengthy career at Real Madrid, Casillas achieved over 1000 professional matches in his career. As for the Spain national team and in the UEFA Champions League, he holds the record for the most number of clean sheets. And even after his retirement, he is still dubbed one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Iker Casillas

Iker’s first World Cup triumph as Spain’s goalkeeper came when I earned the Yashin Award for the 2010 World Cup’s best goalkeeper. In 2012, Spain won the European Championship while defending its title.

He established the record for the longest period without giving up a goal (509) throughout the competition. Iker is regarded as one of football’s all-time great goalkeepers.

 Peter Schmeichel – Denmark

Schmeichel, a former professional football player, played goalkeeping for Denmark. He experienced tremendous success playing for Manchester United, completing the triple by winning the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final. He was regarded as one of the tallest athletes in the sports world during his prime.

In addition, he and Denmark won the 1992 UEFA Euro. He stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and is renowned for having a large, distinctive body. Peter also has the most caps for the Danish national team, having played in 129 games from 1987 to 2001.

 Peter Schmeichel

Thanks to his outstanding performances and talent, he is among the best goalkeepers of all time. In 1992 and 1993, he was named the top goalkeeper in several IFFHS surveys. In addition, several, including Petr Cech, he was challenged to the title of finest goalkeeper in Premier League history by the IFFHS in 2000.

Schmeichel finished his Manchester United career with the club, having won the FA Premier League championship, the FA Cup, and the Champions League simultaneously.

Manuel Neuer – Germany

On March 27, 1986, Neuer was born in Dortmund, Germany. He plays as a professional footballer for Bayern Munich and the German national team. His achievements place him among the best goalkeepers in the sport’s history. In addition, he is now the most OK goalie in football who is still playing.

Because of his playing style and aptitude for leaving his goalie box before opponents do, Neuer is sometimes referred to as a “sweeper-keeper.” He was recognized by IFFHS as one of the top goalkeepers of the decade, which ran from 2011 to 2020.

Manuel Neuer

The player for Schalke 04 began his career by taking home the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Ligapokal. He has won 25 trophies since joining Bayern Munich in 2011, including nine Bundesliga titles and two Champions Leagues.

In the 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or vote, Neuer came in third behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He has received the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper award and the UEFA Best Goalkeeper award five times.