Best Goalkeepers in Football History

• 12 December 2021

If you are looking at the history of football and reminisce some of the greatest players of the game, often we think about the players in the front scoring goals and winning glories for their teams. However, seldom does one remember other great players and their defensive positions in the game?

In football, winning a match relies upon forwards and midfielders. However, there have been a few goalkeepers who were capable of making history. Here is a list of some of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.

Lev Yashin:
Speaking of goalkeepers, the first player who would come to our mind is the great Lev Yashin. The first goalkeeper to have won a Ballon d'Or in the history of the sport and a full black kitted goalkeeper (hence the name Black Spider & Black Panther) with 270 clean sheets and saving 150 penalties (the most by any goalkeeper) represented the Soviet Union in the international stage and the club Dynamo Moscow for 20 long years from 1950-1970. Yashin's performance was impeccable, and awards were given under his name to the best goalkeepers during the World Cup Tournament from 1994.

Gianluigi Buffon:
World Champion of 2006 and Juventus legend started his footballing career with Parma initially as a midfielder but later became goalkeeper taking inspiration from the Cameroonian Thomas N'Kono. Gianluigi Buffon is the first player to represent his country in five world cup tournaments, which could have been six, due to Italy's failure in qualifying to the 2018 World Cup, following which he retired from international football.

Iker Casillas:
Casillas is Popularly known as "San Iker" or "Saint Iker" for his superhuman saves. One who remembers Arjen Robben kneeling with his hands on his head in frustration in the 2010 World Cup Final will also know that it was that brilliant stretch by Casillas that denied the Netherlands and ensured Spain of their maiden World Cup Victory. The Real Madrid legend is also a part of the Spanish Dream Team, which went on to win the Euro championship of 2008 & 2012, in which Iker spent more than 500 minutes on the pitch without conceding a single goal.

Gordon Banks:
Gordon was a key player for England's World Cup victory in 1966. Banks is the only goalkeeper who shared the same timeline with Lev Yashin, who represented Leicester City and Stoke City for 14 long years is one of the few goalkeepers to deny the all-time great Pele a goal in the 1970 World Cup.

Dino Zoff:
Another Italian and Juventus legend in our list Dino Zoff is considered the third best goalkeeper of the 20th century only after Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks is the 1982 World Cup Champion Goalkeeper- Dino Zoff. Being the oldest player to win a World Cup at 40 years of age, Dino was in his prime between 1972- 74 when he successfully managed to not concede a single goal for over 1000 minutes on the pitch while representing Italy on the international stage.

Oliver Kahn:
Oliver Kahn creates fear in the mind of his opponents for his ferocious character and aggressive style of playing. In 2002 German Legend Oliver Kahn became the only goalkeeper in the World Cup Tournament history to have won the Golden Ball award, Generally awarded to the best players holding attacking positions. Unlike most of the players in this list, Oliver Kahn failed to win a World Cup with Germany but won much silverware with Bayern Munich.

Peter Schmeichel:
Arguably the best and only Danish player on our list, Sir Alex Ferguson's favorite, Peter Schmeichel, is predominantly known for his Premier league days helping Manchester United for Eight years and straight win a treble in 1999. During a survey in 2001, Schmeichel received more votes than Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks and 12'was considered the best goalkeeper of all time. Furthermore, Peter helped his country win its first and only Euro in 1992, in which he has got around 11 goals, which is quite unusual for someone guarding the post.

Manuel Neuer:
Neuer plays for Bayern Munich and is a legendary goalkeeper from Germany. He steered his country by guarding its post and winning the 2014 World Cup and 4th World Cup victory for Germany after 24 years. Manuel Neuer is a treat to watch and is the only goalkeeper on our list yet to retire from international football yet. A record-breaker, Neuer is often known for his style of play wherein he comes out the box and anticipates the opponent from scoring.

Sepp Maier:
The third and probably the last German and Bayer Munich player in our list, yet the senior-most to the other two, Sepp Maier, belonged to the golden generation of the Bayern Munich playing alongside Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller. German National and Bayern Munich Team were an indomitable force in the 70s which is evident from the number of silverware they won while Maier was guarding the post, Beckenbauer in the defense, and Gerd Muller as the striker.

Jose Luis Chilavert:
Jose Luis is well known for his extraordinary shot-stopping skills and goal-scoring abilities at the same time to add value to your dream team, then no doubt that you are looking for Jose Luis Chilavert. Chilavert has scored eight (8) goals for the Paraguayan National Team(most by any goalkeeper) and more than 60 goals scored during his club career. Owing to his fiery character, he is popularly known by his fans "The Bulldog" and is best known for his time at the Argentine club Velez Sarsfield with whom he even scored a hat-trick.

Walter Zenga:
The third Italian and the only Inter Milan player is well known for his goalkeeping skills and also managed to become an Italian TV actor. Although Walter Zenga couldn't bag any silverware during his playing days, he successfully attained personal glory owing solely to his high-quality performance on the pitch.

Peter Shilton:
With over 125 international caps and over 1000 club appearances, Peter Shilton is the most capped English player in football history. Representing over 11 clubs in his 30 yearlong club career, Shilton is probably the living example of the quote- "age is just a number" as he officially retired from playing the sport only at the age of 47.

Edwin Van der Sar:
The tallest goalkeeper in our list at 197 cm, this Dutch international, unlike Walter Zenga, was fortunate enough to bag numerous trophies in his career. Starting his club career at Ajax and later moving to Juventus, Fulham finally to Manchester United, Edwin van der Sar is one of the few players to have won the Champions League title with two teams (Ajax in 1995 and Manchester United in 2008). Edwin Van der Sar also retired in style by winning the Premier League with Manchester United in 2011 (the oldest player to do so at that time).

Pat Jennings:
Northern Irish legend is one of the few players to have played for both North London rivals- Tottenham and Arsenal played alongside the Irish legend George Best.

Michel Preud'homme:
Michel Preud'homme represented the Belgian National Team for 15 years from 1979-to 1994 is considered one of the best goalkeepers of his time with an impressive record in several clubs.

Neville Southall:
Ending this list with the Welsh legend Neville Southall who was in his prime during his Everton days, is a proud owner of several accolades and honors.

Yes!!! It is hard to stop the best goalkeepers list with just 16 players Considering the magnitude of the game and the clubs around the world. However, we have narrowed down the list so that it includes the players who were consistent in their position and were instrumental in their team's success but due to drastic changes in the attitude of modern players.

However, with Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks as the forefathers of the position, The players who will find a berth in it in the future will be truly extraordinary. The new age goalkeepers would have to face competition like never before to make it to the list above.