Best Goalkeepers of All Time - Top 10 Named and Ranked
by Maivizhi A | Updated Mar 22, 2023
Best Goalkeepers of All Time
The role of a goalkeeper in football is a crucial one, and it demands a unique set of skills that surpass those of any outfield player. They have to defend a goal that measures 7.32-by-2.44 meters, and their main objective is to keep the ball out by any means necessary. Goalkeepers need to remain alert and focused for long periods before being called into action, and their swift decision-making skills often determine the outcome of an entire match. The most exceptional goalkeepers possess a diverse range of skills, including pace, bravery, strength, leadership, concentration, positioning, anticipation, reflexes, agility, handling, and distribution. These skills enable them to charge down oncoming strikers, throw themselves into dangerous collisions, dominate the penalty area, organize their defense, predict where a striker will place the ball, and reach every corner of the goal to make a save, among other things.Throughout football history, the greatest goalkeepers have consistently demonstrated exceptional abilities, with their impressive performances improving season after season.
Top 10 World Best Goalkeeper of All Time
The following list comprises the best goalkeepers of all time, along with the teams or clubs where they excelled the most. While some of them are retired, others are currently active, and unfortunately, some have already passed away.
S.No
Best Goalkeepers of All Time
Teams/Clubs
1
Edwin van der Sar
Manchester United
2
Gordon Banks
Stoke City
3
Peter Schmeichel
Man City
4
Oliver Kahn
Bayern Munich
5
Petr Cech
Chelsea
6
Dino Zoff
Italian national team
7
Manuel Neuer
Bayern Munich
8
Iker Casillas
Real Madrid
9
Gianluigi Buffon
Juventus
10
Lev Yashin
Dynamo Moscow
Do check below to know the details about the above Goalkeepers.
Top 10 Best Goalkeepers in the World
1. Edwin van der Sar - Manchester United
Edwin van der Sar, born on 29 October 1970 in Voorhout, Netherlands, is a former professional footballer who turned 52 years old as of February 2023. He stands tall at 197 cm and holds Dutch nationality. Annemarie van Kesteren has been his spouse since 2006, and together they have two children named Joe van der Sar and Lynn van der Sar. Manchester United was the last international team he played for before retiring in 2011. Van der Sar's outstanding performance in the goalpost was most notable during his tenure at Manchester United's Old Trafford, where he helped the team secure four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League. In 2016, he returned to play for the Dutch amateur team, VV Noordwijk, where he had previously played in his youth. Presently, Van der Sar serves as the CEO of AFC Ajax.
2. Gordon Banks - Stoke City
Gordon Banks, born on 30 December 1937 in Abbeydale, Sheffield, was a legendary British goalkeeper. He passed away on 12 February 2019 at the age of 81 in Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. Banks stood tall at 185 cm and held British nationality. Ursula Banks was his spouse, and he had three children named Wendy Banks, Julia Banks, and Robert Banks. The only English goalkeeper to have won a World Cup, Banks is widely regarded as one of the greatest English goalkeepers of all time. He earned 73 caps for his country and was recognized as the second-best goalkeeper of the 20th century by the IFFHS. However, his career was cut short in 1972 when he lost the sight in his right eye due to a car accident. Throughout his career, Banks played for various teams, including Leicester City, Chesterfield, and Stoke City, where he made over 200 appearances before taking a break in 1973. He eventually retired from professional football in 1978 after playing for America's Fort Lauderdale Strikers (FL Strikers).
3. Peter Schmeichel - Man City
Peter Schmeichel, born on 18 November 1963 in Gladsaxe Municipality, Denmark, is a renowned former footballer who turned 59 years old in February 2023. He has dual Danish and Polish nationality and stands tall at 193 cm. Schmeichel's spouse is Laura von Lindholm, and he has two children named Kasper Schmeichel and Cecilie Schmeichel. His last international team was Man City, and he retired from professional football in 2003. Schmeichel was a feared and iconic goalkeeper, known for his brilliant saves and inspiring confidence in his teammates. It's hard to imagine Manchester United's domination of English football in the 1990s without Peter Schmeichel. He also played for Aston Villa before ending his career at Man City.
4. Oliver Kahn - Bayern Munich
Oliver Rolf Kahn, born on 15 June 1969 in Karlsruhe, Germany, is a renowned former footballer who turned 53 years old in February 2023. He holds German nationality and stands at an impressive height of 188 cm. Kahn's current spouse is Svenja Kahn, while his former spouse is Simone Kahn. He has three children named Katharina-Maria Kahn, Julian Kahn, and David Kahn. Kahn's last international team was Bayern Munich, and he retired from professional football in 2008. He is considered one of Germany's most distinguished footballers and played a crucial role in Bayern Munich's success, including winning eight Bundesliga titles, six German Cups, six League Cups, a UEFA Cup, and a Champions League. Oliver Kahn has won several awards, including the German Footballer of the Year twice, the IFFHS Best Goalkeeper thrice, and the Best Bundesliga Goalkeeper seven times.
5. Petr Cech - Chelsea
Petr Čech, a Czechoslovakian-born Czech, is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the English Premier League. During his tenure with Chelsea, he won numerous UEFA Champions League and Europa League titles. He played a vital role in the team's back-to-back Premier League triumphs, allowing only 15 and 22 goals in the 2004 and 2006 seasons, respectively. After leaving Chelsea, he joined Arsenal before returning to the Blues as their Technical Director. In his retirement, Čech has taken up semi-professional ice hockey, playing as the Chelmsford Chieftains' goaltender. As of February 2023, he is 40 years old, was born in Pilsen, and is married to Martina Čechová with whom he has two children, Adela and Damian.
6. Dino Zoff - Italian national team
Dino Zoff is an Italian football legend who was born on February 28, 1942, in Mariano del Friuli, Italy. He is considered one of the best goalkeepers of all time, known for his incredible performances on the field. Zoff made history in 1982 when, at the age of 40, he captained the Italian squad to victory in the World Cup, becoming the oldest player to win the tournament. He also holds the record for the longest time without conceding a goal in international events, going an incredible 1142 minutes without letting in a single goal. Zoff's career spanned many years, and he retired from the sport on June 2, 1983, after making his final appearance with the Italian national team. His last club team was Juventus.
7. Manuel Neuer - Bayern Munich
Manuel Peter Neuer, born on March 27, 1986, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, is considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world of football. At 36 years of age (as of February 2023), he currently plays for Bayern Munich, where he has been a crucial player for years. One of the most remarkable things about Neuer is that he is not only a goalkeeper, but he is also known for his ability to play other positions. Fans once encouraged him to take on the role of a midfielder, and he has also acted as a defender or free-kick taker in important games. Manuel Neuer's unique playing style as a 'sweeper keeper' has changed the way people view goalkeepers and has transformed everyone's expectations and opinions of the position.
8. Iker Casillas - Real Madrid
Iker Casillas Fernández, born on May 20, 1981, is a renowned Spanish goalkeeper who has played for various teams, including Real Madrid and FC Porto. He stands at 182 cm tall and is 41 years old as of February 2023. Casillas is known for his impressive career achievements, including being one of the seven goalkeepers who have won the UEFA Champions League (UCL) three times. During his 16-year senior career, he played 725 times for Real Madrid. Casillas was Spain's first-choice goalkeeper from 2008 to 2012 and has a trophy collection that includes one Champions League, one World Cup, and three European Championships. Although he retired from playing in 2020, he made a comeback to the sport in 2022 and rejoined Real Madrid, five years after leaving the club for Porto.
9. Gianluigi Buffon - Juventus
Gianluigi Buffon, OMRI, was born on 28 January 1978 in Carrara, Italy. At 45 years old (as of February 2023), he stands tall at 192 cm. Buffon has been married to Alena Šeredová from 2011 to 2014, and they have three children together: David Lee Buffon, Leopoldo Mattia Buffon, and Louis Thomas Buffon.
Buffon currently plays for Parma Calcio 1913, but he is best known for his legendary career at Juventus, where he won multiple Serie A titles and set a record for the longest time without conceding a goal in the Italian league. He was once considered the best goalkeeper in the world and is widely regarded as the greatest Italian shot-stopper of all time in the 2000s, surpassing even Dino Zoff in the eyes of many football pundits.
Buffon also enjoyed a long and successful international career, playing 178 times for Italy between 1997 and 2018. He was a key player in the Italian national team that won the World Cup in 2006, and his performances throughout the tournament earned him the title of Best Goalkeeper of the tournament.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Buffon's career is his incredible longevity. He has played over 1,100 professional matches, a feat achieved by very few players in the history of the sport.
10. Lev Yashin - Dynamo Moscow
Lev Ivanovich Yashin was a legendary goalkeeper born on 22 October 1929 in Moscow, Russia, and passed away on 20 March 1990 at the age of 79 in the same city. He was a Soviet national with a height of 189 cm, and his last international team was Dynamo Moscow before retiring in 1970. Yashin was widely known for his impressive reflexes, athleticism, and passionate approach to the game, earning him the nicknames "Black Spider" and "Black Panther" due to his ability to save almost all shots aimed at him. He played his last match for Dynamo Moscow in 1971, a year after retiring from professional football.
Who is the Best Goalkeeper of All Time?
Van der Sar is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in football history due to his exceptional abilities both on and off the ball. With his tall and slender build, he was able to come off his line to handle crosses with ease, while also demonstrating outstanding reflexes, positioning, and shot-stopping skills. Additionally, his calm demeanor, longevity, and leadership skills made him a valuable asset to his team. He was also known for his prowess in stopping penalties. One of Van der Sar's unique strengths was his proficiency with the ball at his feet. He was skilled in launching counter-attacks with long balls or initiating attacking plays from the back by playing the ball on the ground. Due to his ball-handling skills, he occasionally played the role of a "sweeper-keeper" during his tenure with Ajax.
Best Goalie of All Time Soccer
The role of a goalkeeper in football is a crucial one, and the greatest goalkeepers throughout history have consistently demonstrated exceptional abilities. The above list comprising the top 10 best goalkeepers of all time includes legends such as Edwin van der Sar, Gordon Banks, Peter Schmeichel, Oliver Kahn, Petr Cech, Dino Zoff, Manuel Neuer, Iker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon, and Lev Yashin. These goalkeepers have excelled in their respective clubs and national teams, showcasing a diverse range of skills that surpass those of any outfield player. They have demonstrated bravery, strength, leadership, concentration, positioning, anticipation, reflexes, agility, handling, and distribution, enabling them to keep the ball out by any means necessary. They have inspired and instilled confidence in their teammates and contributed to their team's success, earning them a place in football history as some of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
Best Goalkeepers of All Time - FAQs
A goalkeeper's role in football is to defend their team's goal, which measures 7.32-by-2.44 meters, and to prevent the opposing team from scoring.
The role of a goalkeeper is considered crucial in football because they are responsible for keeping the ball out of the goal, which is the primary objective of the game.
The best goalkeepers of all time include Edwin van der Sar, Gordon Banks, Peter Schmeichel, Oliver Kahn, Petr Cech, Dino Zoff, Manuel Neuer, Iker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon, and Lev Yashin.
Edwin van der Sar helped Manchester United secure four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League. He also played for the Dutch national team and was known for his excellent goalkeeping skills.
Gordon Banks was a legendary British goalkeeper who is widely regarded as one of the greatest English goalkeepers of all time. He was the only English goalkeeper to have won a World Cup and earned 73 caps for his country. Unfortunately, his career was cut short in 1972 when he lost the sight in his right eye due to a car accident.