In conclusion, England has produced a number of outstanding goalkeepers over the years; David Seaman and Gordon Banks are just two of the greatest players to have been chosen for international play.
As the only England goalie to win a World Cup, Banks solidifies his place as the Three Lions’ top goalie.
Some English goalkeepers, such as Peter Bonetti, were outstanding at the club level but had little influence on the international scene.
It’s safe to assume that England has produced a number of elite goalkeepers over the years. Prior to a significant competition, former Three Lions managers have faced numerous selection dilemmas on the international scene.
Sir Alf Ramsey had three elite goalkeepers to pick from for the 1966 World Cup: Ron Springett, Peter Bonetti, and Gordon Banks. Peter Shilton, Chris Woods, and David Seaman were chosen by Sir Bobby Robson at the beginning of the 1990 edition in Italy. Having to pick between three outstanding goalkeepers is never easy, but it only served to highlight the range of skilful players the nation has produced throughout the years.
From Jordan Pickford to Joe Hart, and from Banks to Shilton, England supporters have seen a number of exceptional goalkeepers. The top 11 goalkeepers in English football history are listed here.
Our criteria for ranking
When placing these players in rank, the following primary considerations were made:
Contribution to the team can be categorised as goals, assists, clean sheets, or simply being a valuable member of the squad. To be ranked highly on the list, you don’t have to score every goal or dish out every assist.
International level: While winning at the club level is important, it’s equally important to do well on the international stage.
Clean Sheets: It should come as no surprise that a goalie must be able to keep the ball out of the net and be dependable when your teammates need you most.
Club and international trophies: Players are placed higher on this list if they have contributed significantly to their team’s trophy wins. Winning trophies is the main goal of professional football, and these guys embodied that.
Individual Awards: Ranking the top players is crucial, yet some individuals stick with teams that don’t regularly contend for major prizes.
Eleven of the Greatest English Goalkeepers in History
Rank
Name
Famous clubs
England’s caps
1.
Banks, Gordon
Stoke City and Leicester City
73
2.
Shilton, Peter
Nottingham Forest, Stoke City, and Leicester City
125
3.
Pickford, Jordan
Everton and Sunderland
68
4.
Seaman, David
Manchester City and Arsenal
75
5.
Clemence Ray
Tottenham and Liverpool
61
6.
Hart, Joe
Celtic, West Ham, and Manchester City
75
7.
James David
Manchester City, West Ham, Aston Villa, and Liverpool
53
8.
Bonetti, Peter
Chelsea
7.
9.
Woods, Chris
Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday, and Norwich City
43
10.
Paul Robinson
Blackburn Rover and Tottenham
41
11.
Martyn Nigel
Everton, Leeds United, and Crystal Palace
23
11. Nigel Martyn
Notable teams include Everton, Leeds United, and Crystal Palace.
A turning point in British football history was reached when Nigel Martyn moved from Bristol Rovers to Crystal Palace. He became the first custodian in British football history to cross the £1 million mark when he signed with the Eagles in 1989 for a sum exceeding that amount.
Over the course of a 19-year career, the St Austell native participated in over 500 professional games and donned the Three Lions’ colours 23 times. If he hadn’t taken over as number two behind David Seaman, that figure may have been significantly higher. That’s not the purpose, though. Despite this, Martyn had a wonderful career that was interspersed with appearances in four international tournaments.
10 Paul Robinson Notable teams: Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham
Sven-Goran Eriksson gave Robinson his debut in 2003, and he started his England career with a 3-1 loss to Australia, the worst conceivable start. But shortly after, the former Tottenham goalie had some success with the Three Lions. The Three Lions were eliminated in the quarterfinals of both the World Cup in 2006 and Euro 2004 when he was the starting goalie. He lost favour with then-manager Steve McClaren after his regrettable error against Croatia in a Euro 2008 qualifier.
Robinson had few appearances under Fabio Capello before leaving international competition in 2010. The Englishman flourished at the club level while playing for Tottenham before joining Blackburn Rovers in 2008. When he scored from inside his own half against Watford in 2007, it became his most memorable football moment.
9 Chris Woods Notable teams: Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday, and Norwich City
Woods was a backup option for the most of his international career. It was always going to be difficult for the Norwich custodian to become the Three Lions’ number one because Peter Shilton was higher up the hierarchy than him. He was included in England’s World Cup squad in 1986 and played his first international football match against the USA in 1985. However, his team lost to Argentina in the quarterfinals, and he didn’t play a single minute.
As England’s top custodian later in his career, Woods did succeed in gaining experience in major tournaments. Despite keeping two clean sheets in three games during England’s whole 1992 Euro campaign, they were not able to advance to the knockout stages. After playing for teams like Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday, Woods retired in 1998 and currently coaches goalkeeping for the Scotland national team.
8. Peter Bonetti
Famous teams: Chelsea
Remembering 'The Cat' Peter Bonetti on the day he passed away R.I.P 💙#CFC #CFCHeritage https://t.co/W4CLPQa7iT
— Chelsea Lookback ⭐⭐ (@1JamesCHELSEA) April 12, 2023
At Chelsea, Bonetti is a genuinely legendary figure. The former ‘keeper, known as ‘The Cat’ due to his incredible reflexes and elegant agility, made 729 appearances for the team, ranking second in Blues history.
After making his debut in March 1960 at the age of just 18, he was undoubtedly one of the top goalkeepers in the nation in the 1960s and 1970s. His victory over Leeds United in the 1970 FA Cup final was his best performance while wearing a Chelsea shirt. Although Bonetti was heavily hobbling after being fouled early, he disregarded the injuries and gave an incredible effort. Although he only made seven appearances for his country and never really achieved any success on the international scene, many people will be shocked to see him this low on the list.
7. David James
Famous teams include Manchester City, West Ham, Aston Villa, and Liverpool.
Over the course of his long career, the former Liverpool custodian made an astounding 572 Premier League appearances, playing for some of the strongest teams in the nation. Before concluding his career overseas, James also played in goal for Portsmouth, West Ham United, Manchester City, and Aston Villa. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest goalkeepers in league history.
Many, however, will recall his lacklustre performance for the national team during the so-called “Golden Generation,” which James didn’t quite fit into. James spent a large portion of his career as the Three Lions’ backup custodian, despite making 53 appearances for his nation. After a disappointing campaign in South Africa, where he most famously scored four goals against Germany in the round of 16, the combative and intimidating custodian announced his retirement from England duty in 2010.
6Joe Hart
Notable clubs: Manchester City, West Ham, Celtic
Under Roy Hodgson, Hart became as England’s top ‘keeper, raising doubts. His life with his favourite nation didn’t start off well; in 2011, he gave up two careless free kicks against Switzerland. Nonetheless, he was arguably one of the Premier League’s top goalkeepers from that point until 2015, thus it was not shocking when Hodgson called him up multiple times.
His errors against Iceland and Wales at Euro 2016 essentially ended his England career, as he withdrew from international play shortly after the competition. Nevertheless, Hart will go down as one of the greatest goalkeepers the nation has ever produced because of his outstanding years at City. Hart played 340 games and recorded 127 clean sheets in the Premier League before he formally retired in 2024. Joe, happy retirement.
5. Ray Clemence
Notable teams include Tottenham and Liverpool.
Without a question, one of the best goalkeepers to ever play for Liverpool was Ray Clemence. Additionally, throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, when the Merseyside team won five league titles and three European Cups, he was arguably the best custodian in Europe.
From the beginning, the former ‘keeper was a comforting presence between the sticks, giving others around him confidence. Before retiring in 1983, Clemence amassed an astounding 61 caps for his country, however the most of his success came at the club level.
4. David Seaman
Famous teams: Manchester City and Arsenal
A key contributor to Arsenal’s success in the 1990s and early 2000s, Seaman is renowned for his poise, quick reflexes, and superb placement. During his time in north London, he won three league titles, including two Premier League titles.
He has become a club icon as a result of his steady performances. He made 344 Premier League appearances during his career, recording 141 clean sheets. During his 14-year tenure with the Three Lions, Seaman amassed an incredible 75 caps for England, playing a significant part in the World Cup in 2002, Euro 1996, World Cup 1998, and Euro 2000.
3. Jordan Pickford
Notable teams: Everton and Sunderland
Although the Everton player has his detractors, he has often shown throughout the years that he is a dependable custodian. One of the top goalkeepers in the league right now is undoubtedly England’s number one. Although he is very controversial, his ability to maintain a strong grasp on the England number one rank demonstrates that he is a capable custodian.
Pickford has consistently stepped up when it counts, and some have questioned why he hasn’t yet landed a larger move given the Toffees’ recent struggles. Pickford has been Gareth Southgate’s first choice since making his debut for his country, and he has played frequently in the World Cup (2018 and 2022) as well as Euro 2020 and 2024.
4 – Jordan Pickford has saved four of the 14 penalties he has faced in shootouts at major tournaments, twice as many as all other England goalkeepers combined saved between 1990 and 2012 (2 out of 36). Hero. pic.twitter.com/vspFL4aZLG
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 6, 2024
2Peter Shilton
Notable clubs: Leicester City, Stoke City, Nottingham Forest
Known for his physical presence, handling, positional understanding, consistency, and poise, Shilton was a brilliant goalie. He rapidly made a name for himself as a great custodian at Leicester City and through the ranks, but most of his success occurred at Forest. In the 1978–79 and 1979–80 seasons, he was a key player in the team’s triumph in Europe.
Only three England players have played in more major tournament games than Shilton, who has made the most appearances of any custodian with 20. In addition, he now holds the record for the most England caps ever. That’s a pretty impressive career in goal.
1Gordon Banks
Notable clubs: Leicester City, Stoke City
Gordon Banks Iconic save against Pele pic.twitter.com/yk6nEmJyBB
— 66 (@LFC_Fish) February 19, 2024
Banks was a reliable and natural player who was also a superb goalie and had considerable physical strength. He was renowned for his handling and sensitivity, and he had an extraordinary sense of position. Many people today still admire Banks’ work because he was the quintessential ‘keeper.
Banks is the only English custodian to win a World Cup, despite never having won much at the club level. He was instrumental in the Three Lions’ 1966 domestic campaign, which ended in a victory over West Germany. However, it was another World Cup that marked the turning point in his career. When Brazil defeated England in a 1970 group stage match, Banks made “the save of the century” by denying Pele.
Stretching to catch the Brazilian great’s header headed for the goal, he dove low to his far right. With the forward already celebrating what appeared to be a certain goal, Banks miraculously managed to not only get a hand to the ball but to flick it up, over the bar and to safety. An absolute game legend who is deserving of the top slot on this list.
