In brief
A team’s success depends heavily on its custodian, who can make the difference between victory and defeat.
A number of criteria, including longevity, consistency, and finals performances, are taken into consideration while rating the best goalkeepers.
Manuel Neuer, Iker Casillas, and Lev Yashin have all been placed close to the top of the rankings.
Every season, football goalkeepers are crucial to a squad. Serving as the last line of defence, their vital saves, heroics at the last second, and poise in goal can make the difference between victory and defeat. A goalie cannot get away with making a mistake, while an outfield player may. Every week, players must provide their best effort while playing with aspirations and dreams on their shoulders.
Elite goalkeepers can win games virtually by themselves, and the teams they have played with frequently hold the finest of them in the greatest respect. In 2018, Liverpool had trouble with Loris Karius in goal, as the German made two vital errors that led to the Reds’ defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League final. In the summer of 2018, they acquired Alisson Becker, who helped them win the Champions League the following year. It demonstrates how important they are. The 20 best goalkeepers of all time are ranked in this article based on a number of criteria, which we list below.
Ranking Factors Longevity: A person has been ranked higher if they have excelled in their sport for a longer amount of time.
Consistency of top-notch performances: It may seem easy, but a goalie improves when they consistently put out top-notch performances. They have a high ranking if they have consistently performed that throughout their career.
Finals performances: A player’s career’s most crucial games are the finals. A goalie has been placed higher if they have made an important save or provided a major factor in their trophy victory.
The 20 Best Goalkeepers in History
Ordering
Name
Career in the workplace
1.
Yashin Lev
1950–1970
2.
Buffon, Gianluigi (1995–2023)
3.
Neuer, Manuel
From 2004 to the present
4.
Casillas, Iker (1998–2020)
5.
Kohn, Oliver (1987–2008)
6.
Petr Cech
From 1999 to 2019
7.
Schmeichel, Peter (1981–2003)
8.
1990–2016 Edwin van der Sar
9.
Alisson Becker, 2013–today
10.
Banks, Gordon
From 1958 to 1977
11.
Jennings, Pat
From 1963 to 1986
12.
Dida
1992–2015
13.
Seaman, David
From 1982 to 2004
14.
Courtois, Thibaut
From 2009 to the present
15.
Lloris Hugo
From 2005 to the present
16.
Maier, Sepp
From 1962 to 1980
17.
Southall, Neville
From 1973 to 2002
18.
Zoff Dino
1961–1983
19.
Zubizarreta Andoni
From 1980 to 1998
20.
Shilton, Peter
1966–1997
Best goalkeepers image gallery
20Peter Shilton
Professional career: 1966-1997
One of the greatest goalkeepers in English history is Peter Shilton. His role in Nottingham Forest’s two European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980 is what made him most famous. Shilton, who also assisted the East Midlands team in winning the First Division in 1978, was hailed by Brian Clough as one of his most significant acquisitions.
Playing in numerous high-profile World Cup matches, such as the quarterfinal matchup with Argentina, where Diego Maradona scored the legendary ‘Hand of God’ goal past him, Shilton made 125 appearances for his nation. He retains the record for the most caps for his nation, despite the fact that he was unable to get the Three Lions into a major tournament.
Shilton’s statistics
Years
Group
Looks
1966–1974
City of Leicester
348
1974–1977
City of Stoke
121
1977–1982
Forest of Nottingham
272
1982–1987
Southampton
242
1987–1992
County of Derby
211
1992–1995
The Plymouth Argyle
43
1995
Wimbledon
0
1995
Wanderers of Bolton
2.
1995–1996
City of Coventry
0
1996
United West Ham
0
1996–1997
Leyton Orient
10.
1970–1990
England
125
19Andoni Zubizarreta
Professional career: 1981-1998
Spanish football icon Andoni Zubizarreta played 126 games for his nation between 1985 and 1998. He represented his nation in seven international competitions, serving as captain for the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.
Zubizarretta also played for Barcelona, Valencia, and Athletic Bilbao throughout his illustrious club career. His primary success was in Catalonia, although he also won La Liga twice for the Basque team, including the league and cup double in the 1983–84 season. Under Johan Cruyff’s leadership, Zubizarretta was a key member of Barcelona’s team that won six La Liga championships and the 1991–92 European Cup. In terms of his skill with the ball at his feet and composure under duress, the Spanish goalie was ahead of his time.
Stats for Zubizarreta
Years
Group
Looks
From 1981 to 1986
Bilbao Athletic
169
1986–1994
Barcelona
301
1994–1998
Valencia
152
1985–1998
Spain
126
18Dino Zoff
Professional career: 1961-1983
Throughout the 1970s, Dino Zoff was a constant presence on the Juventus and Italy teams. His 1982 World Cup victory with the Azzurri, where he captained the team to glory, is without a doubt his most noteworthy accomplishment. It appeared as though Zoff would never win a World Cup again after placing second in 1970, but in 1982, at the age of forty, the renowned goalie did.
He was much more successful at the club level, taking home two Coppa Italia crowns, a UEFA Cup, and six Serie A titles. The European Cup was the lone item Zoff failed to include on his resume. In 1973, he finished second, and ten years later, Juventus lost to Hamburger SV.
Zoff Data
Years
Group
Looks
1961–1963
The Udinese
41
1963–1967
Mantova
134
1967–1972
Napoli
189
1972–1983
Juventus
473
1968–1983
Italy
112
17Neville Southall
Professional career: 1980-2002
Neville Southall joined Everton a year after starting his English football career at Bury in 1980. Southall won two league titles, two FA Cups, and the 1984–85 European Cup Winners’ Cup during his 17-year tenure with the Merseyside club. He is still regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the Toffees and holds the record for most appearances.
Southall was widely acknowledged as the top goalie in English football during the 1980s. Southhall won Footballer of the Year from the Football Writers’ Association during the 1984–85 championship season. In addition, he made 92 appearances for Wales, starting on May 27, 1982.
Statistics for Southall
Years
Group
Looks
1980–1981
Bury
49
From 1981 to 1998
Everton
751
1983
Vale de Porto
9.
1997–1998
Southend United
9.
1998
City of Stoke
Twelve
1998
Rovers of Doncaster
9.
From 1998 to 2000
United of Torquay
61
2000
City of Bradford
One
2001
York City
0
2001
Rhyl
3.
1982–1997
Wales
92
16Sepp Maier
Professional career: 1962-1980
With 707 appearances for the Bavarian team, Sepp Maier holds the record for most appearances for Bayern Munich. Maier spent eighteen years in southern Germany, winning three European Cups, four Bundesliga titles, and four DFB-Pokal wins. The quirky goalie won the German Footballer of the Year title in 1975, 1977, and 1978 in recognition of his exceptional accomplishments.
Maier won numerous big tournaments for West Germany in addition to his success at the club level. Just two years after winning the UEFA European Championship in 1972, he went on to win the World Cup. West Germany defeated their fierce international rivals, the Netherlands, 2-1 in the final to win the 1974 World Cup at home.
Stats for Maier
Years
Group
Looks
1962–1980
The Bayern Munich
706.
1962–1979
West Germany
95
15Hugo Lloris
Professional career: 2005-present
The present ‘golden period’ of Tottenham, which lasted from 2012 to 2024, was centred on him. Under manager Mauricio Pochettino, he served as their captain and contributed expertise in crucial games. Season after season, the Frenchman was a world-class goalie. In the 2018–19 season, he made a number of penalty saves that helped Spurs qualify for the Champions League and get to the final.
However, unlike his tenure as captain of France, he never took home a trophy with the Lilywhites. It was regrettable for Lloris to lose out on a second international Cup winner’s medal four years after he and Les Bleus won the international championship in 2018. The former captain of Tottenham won the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League, but he finished second in the 2016 European Championships.
Stats of Lloris
Years
Group
Looks
From 2005 to 2008
Good
78
2008–2012
Lyon
202
2012–2024
Tottenham
447
2024–Today
Los Angeles Football Club
46
2008–2022
France
145
14Thibaut Courtois
Professional career: 2009-Present
One of the world’s top goalkeepers is Thibaut Courtois. His trophy cabinet is loaded with Real Madrid’s number while he was playing for the Spanish powerhouses. In 2022, Courtois helped the team win the Champions League, which was his most outstanding performance to date. He has also won two La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey.
After a series of excellent saves, Courtois was voted ‘Player of the Match’ even though Real Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the final. He entered the history books of the club. In addition, he won the Europa League as a fantastic custodian for rivals Atletico Madrid and won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2015 and 2017.
Stats of Courtois
Years
Group
Looks
2009–2011
Genk
45
2011–2018
Chelsea
154
2011–2014 (loan)
Real Madrid
154
From 2018 to the present
Real Madrid
247
From 2011 to the present
Belgium
102
13David Seaman
Professional career: 1982-2004
Many people consider David Seaman to be one of England’s best goalkeepers ever. Although he made mistakes, such as against Brazil in the 2002 World Cup, he remained very reliable during his 24-year career.
The massive Yorkshire native’s trademark hair and moustache made him one of the most identifiable players in the world, but he spoke primarily on the pitch. He won three league titles and four FA Cups while playing more than 500 games for Arsenal. Seaman’s remarkable career in the English game, which included one League Cup, made him one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
Statistics for Seamen
Years
Group
Looks
1982–1984
Peterborough
109
1984–1986
Birmingham
43
1986–1990
Rangers of Queens Park
145
From 1990 to 2003
The Arsenal
536
2003–2004
City of Manchester
26
From 1988 to 2002
England
77
