Many sports publications and television channels conduct annual polls aimed at choosing the best goalkeeper. There is even an international IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper Award, awarded to goalkeepers based on a survey by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.
In our rating, compiled on the basis of IFFF data and expert opinions, the best goalkeepers in the history of football have defended the gates of their clubs and national teams.
The best goalkeepers in football history:
12
Edwin van der Sar
The legendary Dutch goalkeeper holds a record of played “dry” matches. In the Manchester United in the season 2008-2009, Edwin did not miss for 1 311 minutes.
And the talented goalkeeper began in his native Ajax. The only goalkeeper in the world to win the Champions League as part of two different clubs.
The most talented Edwin proposed a completely new style of play, often leaving the gates, and played beautifully with his feet.
11
David Seaman
The path to fame and international recognition for the English goalkeeper David Seaman was difficult and long. He got to his first European Championship as part of a national team when he was already 33 years old.
And his career began at the Leeds Club. The three-time champion of England and the holder of the Cup Winners Cup played only for English clubs and, of course, defended the colors of the national team.
Shimen played his last match in his football career in 2002, and ended his career at age 39.
10
Sepp Mayer
The German gatekeeper, whom the fans nicknamed “the cat from Anzing,” is one of the few football players. Who has in the piggy bank bronze, silver and gold medals of the World Championships.
Sepp's manner of playing distinguished him from his colleagues. He fearlessly threw himself at the feet of the attackers, pulling out the ball and pushing it to himself. Mayer still owns an unbeaten record - 442 consecutive matches played in the Bundesliga.
In 1979, he got into a car accident, and due to his injuries, he was forced to end his career.
See also: The most beautiful goals in the history of football.
9
Peter Shilton
This legendary English athlete defended the gates of English clubs for 30 years and played 125 matches for the national team, which is an absolute record.
Shilton's greatest successes are related to the Nottingham Forest club, with whom he won the championship and twice the European Cup. He missed 80 goals for the national team, and ended his football career at 48, having managed to stay a bit as a coach.
8
Gianluigi Buffon
The famous and most popular goalkeeper in Italy began his career at the Parma club in 1995, but the main success came at Juventus.
He has played 170 matches for the Italian national team, and in 2006, together with the team, he became the world champion. In addition, in his piggy bank many awards and achievements of Italian and European football.
In Serie A, he spent 974 minutes to zero, which is a record of the Italian national championship.
According to IFFF, he was recognized as the best goalkeeper of the first decade of the XXI century. Editorial TheBiggest with this is completely in agreement.
7
Harald Schumacher
It is difficult to find a more eccentric and fun goalkeeper in the history of football. At the same time, in the frame, Harald was serious and concentrated.
He was recognized as the best football player in Germany in 1984 and 1986. It was during these years that the German national team successfully performed at the European Championship and won the gold medals of the 1980 World Cup.
He played 464 matches in Budnesliga, and in his last game he entered the field for 3 minutes. In that match, Bayern issued the league title. But as a coach, a good football player did not achieve significant success.
6
Peter Schmeichel
A talented Danish athlete played almost 800 matches on the football field, playing for the European teams and the national team of Denmark.
Throughout his career, he won 24 team and personal trophies. Among them are the gold medals of the European Championship in 1992 and 5 titles of the champion of England.
In the history of Danish football, Peter has the highest score on the quality of the game. In 42% of matches played, he left his goal impregnable.
5
Dino zoff
Another illustrious Italian goalkeeper, exceptionally agile and agile. According to the Italian media, Zoff entered the top 100 Italian football players in the last 50 years.
In 1982, Dino as a member of the national team put on the gold medals of the world champion in Spain, while becoming the oldest athlete who achieved such success. At that time, the captain of the Italian national team was 40 years old.
In international games, he did not miss goals for 1,142 minutes, which is a world record.
4
Gordon Banks
The illustrious athlete of Great Britain and the world defended the gate at a time when high-profile titles had just begun to award the gate guards. But he took second place after Yashin in the list of the best goalkeepers of the twentieth century.
The peak of his career for the talented Gordon was the World Cup in England, where his team won gold. In that championship, Banks left his goal dry for 441 minutes.
Fans still warmly recall his saves and exits. The good-natured and cheerful football player received the nickname Fernandel, due to the similarity with the French artist.
3
Oliver Kahn
Another famous goalkeeper among the legendary German athletes. Oliver won the Champions League with Bayern, and became the European champion in the German national team.
Repeatedly recognized as the best athlete in Germany, and also three times became the best goalkeeper in the world.
He was distinguished by a peculiar style of play, playing perfectly on the outputs and on the line. After he hung his boots on a nail, he went on television, and now he is commenting on football matches.
2
Ricardo Zamora
Fans called Ricardo "divine." His frame game shocked with fearlessness and magnificent saves.
Until today, Ricardo, speaking in the 20-30s of the twentieth century, remains the best goalkeeper in Spanish football. And in Spain, he was named after a prize that is awarded to the goalkeeper who missed the least goals for the season.
He spent 46 games in the national team’s shirt, and after the outbreak of the Civil War, he moved to France, where he finished playing.
1
Lev Yashin
Many goalkeepers at one time were nominated for the Golden Ball prize, but only the Soviet football player Lev Yashin was awarded the highest football award.
The player of the Moscow Dynamo and the USSR national team was a true innovator. It was he who first began to introduce the ball into the game with his hand, and not knocking him out of the box. His game at the exits and fearless throws at the feet of the attackers aroused enthusiasm among specialists and fans.
Football stars from all over the world came to his farewell match. Everyone wanted to touch a bit of the legend of world football. Lev Yashin rightfully awarded the title of the best goalkeeper in the history of football.
Finally
Any coach and fan will say that the goalkeeper is half the team. He not only performs the function of protecting the goal, but also leads the team, because only from his position is the whole situation on the field visible.
In childhood, everyone dreams of playing in the attack and scoring beautiful goals, and few get into the goal. But these people have proved that playing in the frame, you can achieve great success and glorify your name and country.
TheBiggest editors are asking you to add comments to our article. Write what do you think the best goalkeepers in history should be on this list.
Article author: Valery Skiba