World's Greatest and Most Successful Goalkeepers of All Time
World-class goalkeepers are must-have assets for every top football team. Often, they're less-sung heroes of big wins, compared to outfield players, except in the undeniable situation of penalty shootouts. Many other times, they bear the subtle brunt of losses, being the last line of defense in football matches. If you asked Gianluigi Buffon, he'd emphasize that footballers "win as a group," sharing the victory spoils with his outfield teammates.
However, a handful of goalkeepers have successfully pushed through the norms to become full-fledged game legends, registering their names into football's Hall of Fame.
Top 8 Greatest Goalkeeper of All Time - MightyTips Review
Football experts, analysts, fans, and the rest of the footballing world have regularly debated and come up with their own list of the best goalkeepers in football history. Here at MightyTips, we've decided to lend our voice to the debate.
Our content team and top tipster, Kate Richardson have provided our expert opinion on the biggest goalkeepers to grace the turf. We also provide regular expert tips on football draws and other sports betting events for individuals interested. Now to our rankings of the top eight legendary goalkeepers.
Lev Yashin
During his playing time, Lev Yashin was undoubtedly the best goalkeeper in the world and is justly the Soviet Union's greatest footballer ever. Although he spent his entire career for Dynamo Moscow, it was his outings at the international level for the Soviet Union that dazzled the world.
Yashin won the Ballon d'Or in 1963, stopped around 150 penalty kicks and kept an incredible 270 clean sheets from approximately 420 career games. At the end of his career, Yashin had one Olympic Gold Medal, one European Championship, five Soviet Championships, and three Soviet Cup trophies, besides his Ballon d'Or feat.
Apart from being regarded as the best by many, Yashin also believed in himself. He once said, ‘‘There have only been two world class goalkeepers. One was Lev Yashin, the other was the German boy who played for Man City.’’
Gianluigi Buffon
Buffon was widely regarded as the world's greatest goalkeeper in the 200s and is widely considered Italy's greatest shot-stopper ever, even preferred over Dino Zoff and his unforgettable shot-stopping heroics. The Juventus and Italian legend played 178 times for his country between 1997 and 2018, lifting the World Cup in 2006 with Italy.
He’s also Italy’s most-capped player, and he boasts around 350 clean sheets in first-level club games – only ten behind Zoff. Gianluigi Buffon ended his career with 10 Serie A titles with Juventus, one Ligue 1 title, one Italian Footballer of the Year award, one UEFA Cup trophy, seven Italian Super Cups, One French Super Cup, one FIFA Club World Cup, one European Under-21 Champion, five Coppa Italia titles, and one Italienischer Zweitligameister.
Manuel Neuer
Manuel Neuer is one of the most untraditional but supremely talented goalkeepers in the world. His heroics with Bayern Munich and the German national team over the last decade have seen him emerge as one of the game’s most decorated and greatest goalkeepers of all time. Manuel would say to upcoming goalkeepers today, "You always have to work hard," and his style of play evidently proved his mentality.
Neuer's viewers will be unsurprised to find him over 30 yards beyond his line, playing a sweeper-keeper role that registers him as one of the most confident and bravest goalkeepers in history. The 37-year-old, still in the game, has won one FIFA Club World Cup triumph, six DFB-Pokal titles, nine Bundesliga trophies, two UEFA Champions Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups, five German Super Cups, one German Under-19 Cup, and one European Under-21 Champion trophy.
Iker Casillas
Iker Casillas is best remembered for his spectacular 16-year senior career with Real Madrid, where he won practically every trophy his club could have. Casillas played 725 times for Real Madrid before joining FC Porto in 2015. He was also Spain’s first-choice goalkeeper between the years 2008-2012 when the national team won two European Championships and the World Cup.
Casillas undoubtedly deserves to be on the list of the game’s all-time greats, not just for his trophy haul, but for the incredible and unforgettable saves the football’s goalkeeping section won’t stop talking about anytime soon. Other components of Casillas’ trophy cabinet include five La Liga titles, four Supercopa de Espana, two Copa del Rey, three UEFA Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup.
Oliver Kahn
Oliver Khan's spell with Bayern Munich and the German Nation team remains his most memorable career moments, where he won multiple trophies including the Champions League and eight Bundesliga titles. Khan won the Golden Ball at the 2002 World Cup, despite finishing as a runner-up with Germany.
He also finished third in the voting for the 2001 and 2002 Ballon d'Or awards. Other trophies by Khan include six DFB-Kopa titles, one Intercontinental Cup and one UEFA Cup.
Petr Cech
Arguably the best goalkeeper of all time in the Premier League era, Petr Cech was crucial in Chelsea’s superlative defensive record between 2004 and 2006 when they conceded only 15 and 22 goals in consecutive Premier League title wins. Petr Cech won a total of four league wins with the Blues, the Champions League, and a Europa League triumph.
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel was one of the best reflex savers the world has ever produced, winning five league triumphs with Manchester United, including the Champions League in 1999. He is among the all-time greats and is regarded as the greatest goalkeeper from Scandinavian football, and is largely known for his characteristic shouts at defenders to command them.
The Dane also had three FA Cup trophies to his name before removing his gloves to pave the way for his son Kasper Schmeichel, who famously won the Premier League with Leicester City.
Edwin van der Sar
Edwin van de Sar may have shone brightest for his shot-stopping abilities during the final years within the sticks for Manchester United, but his unforgettable goalkeeping heroics make him one of the game's most successful and greatest shot-stoppers.
After starring for Ajax in the 1990s, Van de Sar played with Juventus and Fulham before joining the Red Devils where he won four Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Conclusion
Goalkeepers' heroics within the sticks have sometimes been the sole difference between victory and defeat in the world of football. A recent goalkeeping feat that reestablishes the potential impact of goalkeepers was Argentina's Emiliano Martinez's last-minute World Cup-winning save at the Qatar 2022 World Cup final against France.
This ranking of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the game considers leading factors like longevity, consistency, and performances in finals. By all accounts, Lev Yashin, Gianluigi Buffon, and Manuel Neuer rank close to the top of the game's GOAT shot-stoppers.