Keeping clean sheets and making some of the biggest saves are some of the criteria used to rate the best goalkeepers in the world. But who is the current No. 1 goalkeeper?
Over the past decades, we’ve had the opportunity to watch some of the most outstanding goalies, from iconic names like Edwin van der Sar, Oliver Kahn, and Iker Casillas to Lev Yashin.
However, modern football has ushered in some of the most talented players who have made a name for themselves on the biggest stage.
The best goalkeepers in the world right now
18. Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford played a key role in Everton’s survival last season. He was voted as one of the best in the Premier League.
This season has been unimpressive. However, the English goalkeeper has made some significant saves to keep the Toffees in a solid position to retain their top-flight status.
17. Matz Sels
Mat Sels is the next name that comes on our list especially due to his consistency that has helped Nottingham Forest.
Sels has been reliable for the club as they seek to maintain their position at the top half of the English Premier League standings
16. Alex Meret
Luciano Spalletti Napoli’s side has been high-flying since the start of the Serie A season, with much credit to Alex Meret. The Italian is only behind Andre Onana as the goalkeeper with the most saves in the league.
Meret has been solid in goal for the Partenopei, who are on their way to lifting the Serie A title after thirty years.
15. Guglielmo Vicario
Guglielmo vicario is arguably one of the best goalkeepers in the English Premier League due to his consistency in goal for Tottenham Hotspur.
He has made significant contributions since his arrival at the club in 2013. So far, he has shown to be a reliable option in goal for the Spurs
14. Lucas Hradecky
Lucas Hradecky is one of the names that comes first when you talk about the set of players that played a key role during Bayer Leverkusen Bundesliga triumph.
He was outstanding in goal as Bayer Leverkusen went on to win the German Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal in the 2023/2024 soccer season.
13. Jan Oblak
Jan Oblak has been a long-standing player at Atlético Madrid. The Slovenian has played a significant role in the team after almost a decade at the club.
The Rojiblancos had a poor outing in the Champions League and a slow start in the La Liga. However, the 30-year-old has influenced the team’s revival and the quest to return to the top level.
12. Gianluigi Donnarumma
PSG did not perform as expected in the Champions League following their elimination from the round of 16. But Donnarumma has been a great addition at the back.
The former AC Milan goalie has established himself as one of Europe’s top-rated goalkeepers due to his shot-stopping abilities.
In the French Ligue 1, he has made some of the best saves, even though some would have believed PSG’s defense would be impenetrable due to the presence of high-profile players at the back.
11. David Raya
David Raya has been one of the most consistent defensive assets for Arsenal FC since his arrival at the club.
The Spaniard has played a crucial role in the team throughout last season and is currently ranked among the best in the Premier League.
10. Emiliano MartÃnez
Emi Martinez deserves a place in the elite goalkeepers. He was arguably one of the most influential players during the last World Cup in Qatar.
He (Martinez) was handed The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper and FIFA World Cup Golden Glove to mark his contributions to his team’s final triumph.
Back to the main discussion, Emi switched to Villa Park after he was not guaranteed a place to start at Arsenal. He has been considered reasonable in the league for his new club, despite question marks on his inclusion as one of the best.
9. Manuel Neuer
Manuel Neuer is no introduction to European football. The German has been part of Bayern Munich for more than a decade.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. However, injuries lately have hampered his place in the team.
8. Nick Pope
There’s a reason why Newcastle United conceded the least goals in the Premier League, not because of the defensive partnership between Sven Botman, Fabian Schar, and Kieran Trippier, but the brilliance of Nick Pope.
So far, Nick Pope has been one of the best goalkeepers in the English Premier League. His performance earned him a place at the finals in Qatar last summer.
The Newcastle United goalie has proven to be a good shot-stopper, making decisive passes and perfectly detecting where his teammates are before crossing into the opponent’s half.
7. Yann Sommer
Yann Sommer is known for his outstanding saves at Borussia Monchengladbach and his influence in the team since 2014 before his eventual move to Bayern Munich in 2022.
Bayern’s top hierarchy sees the Swiss as a top goalkeeper to play alongside Manuel Neuer. He is currently enjoying life at Allianz Arena.
6. Ederson
The No. 1 spot at City is Perhaps one of the most heavily contested in Europe. However, Ederson has turned his position to be one of the most influential at the club.
I would recall the ball clearance he made when Diogo Jota charged at him in April 2022. It was an incredible moment to see the Brazilian make a nerve-shredding goal-line clearance comfortably.
That said, Ederson has consistently ranked among the top shot-stoppers in the Premier League and has rarely shown to be unreliable in the Man City set up.
5. Marc-André ter Stegen
Marc-Andre ter Stegen could become the Barça goalkeeper with the most clean sheets in a La Liga season tonight.
One of the main pillars of Xavi Hernandez’s newly built Barcelona team is Marc-André ter Stegen. The German goalkeeper has been at Camp Nou since 2014 and keeps improving.
He is known for his passing, ball-playing, and ball control in the most crucial moments.
Statistics show Barcelona has one of the best defences in La Liga, reflecting their position at the top of the table.
4. Unai Simon
Unai Simon is the undisputed number-one goalkeeper of the Spanish Men’s National team. He earned his place in the first team at the World Cup in Qatar.
The 25-year-old plays for Athletic Club Bilbao in Spanish La Liga and has been in the first team of the Red and Whites since he was promoted from the reserves in 2018.
He has been rock solid and played a key role as Spain won the UEFA European Football Championship trophy.
3. Thibaut Courtois
It would be tough to leave out the Belgian in the top spot. He has been magnificent for Los Blancos since his arrival in the summer of 2018.
Thibaut Courtois has filled the void left by club legend Iker Casillas with his world-class shot-stopping and passing abilities.
Perhaps being named the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper and FIFA FIFPRO World 11 clarifies his position as one of the best goalies currently.
He has been crucial for the Los Blancos in their champions league campaign.
2. Mike Maignan
Arguably one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, Mike Maignan is slowly cementing his position as the number one spot in the French men’s football team. The AC Milan player is known for making outstanding saves and keeping clean sheets.
Mike Maignan is currently one of the most experienced goalkeepers in world football ranked as one of the best in the Italian Serie A.
1. Alisson Becker
One good aspect of the veteran is his consistent and regular putting on a good shift when it matters. It is true Liverpool has endured a troubled season which sees them miles away from European places.
Despite the team’s struggles, the Brazilian has maintained his level and is one of the best players on the team.
Alison is world-class as he has continued to thrive in areas such as passing, shot-stopping, attacking moves, and a high rate of success in one on one duels.