
Behind every greatest football team/club there is a world-class goalkeepers, but who is the best to have ever played between the shafts? Goalkeeping is one of the toughest jobs on the field that requires concentration, composure, and the ability to pull off saves at any given moment in a game. One of the most important positions in association football is goalkeeper, also known as keeper or goalie. Goalkeepers are football’s most specialized position.
The goalkeeper accomplishes this by moving into the path of the ball and either catching it or directing it away from the goal line. On some days, the goalkeeper can save a team, while on others, attackers convert their chances and return home as heroes. The most important positions in soccer are a central midfielder, centre-back, and goalkeeper. Although each position is important and serves a specific purpose, no team can function without a striker, full back, or wingers, but never without a CM, CB, or goalie. Here is a list of ten of the greatest goalkeepers in world football history.
Who Are The 7 Greatest Goalkeepers Of All-time In The World Football | Best Goalkeepers Of All Time & Awards List
1. Lev Yashin- The Best Goalkeeper In The World

Career Awards:
- Soviet Cup x3
- Soviet Champion x5
- European Champion x1
- Olympic Gold Medalist x1
- Ballon d’Or in 1963
Legendary Lev Yashin is regarded as the greatest goalkeeper in the history of the game and the Soviet Union’s greatest footballer. Lev Yashin is widely regarded as the all-time greatest goalkeeper. He only played for one team from 1950 to 1970, Dynamo Moscow, which he led to five league titles and three domestic cups. Yashin played 75 times for the Soviet Union, winning the European Championships in 1960 and the Olympic Games in 1956.
Yashin, one of football’s truly legendary names, spent his entire professional career with Dynamo Moscow, but it was his international performances that made him famous. During his incredible football career, he was the only goalkeeper to win the Ballon d’Or in 1963. He also stopped 151 penalty kicks in his career, more than any other goalkeeper in soccer games history, and kept over 270 clean sheets. He was named World Goalkeeper of the Century and named to the Century World XI team.
2. Iker Casillas- Greatest Goalkeepers of all time

Career Awards:
- La Liga x5
- Supercopa de España x4
- Copa del Rey x2
- UEFA Champions League x3
- UEFA Super Cup x2
- Intercontinental Cup x1
- FIFA Club World Cup x1
Iker Casillas is a former Spanish goalkeeper. He is best known for his appearances for Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, but he also played for FC Porto. Casillas was named to the UEFA Team of the Year a record six times between 2007 and 2012. Unquestionably the best goalkeeper the world has ever seen. Casillas debuted for Los Blancos in 1999 and appeared in 725 games across all competitions before joining Porto in 2015. Casillas won the World Cup in 2010 and the Euros twice with Spain, in 2008 and 2012.
Who Has The Most Clean Sheets In The 21st Century | Greatest Goalkeepers With Most Clean Sheets In Football History
Players/Goalkeeper | Clean Sheets |
---|---|
Iker Casillas | 439 |
Gianluigi Buffon | 420 |
Petr Cech | 391 |
Pepe Reina | 343 |
Manuel Neuer | 327 |
Igor Akinfeev | 316 |
Andriy Pyatov | 269 |
Edwin van der Sar | 266 |
Victor Valdes | 260 |
Mickael Landreau | 253 |
3. Gianluigi Buffon- Greatest Italian Goalkeeper

Career Awards:
- European Under-21 Champion x1
- Coppa Italia x5
- Serie A x10
- Ligue 1 x1
- Italian Footballer of the Year x1
- Italienischer Zweitligameister x1
- UEFA Cup x1
- Italian Super Cup x7
- French Super Cup x1
- FIFA Club World Cup x1
Gianluigi Buffon was born on the 28th of January, 1978. He is an Italian footballer who captains and plays goalkeeper for Parma of Serie B. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, and many consider him to be the greatest of all time. Gianluigi Buffon, a Juventus and Italy legend, has been voted football’s greatest-ever goalkeeper by readers of France Football (via Football Italia). The legendary goal stopper received 44% of the vote, comfortably ahead of second-placed Fabien Barthez, who received 17%.
He holds the Serie A record for the longest time without conceding a goal (974 minutes in the 2015-16 season), as well as the Serie A and Italian national team clean sheet records. He is also the most capped Italian player in history, as well as the most capped European. Gianluigi Buffon is who has appeared in 26 Serie B matches this 2021/22 season, clocking 2271 minutes. Gianluigi Buffon concedes an average of 1.03 goals per 90 minutes on the field. His current Clean Sheets ratio is 31%. That means Gianluigi Buffon has kept a clean sheet in 8 of the 26 games he has played in. Buffon has scored a total of 0 goals in the league this season, ranking them 23rd on the Parma squad’s Top Scorers list.
4. Dino Zoff- The best goalkeeper of all time

Career Awards:
- Coppa Italia x2
- Serie A x6
- UEFA Cup x1
Do you want to know what Dino Zoff is famous for? He holds the record for the longest time in international tournaments without allowing a goal, nearly 1,142 minutes, set between the 1972 and 1974 seasons. He is the sixth most capped player for the Italy national team, with 112 appearances. Dino Zoff was named one of the 100 greatest living footballers by Pele in 2004.
The 80-year-old Italian is best known for his time with Napoli and Juventus. In 1982, he won the World Cup, and 14 years earlier, he won the European Championship. He had 276 clean sheets at a rate of 48.8 %, which was the highest in the league. Dino Zoff was so consistent that he holds the record for the most consecutive matches played in Serie A history, appearing in 332 consecutive games.
5. Manuel Neuer- Best European Goalkeeper

Career Awards:
- German Under-19 Cup x1
- European Under-21 Champion x1
- German Footballer of the Year x2
- DFB-Pokal x6
- Bundesliga x9
- UEFA Champions League x2
- UEFA Super Cup x2
- German Super Cup x5
- FIFA Club World Cup x1
Manuel Neuer was born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on March 27, 1986. He is a German footballer who, as one of the game’s top goalkeepers, helped Germany win the World Cup in 2014. Football experts consider him to be the best goalkeeper in the world, and he holds the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper Award. Manuel Neuer was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper with the Golden Glove award. Neuer has won it all while also redefining his position. Previous greats produced the majority of their best work with their hands. Other sweeper-keepers have not achieved nearly the same success. In the Champions League final, Neuer was almost Bayern Munich’s best outfield player!
6. Petr Cech

Career Awards:
- European Under-21 Champion x1
- Czech Footballer of the Year x7
- English League Cup x3
- FA Cup x5
- English Premier League x4
- Europa Cup x1
- UEFA Champions League x1
- English Super Cup x6
Petr Cech was probably the best goalkeeper in Premier League history while at Chelsea. At Chelsea, he almost got everything he wanted: league titles, the UEFA Champions League, and the Europa League. He holds several goalkeeping records, including the Premier League record for the fewest appearances required to reach 100 clean sheets (180), the most clean sheets in a season (24), and the most clean sheets in Premier League history (202).
Since undergoing emergency surgery for a depressed skull fracture, the Arsenal goalkeeper has been wearing a protective scrum cap. Back in October 2006, Petr Cech was involved in a horrifying collision in which he was accidentally caught on the head by Reading’s Stephen Hunt’s knee.
Why do some goalkeepers wear helmets/headgears?
However, these are primarily for field players. When it comes to goalkeepers, some thoughts are both equal and different. There is some evidence that wearing a soft helmet can reduce lacerations, bruising, and likely skull fractures caused by diving or contact with the goalposts. Soccer goalkeeper headgear can help to reduce the risk of certain types of head injuries.
7. Oliver Kahn- Greatest Goalkeepers In Football History

Career Awards:
- DFB-Pokal x6
- Bundesliga x8
- UEFA Cup x1
- UEFA Champions League x1
- Intercontinental Cup x1
Oliver Kahn is a German football (soccer) player who is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. From 1999 to 2002, he was named World Goalkeeper of the Year three times. He was one of the most iconic players of his generation, a brilliant, brazen, and belligerent Bayern Munich legend who experienced triumph and heartbreak over a legendary 20-year career. Meet Oliver Kahn, a former Germany goalkeeper.
Why do goalkeepers spit on their gloves?
Goalkeepers spit on their gloves to gain a better grip on the ball. This is done to make it easier for the keeper to catch the ball and to reduce the chances of the ball being parried into the opposing team’s path.
Why do goalkeepers chew gum?
Is it true that chewing gum helps football players keep their mouths healthy? Yes, chewing gum keeps football players’ mouths moist and hydrated. It is directly linked to keeping the mouth healthy because it stimulates saliva.
Can a goalkeeper take a throw-in with his gloves on?
Even with his gloves on, a goalkeeper can take a throw-in. There are no rules prohibiting a goalkeeper from taking a throw-in. However, this is a rare occurrence that usually occurs when the keeper is closest to where the ball goes out of play.
Can goalkeepers wear pants?
Goalkeepers should dress for maximum protection during training by wearing long pants, long sleeves, and shin guards. Keepers should always wear shin guards at practice, not only to protect themselves from injury, but also because they must wear them during games and should be accustomed to them.
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Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our article on the top 7 greatest goalkeepers of all time in world football. Please drop your opinions in the comment box. The information for this article is acquired from Wikipedia. Since this topic is subject to change, our website provides no guarantee for the accuracy of the information.