Gloves of Glory: 20 Best Goalkeepers Of All Time

Gianluigi Buffon, the name whispered with reverence by fans and rivals alike, stands as a monument to longevity and unwavering excellence between the posts.

• Signed with Juventus in 2001, led them to 10 Serie A titles, and five Coppa Italia trophies. 
• Joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2018 for a season before returning to Juventus. He won the French Super Cup and the Ligue 1 title with PSG. 
• Served as the captain of the Italian national team for over a decade leading them to victory at the 2006 World Cup.

Oliver Kahn is the only goalkeeper to win the Golden Ball to date. He won it for his performance in the 2002 World Cup with Germany. His trophy cabinet includes:

• Eight Bundesliga titles, six DFB-Pokals, a UEFA Champions League title, and an Intercontinental Cup.
• Three IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper awards, 4 Best European Goalkeeper awards, and seven Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Year awards.

Iker Casillas has etched his name in the hearts of Real Madrid and Spanish fans as their “Santo Iker,” the Saint of Madrid.

• Began his career with Real Madrid
• Five La Liga titles, three Champions League crowns, and two Copa del Rey trophies. 
• Five IIHFS World’s Best Goalkeeper trophies and the Zamora Trophy in 2007-08.
• Captained Spain to their first World Cup victory in 2010. 
• Led the Spain to the U-20 World Cup in 1999 and two European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

Manuel Neuer, his audacious footwork, acrobatic saves, and strategic vision from deep within the box have made him a true innovator, etching his name as one of the best in the sport.

• His unique sweeper-keeper role, venturing far beyond the penalty box to intercept attacks and initiate play, became his signature. 
• Eleven Bundesliga titles, two Champions League crowns, and the coveted World Cup with Germany in 2014, where he was awarded the Golden Glove.
• Four IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper awards five times.

Lev Yashin nicknamed the “Black Spider” began his career at Dynamo Moscow. Here are his achievements:

• He led Dynamo to five Soviet Top Leagues and three Soviet Cups.
• Captained the Soviet Union to the 1960 European Championship title.
• Yashin is the only Keeper to win the Ballon d’Or to date.
• He won the Olympic medal in ’91 as part of the Soviet Union Olympia.
• In 2019 France Football first presented the Yashin Trophy, named in his honour. 

Hugo Lloris, the French captain and Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, is widely recognized as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation. 

• won the French Cup on 11/12 and the French Super Cup on 12/13 with the Olympique Lyon of Ligue 1. 
• Joined Tottenham in 2012, and made 5 Champions League appearances with the team, including their run to the finals in 18/19. 
• Has been the undisputed starting goalkeeper for France since 2008,  was instrumental in their 2018 World Cup victory and has captained the team to the 2021 Nations League title.

Thibaut Courtois, the Belgian goalkeeper currently defending the Real Madrid goal, began his professional career at Gent in 2009. 

• Won the Zamora Trophy for the league’s best goalkeeper thrice with Atlético Madrid.
• Joined Chelsea in 2014, and he won two Premier League titles and a Golden Glove award.
• Transfer to Real Madrid in 2018. He was instrumental in their La Liga and Champions League triumphs.
• Led Belgium to a bronze medal at the 2018 World Cup. He won the Golden Glove for his performance. 

Dino Zoff redefined the art of goalkeeping with a quiet mastery that transcended mere reflexes.

• With Juventus, Zoff led them to six Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia trophies, and a European Cup. 
• Zoff captained Italy to the 1982 World Cup title at the age of 40, becoming the oldest-ever World Cup-winning captain.

Sepp Maier, nicknamed the cat from Anzing for his agility and uncanny ability to contort and save the seemingly impossible began his professional career at Bayern Munich. 

• With Bayern, he won four Bundesliga titles, four DFB-Pokals and an Intercontinental Cup with the team.
• He was Footballer of the Year(Germany) three times in 1975, 1977 and 1978. 
• Maier captained Germany to the 1972 European Championship title and was instrumental in their World Cup victory in 1974.

Peter Schmeichel, “the Great Dane” has led Denmark to the 1992 European Championship title.

• He signed with Manchester United in 1991 where he went on to win five Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one English League Cup, 4 English Super Cups, 1 UEFA Supercup and the illustrious Champions League trophy in 1999. 
• He won the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper award two times, and UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year three times.

Gordon Banks, nicknamed “Banks of England” began his professional journey with Chesterfield FC. He went on to lift the English League Cup with Leicester City in 1964 and Stoke City in 1972.

• He participated in two World Cups as the Keeper for the English team leading them to victory in 1966, the first trophy for Team England and the only one so far. 
• He has won the FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year award 6 times.
• He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. 

David de Gea began his professional career at Atletico Madrid. He made the move to Manchester United in 2011.

• He won the Premier League with United in 2012-13 and went on to win the FA CUP in 2015-16 and the EFL Cup in 2016-17 and 2022-23. 
• De Gea won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award from 2013-14 to 2017-18.  He has also won two Premier League Golden Gloves for his performance in 2017-18 and 2022-23. 
• He captained the Spanish team for their 2011 and 2013 UEFA U-21 European Championships. 

Peter Shilton MBE, the name that echoes through English football history,  began his professional career with Leicester City in 1966.

• He won 2 English Super Cups with Nottingham Forest and one with Leicester in 1971. 
• With Nottingham, he was the English Champion in 77/78, winner of the English League Cup in 1979, and lifted 2 UEFA Supercups. 
• He has played over 1,000 league games for 11 clubs, including more than 100 appearances for 5 teams. 

Petr Cech began his professional career with the Chmel Blšany in 1999.

• He was the 2005 winner of the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper award.  
• He signed with Chelsea in 2004, winning four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, a Champions League trophy, 4 English Super Cups, and the Europa League in 12/13.
• He signed with Arsenal in 2015 with whom he lifted 2 English Super Cups and the English FA Cup in 2017. 
• He holds the record for most clean sheets in Premier League history (202), and he shares the record for most Premier League Golden Gloves with Joe Hart. 

Edwin van der Sar, “The Dutch Wall” began his career at Ajax. He led Ajax to four Eredivisie titles and a Champions League trophy in 1995.

• He played for Juventus(1999-2001) and Fulham(2001-2005) before making his way to Manchester United in 2011, where he won 4 Premier League titles, 2 English League Cups, 4 English Super Cups, and the Champions League in 07/08.
• He won the Premier League Golden Glove in 2008–09, the Best European Goalkeeper Award in 1995 and 2009. 

Jan Oblak, The Unscalable Wall of Atlético, signed with the team in 2014.

• He has led Atlético to the La Liga title in 20/21, the UEFA Super Cup and the Europa League trophy in 17/18. 
• He holds the record for the most Zamora Trophies (five) awarded to the best goalkeeper in La Liga, he shares the record with Antoni Ramallets and Victor Valdés. 

Victor Valdés, his talent blossomed at La Masia, Barcelona’s famed academy. He rose through the ranks at the club to become their undisputed starter in 2003. 

• With Barcelona, he won Six La Liga titles, three Champions League trophies, 2 UEFA Supercups, 6 Spanish Super Cups, and 2 Spanish Cups.
• He is a 5-time winner of the Zamora trophy and a 2-time winner of the La Liga Best Goalkeeper at the La Liga Awards. 
• Valdés won the 2010 World Cip and the 2012 UEFA CHAmpionship with Spain. 

Ricardo Zamora began his professional career in Espanyol in 1916. He won the 1928/29 Spanish Cup with the club. 

• He lifted the 1919/20 & 1921/22 Copa del Rey with Barcelona and with Real Madrid, he won 2 Copa de Espana(1935/36 & 1933/34) and 2 La Liga titles(1932/33 & 1931/32). 
• The “Zamora Trophy” awarded to the best Keeper in La Liga is named in his honour.
• He was named the Best Spanish, fourth-best European and fifth-best world Goalkeeper of the Twentieth Century by IFFHS. 

Marc-André ter Stegen, joined Barcelona in 2014, winning the treble in his first season with the team.

• With Barça, ter Stegen won La Liga 5 times,5 Copa del Rey titles, 2 Supercopa de Espana (2018 & 2023) and the Champions League in 2014/15. 
• He is the 2022-23 Zamora trophy winner. 
• He won the 2017 FIF Confederations Cup and the UEFA European U-17 Championship in 2009 representing Germany. 

Keylor Navas captained Costa Rica to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2014. 

• He signed with Real Madrid in 2014 and with them won La Liga in 2016-17, the Supercopa de Espana in 2017, 2 UEFA Super Cups(2014 & 2017), and 3 back-to-back UEFA Championships league trophies(2015-6, 2016-17 & 2017-18).
• In 2019, Navas signed on with Paris Saint-Germain winning the Ligue 1 in his first season with the team.
• He won his second Ligue 1 title with the team in 2021-22 and since joining PSG he has won the Coupe de France 2 times, the Coupe de la Ligue in 2019-20 and the Trophee des Champions in 2020 & 2022.