Lev Yahin (Soviet Union)

Lev Yashin is widely considered the greatest goalkeeper in the history of football and is hailed as the best player to ever come out of the Soviet Union.

Yashin, who played his entire professional career for Dynamo Moscow, gained global recognition for his outstanding performances on the international stage representing the Soviet Union. Throughout his career, he successfully saved around 150 penalty kicks, a record that still stands today, and kept an astonishing 270 clean sheets in approximately 420 games played. Notably, Yashin is the only goalkeeper in history to have won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, a feat that is unlikely to be repeated anytime soon. 

Gordon Banks (England)

The goalkeeper, born in Sheffield, passed away in 2019 at the age of 81. He will always be remembered for his legendary save against Brazil in the 1970 World Cup. Banks made an unbelievable reflex save against a powerful header from Pele, which was dubbed 'the save of the century' by fans and experts worldwide.

Edwin van der Saar (Netherlands) 

 Edwin was an exceptional goalkeeper, showcasing his talent most notably during his time with Manchester United towards the end of his career. The Dutchman was a formidable presence in goal for the Red Devils, winning four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League. Prior to his time at United, he also had successful stints at Ajax in the 1990s, as well as spells at Juventus and Fulham. His saves during his early days at Ajax are still talked about as some of the best in the game.

Peter Schmeichel (Denmark)

Peter Schmeichel is considered one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the Premier League, alongside Edwin van der Sar. He was known for his exceptional reflexes and won five league titles and the Champions League with Manchester United in 1999. Schmeichel is also regarded as one of the best footballers in Scandinavian history and was known for his commanding shouts at the defense. His son, Kasper Schmeichel, has also become a notable goalkeeper, famously winning the Premier League with Leicester City.

Oliver Kahn (Germany)

Oliver Kahn is most famous for his 14-year tenure with Bayern Munich, during which he achieved numerous victories, including eight Bundesliga titles and the UEFA Champions League.

In the 2002 World Cup, Kahn was a finalist with Germany, but he was awarded the Golden Ball for his outstanding performance in the tournament.

Additionally, he secured third place in the voting for both the 2001 and 2002 Ballon d'Or awards.

Dino Zoff (Italy)

Dino Zoff is undeniably one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of football. The Italian legend, now 81 years old, achieved success with clubs like Napoli and Juventus. He won the World Cup in 1982 and the European Championship 14 years prior.

Remarkably, Zoff holds the record for the longest time without conceding a goal, an impressive 1,142 minutes from September 1972 to June 1974. His career stats speak for themselves, with 360 clean sheets in 720 first-level club games, a truly remarkable achievement.

Gianluigi Buffon  (Italy)

Gianluigi Buffon, widely regarded as the best goalkeeper of the 2000s, is often hailed as the greatest Italian shot-stopper of all time, surpassing even the legendary Dino Zoff.

Buffon holds a special place in the hearts of football fans worldwide. As a Juventus icon, he represented Italy a remarkable 178 times from 1997 to 2018, and his crowning achievement came in 2006 when he lifted the World Cup.

Not only is Buffon the most capped player in Italy's history, but he has also achieved approximately 350 clean sheets in top-tier club matches, a mere ten shy of Zoff's record.

Iker Casillas  (Spain)

Iker Casillas has won it all - The Champions League, European Championship, and World Cup. His trophy haul speaks for itself, but it was his sheer brilliance on the pitch that truly set him apart. 

Casillas is best known for his 16-year career with Real Madrid, where he played 725 times before transferring to FC Porto in 2015. He was also the first-choice goalkeeper for Spain during their most successful period from 2008-2012, winning two European Championships and the World Cup.

 Petr Cech (Czech Republic)

Petr Cech, widely considered the best goalkeeper in the history of the Premier League, achieved great success during his time at Chelsea. He won four league titles, as well as the prestigious UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

Cech played a crucial role alongside John Terry in their exceptional defensive performance from 2004 to 2006. During this period, they only conceded 15 and 22 goals respectively, leading to consecutive Premier League title victories.

Throughout his tenure at Chelsea, Cech made numerous remarkable saves that have been ranked among his top five. To put it simply, his saves were truly outstanding.

Manuel Neuer (Germany)

 

Over the past decade, Manuel Neuer, an unorthodox yet supremely talented goalkeeper, has achieved great success with Bayern Munich and Germany. The 37-year-old is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most decorated goalkeepers in the world, and was considered the best German footballer in the early 2010s. Neuer is known for his unique playing style, often venturing 30 yards or more off his line to act as a sweeper-keeper, showcasing his bravery and confidence on the field.