Best Goalkeepers of All Time

RyanGoggs

Insists on dating women in public places - for the
Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
6,162
Location
The Land of Kernow
Inspired by the best keepers at the moment thread, it really got me thinking that goalkeeper is one position where I (and presumably many others) would struggle to rank after the top two or three. So who are the best of all time? Going off my limited knowledge of what makes a good goalkeeper, and basing a lot on what I have read, I'd be inclined to include in no particular order

Lev Yashin
Gordon Banks
Peter Shilton
Oliver Kahn
Peter Schmeichel (possibly Uniteds greatest, but it would be extremely close against the next name on the list)
Edwin Van Der Sar
Gianluigi Buffon
Iker Casillas (and even then I'm unsure on how great he is as an all round keeper though obviously he is an excellent shot stopper)

And now I have to admit I am struggling for names. Maybe someone like Seaman? Who else makes the grade?
 
There's the likes of Dasayev, Filol and Jennings to throw in the mix as well. It's going to be difficult to rank most of the foreign keepers, but it would be interesting to hear views on the relative merits of Jennings, Banks and Shilton.
 
Maybe another one that would fit in the OP's list: Gilmar (Santos & Brazil NT keeper in the 50s/60s)

Keepers are very hard to rate. But based on outstanding displays at tournaments I wouldn't mind including Preud'homme (WC94) and Goycochea (WC90, main reason Arg made it to the final)

Purely for penalty saves: Diego Alves, he has a crazy record, more than 50% anyway (last I heard he's stopped 11 out of 19 pens, but that was some months ago, he's kept out both Messi and Cristiano).
 
Cutch said:
Honestly, its not even close.

Schmeichel is the best keeper i have ever seen by a distance. I would struggle to compremend another keeper at some point being as good as he was.
Click to expand...

Yep

Although I havent seen the likes of Yashin but no one in modern times even comes close to Schmeichel
 
Ricardo Zamora, a Spanish goalkeeper from the early 1900's, the Argentine Ubaldo Fillol, and Jean Marie Pfaff are other names that are often in the mix. Admittedly I can't really say much for their credentials to be considered the greatest however, having rarely if ever seen them play.
 
Probably completely biased, United-tinted specs etc. - but the best ever was Peter Schmeichel.
 
RyanGoggs said:
Inspired by the best keepers at the moment thread, it really got me thinking that goalkeeper is one position where I (and presumably many others) would struggle to rank after the top two or three. So who are the best of all time? Going off my limited knowledge of what makes a good goalkeeper, and basing a lot on what I have read, I'd be inclined to include in no particular order

Lev Yashin
Gordon Banks
Peter Shilton
Oliver Kahn
Peter Schmeichel (possibly Uniteds greatest, but it would be extremely close against the next name on the list)
Edwin Van Der Sar
Gianluigi Buffon
Iker Casillas (and even then I'm unsure on how great he is as an all round keeper though obviously he is an excellent shot stopper)

And now I have to admit I am struggling for names. Maybe someone like Seaman? Who else makes the grade?
Click to expand...



Iker Casillas can get the F off that all time list. What because he's won a lot and played at high level since 18? Get out. So over rated its silly. I just can't bring myself to compare him to Schmeichel, Banks, Shilton et al. I mean, look at VDS career alone but not just that, the saves. Pagluica for sure, Walter Zenga too. Casillas is a Spanish Peruzzi IMO.

The fact that people on put Valdes on their list in the other thread shows how silly these things can get. Tim Flowers for a spell in PL era was good and Nigel Martyn was great everywhere, not sure Flowers makes best keeper of all time, in fact I know he doesn't but I wanted to mention him. Seamen for sure, he was less dive spectacular, more right place right time and penalties but still ace.

Higuita just for crazy impact, even in the England game alone and Chilavert for goals... if we are counting Iker that is. ;)
 
Jorge Campos was ridiculously good, I would include him in my top 10 without any doubt, he was incredible. He wasn't the best of the world because Schmeichel was around.
 
MUFC07 said:
Jorge Campos was ridiculously good, I would include him in my top 10 without any doubt, he was incredible. He wasn't the best of the world because Schmeichel was around.
Click to expand...

him in his bright jersey, he always impressed playing for mexico
 
I also just posted this in another thread. Why is Casillas getting such a hard time?



Randall Flagg said:
Most of this I agree with. But I don't get the Casillas bit. He is a top quality keeper. Who has won countless points for Madrid. For me the best shot stopper in the world.

.
Click to expand...
 
MUFC07 said:
Jorge Campos was ridiculously good, I would include him in my top 10 without any doubt, he was incredible. He wasn't the best of the world because Schmeichel was around.
Click to expand...

Again I can only comment on him in international football. He did always look good. But looking at his club career, he never exactly played for any big sides
 
Casillas makes more mistakes than most of the keepers already mentioned, although it would be fair to say between 2006 and 2008 he reached higher heights than quite a few of them.
 
Randall Flagg said:
I also just posted this in another thread. Why is Casillas getting such a hard time?
Click to expand...

Because he makes a lot of mistakes. He also has a lot of flaws compared to the truly great keepers. I don't think Casillas would be a lot better than De Gea in the PL really.
 
Might have to divide this into pre back pass rule keepers and post because some great keepers were found a little wanting when they had to deal with the ball at their feet.
 
Gio said:
There's the likes of Dasayev, Filol and Jennings to throw in the mix as well. It's going to be difficult to rank most of the foreign keepers, but it would be interesting to hear views on the relative merits of Jennings, Banks and Shilton.
Click to expand...
Shilton was the best, followed by Banks. Jennings was not so consistent and is probably behind Seaman and Schmeichel, add Clemence, VdS and Southall and I think you've got the best keepers in the PL in 50 years .
 
MUFC07 said:
Jorge Campos was ridiculously good, I would include him in my top 10 without any doubt, he was incredible. He wasn't the best of the world because Schmeichel was around.
Click to expand...


RIdiculous choice. The only reason why he's mentioned about the top goalkeepers is due to his huge personality and media coverage, ie colourful jerseys and ability to score setpieces, which were a rarity back in those days. He's not even a worldclass goalkeeper in any part of his career. You are probably basing on his hype rather than actually watching his game for both clubs and country.
 
SittingBull said:
RIdiculous choice. The only reason why he's mentioned about the top goalkeepers is due to his huge personality and media coverage, ie colourful jerseys and ability to score setpieces, which were a rarity back in those days. He's not even a worldclass goalkeeper in any part of his career. You are probably basing on his hype rather than actually watching his game for both clubs and country.
Click to expand...

If you check is location it might tell you why he has picked him. I assume he has followed his club career.
 
Wowi said:
Because he makes a lot of mistakes. He also has a lot of flaws compared to the truly great keepers. I don't think Casillas would be a lot better than De Gea in the PL really.
Click to expand...

Sorry but not true. He has been the worlds best shot stopper over the last number of years.
 
RyanGoggs said:
So who are the best of all time?
Click to expand...
As you mentioned in the OP, it's extremely hard to do a 'best of the best' for 'keepers, especially when your experience is limited.

Still, for what it's worth, and limited to 'keepers I've seen play, I'd mention Shilton and Schmeichel as being up there.
My father always insisted Lev Yashin was the greatest ever. I so wish I could have seen him play in his pomp.
 
Cutch said:
Honestly, its not even close.

Schmeichel is the best keeper i have ever seen by a distance. I would struggle to compremend another keeper at some point being as good as he was.
Click to expand...

Yep.

And I loved VDS. Schmeichel is the best goalkeeper throughout history.
 
Surprised for the hatred of Cassius. For the first 10 years of his career he was extremely average for a top goalkeeper, but he has improved a lot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.