The World's Best Goalkeepers

Everybody Soccer returns with its installment of the top goalkeepers in the world. Goalkeepers are rated on their form with club and country, taking into account their success in shot-stopping, distribution, cross-management, and ability to improv on a broken play. To view past rankings, you can click here to see the prior lists in a spreadsheet or visit the list of the top 24 goalkeepers under 24 years old. Cover photo from Srdjan Stevanovic and Getty Images.

The rankings were last updated January 1st, 2024.

1. Alisson

Alisson’s arrival at Liverpool just coincidentally lined up with the club’s ascent to capturing a number of trophies. Although some minor injuries have derailed Alisson here and there, the Liverpool star obtained just 13 losses in his 136 starts in the EPL, a pace he and the club have kept going since day one. Alisson has a similar style to Oblak, which fits well with both Liverpool and Brazil as the prized goalkeeper often needs to wait 89 minutes to make his first save. Despite being named the best goalkeeper at the 2019 Copa America, Alisson and Ederson controversially split time through Brazil’s runner-up finish at the 2021 Copa America, making the number one spot for Brazil one of the most hotly contested positions in all of sport.

2. Jan Oblak

Jan Oblak’s game is built around patient decision-making. While some goalkeepers are on the front foot, Oblak bets his chips on being able to read the play through, rarely leaning or guessing one way early. Oblak isn’t a flashy goalkeeper, but his quiet play style has earned him a steady job with Atletico, constant transfer rumors, and high praise from Messi himself.

3. Manuel Neuer

In complete opposite to his previous counterpart, it’s all or nothing with Neuer’s approach. The 2020 German Player of the Year is still attacking oppositions with his unique high line and aggressive playstyle, even late into his career. It’s hard to see when Neuer will start slowing down as he continues to play at an incredibly high level. However once the day comes for Bayern and Germany move on from the illustrious goalkeeper, don’t expect his replacement to continue to difficult play style.

4. Thibaut Courtois

Courtois sits in a crowded field of top goalkeepers in La Liga. Between Oblak and ter Stegen, Courtois has held his own by winning three trophies with Real Madrid in his first two years with the club. Understandably, it takes a world of effort to best the 6’7” goalkeeper, who can keep the cobwebs in the corners of the goalframe with ease. A striker’s best chance at slipping the ball around Courtois is within close, but even on breakaways, Courtois can be an intimidating force. Real Madrid fans have put immense pressure on Courtois but the Belgian goalkeeper has the ability to spend close to ten years with the club when it’s all said and done.

5. Ederson

Ederson is closing in on ten seasons with Manchester City under a contract that should see him stay at the club into his 30’s. Voted as the world’s best goalkeeper in 2023, Ederson oddly still sits as the number two for his country. Brazilian fans are split on which goalkeeper they want in goal as the two are textbook examples for passive and aggressive goalkeeping. Ederson’s explosive and front-footed style should continue to push Manchester City for hardware and potentially push him ahead of Alisson in Brazil’s depth chart.

6. Gianluigi Donnarumma

PSG has a strong history with top goalkeepers leading the club. From Sirigu to Areola to Navas, the young Italian goalkeeper is just the next chapter of goalkeeping greats. Donnarumma has a “beat me if you can” attitude and approach, similar to Courtois. Donnarumma’s contract reportedly runs through summer 2026, making for a potentially explosive situation with Tenas nipping at his heels. There’s much debate on if Donnarumma is a good or great goalkeeper, so if he wants to cement himself into goalkeeping lore, he’ll need to be able to fend off Tenas. If he can’t look for him to slide to a comfortable Italian team to maintain his number one status.

7. Arnau Tenas

Tenas left Barcelona on a free transfer, which may prove to be the Spanish club’s all-time worst decision. Tenas is still waiting for his first cap but at just 21 years old, and a crowded depth chart to navigate, he has a few years to cement himself as a long-term option for his home country. In the mean time, Tenas filled in mightily for Donnarumma in December while the Italian was serving red card suspension. Conceding just two goals over the 192 minute stretch, the Spanish goalkeeper showed positive signs for taking over, if a switch were to be made. Tenas has yet to receive a true number-one nod so keep an eye out for the young goalkeeper to truly prove his worth.

8. Emiliano Martinez

Known as essentially the lone villian goalkeeper in the entire sport, Emi Martinez welcomes the spotlight if it propels his team forward. As shown at the 2022 World Cup, Martinez will likely be best remembered for his penalty antics that secured Argentina’s victory but the save in the 120th minute best sums up the golden glove winner: a goalkeeper who never backed down from even the most difficult challenge.

9. Alphonse Areola

After a decade of mercenary work with PSG loaning out the French goalkeeper across the continent, Areola has finally found his home with West Ham. Areola returns to the Premier League with the Hammers with an outside chance of capturing a Europa League bid - if not a Champions League spot - for the upcoming season. Although Areola has only three caps with the national team and will most likely be watching the 2022 World Cup from the sidelines, 2023-2026 should be the post-Lloris era that will finally give Areola a chance to cement himself into French history.

10. Marc Ter Stegen

Marc ter Stegen has long filled the good-but-not-great tier for most fans but he fills a role that few goalkeepers could fill: support Barcelona’s possession-based attack while being more than just average when it comes to defensive actions in the final third. Although ter Stegen will likely be seen as Neuer’s eternal backup, his decade-long tenure at Barcelona should put make him one of the most underrated goalkeepers of all-time.

Best of the Rest
rank. name - club, nationality (age)

11. Unai Simón - Athletic Bilbao, Spain (26)
12. Kevin Trapp - Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany (32)
13. Kepa Arrizabalaga - Real Madrid, Spain (29)
14. David Raya - Brentford, Spain (28)
15. Dominik Kotarski - PAOK Salonika, Croatia (23)
16. Alex Remiro - Real Sociedad, Spain (28)
17. Justin Bijlow - Feyenoord, Netherlands (26)
18. Gregor Kobel - Dortmund, Switzerland (26)
19. Andriy Lunin - Real Madrid, Ukraine (24)
20. Iñaki Peña - Barcelona, Spain (24)

21. David de Gea - Free Agent, Spain (33)
22. Edouard Mendy - Al-Ahli, Senegal (31)
23. Illan Meslier - Leeds United, France (23)
24. Mike Maignan - AC Milan, France (28)
25. Keylor Navas - PSG, Costa Rica (37)
26. Wojciech Szczesny - Juventus, Poland (33)
27. Luca Zidane - SD Eibar, France (25)
28. Péter Gulácsi - RB Leipzig, Hungary (33)
29. Aaron Ramsdale - Arsenal, England (25)

30. Lukasz Fabianski - West Ham United, Poland (38)
31. Hugo Lloris - Tottenham, France (37)
32. Walter Benítez - PSV Eindhoven, Argentina (30)
33. Kasper Schmeichel - Anderlecht, Denmark (37)
34. Matheus - SC Braga, Brazil (31)
35. Pau López - Marseille, Spain (29)
36. Rubén Blanco - Marseille, Spain (28)
37. Lukas Hradecky - Bayer Leverkusen, Finland (34)
38. Anthony Lopes - Lyon, Portugal (33)
39. André Onana - Manchester United, Cameroon (27)

40. Rui Patrício - Roma, Portugal (35)
41. Bernd Leno - Fulham, Germany (31)
42. Jordan Pickford - Everton, England (29)
43. Franco Israel - Sporting CP, Uruguay (23)
44. Maarten Vandevoordt - Genk, Belgium (21)
45. Salvatore Sirigu - Nice, Italy (37)
46. Pepe Reina - Villarreal, Spain (41)
47. Paul Bernardoni - Konyaspor, France (26)
48. Robert Sanchez - Chelsea, Spain (26)
49. Mathew Ryan - AZ Alkmaar, Australia (31)
50. Sam Johnstone - Crystal Palace, England (30)

The World's Top Goalkeepers (2019)

Everybody Soccer returns with the annual list of top goalkeepers in the world. This year features 50 of the current top goalkeepers as well as another 50 goalkeepers under the age of 24. While some goalkeepers are likely to be sent out on loan (Sergio Rico and Kevin Trapp for example), the parent club has been listed unless an official deal has been made. Check back next month for a similar list for the women’s game. Cover photo from DW.com.

:::::: Updated Rankings ::::::

- Men’s Top 50 (2020)
- Women’s Top 15 (2020)
- Men’s Top 24 Under 24 (2020)

:::::: Updated Rankings ::::::

1. Marc ter Stegen, Germany (Barcelona, SPA) - 27
2. Jan Oblak, Slovenia (Atlético Madrid, SPA) - 26
3. Keylor Navas, Costa Rica (Real Madrid, SPA) - 32
4. David de Gea, Spain (Manchester United, ENG) - 28
5. Ederson, Brazil (Manchester City, ENG) - 25
6. Alisson, Brazil (Liverpool, ENG) - 26
7. Yann Sommer, Switzerland (Mönchengladbach, GER) - 30
8. Rui Patrício, Portugal (Wolverhampton, ENG) - 31
9. Thibaut Courtois, Belgium (Real Madrid, SPA) - 27
10. Lukas Hradecky, Finland (Bayer Leverkusen, GER) - 29

One to Watch: Thibaut Courtois. Courtois’ vast, negative reception after receiving the 2018 World Cup Golden Glove has been strange, to say the least. Courtois is far from one of football’s villains, although he can be quite the prick at times, but there seem to be more rooting for him to fail than succeed at Real Madrid. Often described as one of the worst best goalkeepers in the world, Courtois should finally have Real Madrid to himself with the pending exit of Keylor Navas. Real Madrid isn’t known as a club with patience and if Courtois can’t prove to his critics he’s worthy of the starting spot, don’t expect him to stick around too long.

11. Bernd Leno, Germany (Arsenal, ENG) - 27
12. Hugo Lloris, France (Tottenham Hotspur, ENG) - 32
13. Jasper Cillessen, Netherlands (Barcelona, SPA) - 30
14. Salvatore Sirigu, Italy (Torino) - 32
15. Manuel Neuer, Germany (Bayern Munich) - 33
16. Lukasz Fabianski, Poland (West Ham United, ENG) - 34
17. Anthony Lopes, Portugal (Lyon, FRA) - 28
18. Kepa Arrizabalaga, Spain (Chelsea, ENG) - 24
19. Sven Ulreich, Germany (Bayern Munich) - 29
20. Roman Bürki, Switzerland (Dortmund, GER) - 28

One to Watch: Jasper Cillessen. The longtime backup for Barcelona is finally getting a fresh start and hopefully his own net. After being linked with a number of Premier League clubs, it seems Valencia will be the new home for the Dutch goalkeeper. Cillessen may be looking at less hardware with Valencia when compared to Barcelona, but he’ll still be seeing Champions League matches and be in the middle of a tightly contested La Liga table to return to the prestigious tournament next year. Cillessen has long awaited his breakout chance but now it’s up to him to prove he’s more than a great backup.

21. Alphonse Areola, France (PSG) - 26
22. Jordan Pickford, England (Everton) - 25
23. Kasper Schmeichel, Denmark (Leicester City, ENG) - 32
24. Martin Dubravka, Slovakia (Newcastle United, ENG) - 30
25. Etrit Berisha, Albania (Atalanta, Italy) - 30
26. Bono, Morocco (Girona, Spain) - 28
27. Pau López, Spain (Betis, Roma) - 24
28. Samir Handanovic, Slovenia (Inter, ITA) - 34
29. Adrián, Spain (Free Agent) - 32
30. Ralf Fährmann, Germany (FC Schalke 04) - 29

One to Watch: Alphonse Areola. Despite PSG bringing in Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon last year, Areola still started 21 of 38 matches and is set to take on an even larger role at the club. With Ligue 1 continually playing little brother to the top four leagues, Areola has the chance to showcase his talents in a way that could put him on a bigger stage and give PSG a nice reward on the way out. Areola’s ceiling is still up to much debate. He could be one of the best goalkeepers in Ligue 1 history or he might be contending for something more if 2019-20 falls in line.

31. Wojciech Szczesny, Poland (Juventus, ITA) - 29
32. Kevin Trapp, Germany (PSG, FRA) - 27
33. Fernando Muslera, Uruguay (Galatasaray, TUR) - 33
34. Asmir Begovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bournemouth, ENG) - 32
35. Igor Akinfeev, Russia (CSKA Moscow, RUS) - 33
36. Fernando Pacheco, Spain (Alavés) - 27
37. Gianluigi Buffon, Italy (PSG, FRA) - 41
38. David Ospina, Colombia (Napoli, ITA) - 30
39. Alexander Schwolow, Germany (Freiburg) - 27
40. Mattia Perin, Italy (Juventus) - 26

One to Watch: Mattia Perin. Things are far from settled but Perin seems more out than in at Juventus. Perin unsuccessfully attempted to dethrone Wojciech Szczesny, only starting nine league matches before needing surgery for a dislocated shoulder. Roma and Perin have been tied but the once future successor at Juventus is now scrambling to find a club that would invest in him between the posts.

41. Aitor Fernandez, Spain (Levante) - 28
42. Matheus, Brazil (SC Braga, POR) - 26
43. Mathew Ryan, Australia (Brighton, ENG) - 27
44. Jiri Pavlenka, Czech Republic (Werder Bremen, GER) - 27
45. Timo Horn, Germany (1. FC Köln) - 26
46. Sergio Rico, Spain (Sevilla) - 25
47. Jordi Masip, Spain (Real Valladolid) - 30
48. Iago Herrerín, Spain (Athletic Bilbao) - 31
49. Simon Sluga, Croatia (Rijeka) - 26
50. Alex McCarthy, England (Southampton) - 29

One to Watch: Sergio Rico. Sevilla is passing on Sergio Rico for Czech veteran Tomas Vaclik so Rico’s return back to Fulham, where he started the final 29 matches of the season, seems more than plausible. There weren’t too many 25-year-olds starting in the EPL last year and Fulham showed some true loyalty in Rico by sticking with him even in the midst of a 12 points over 18 match run to finish in the relegation zone. England’s second division is no cakewalk so if Rico does return, it may be an even tougher test than the Premier League.

Top 50 Goalkeepers Under 24

1. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy (AC Milan) - 20
2. Ionut Radu, Romania (Inter, ITA) - 22
3. Okan Kocuk, Turkey (Bursaspor) - 23
4. Michael Verrips, Netherlands (KV Mechelen, BEL) - 22
5. Felipe Lopez, Mexico (Leones Negros) - 23
6. Alex Meret, Italy (Napoli) - 22
7. Rubén Blanco, Spain (Celta de Vigo) - 23
8. Roberto Ramirez, Argentina (Godoy Cruz) - 22
9. Simone Scuffet, Italy (Udinese Calcio) - 23
10. Daniel Mesenhöler, Germany (MSV Duisburg) - 23

One to Watch: Ionut Radu. Italy has a pair of young, exciting goalkeepers at two of its more prominent clubs. Radu, who recently sent shockwaves throughout the soccer community for his heartfelt tribute to his sister, is in contention to put Romania into the 2020 Olympics with the U23 side. Arsenal reportedly has interest in the young goalkeeper but he’s also been public about returning to Genoa as a positive situation. If it’s not Arsenal, Radu will have his pick of the lot sooner than later.

11. Toma Niga, Romania (FCSB) - 21
12. André Onana, Cameroon (Ajax, NET) - 23
13. Adrian Semper, Croatia (Dinamo Zagreb) - 21
14. Luca Zidane, France (Real Madrid, SPA) - 21
15. Tiepo, Brazil (Chapecoense) - 21
16. Denis Scherbitski, Belarus (BATE Borisov) - 23
17. Dragan Rosic, Serbia (Mladost) - 22
18. Arijanet Muric, Kosovo (Manchester City, ENG) - 20
19. Boris Radunović, Serbia (Atalanta, ITA) - 23
20. Emil Audero, Italy (Sampdoria) - 22

One to Watch: Arijanet Muric. American fans might be familiar with Zack Steffen’s move to Manchester City but it’s Muric’s rise to power that viewers should watch closely. At 20 years young, Muric has already been capped five times by Kosovo, proving how goalkeepers can come from even the 121st ranked nations. A shocking 4-0-2 run by Kosovo, paired with a +29 jump in Elo rankings, promoted them to League C in the UEFA Nations League and could be a sign of more things to come.

21. Alexander Nübel, Germany (FC Schalke 04) - 22
22. Ugurcan Caki, Turkey (Trabzonspor) - 23
23. Joe Wildsmith, England (Sheffield Wednesday) - 23
24. Mike Maignan, France (Lille) - 23
25. Angus Gunn, England (Southampton) - 23
26. Andrea Zaccagno, Italy (Torino) - 22
27. Alban Lafont, France (Fiorentina, ITA) - 20
28. Álex Dos Santos, Brazil (Atlético Madrid, SPA) - 20
29. Andriy Lunin, Ukraine (Real Madrid, SPA) - 20
30. Gregor Kobel, Switzerland (Hoffenheim, GER) - 21

One to Watch: Andriy Lunin. Lunin managed to earn five starts for CD Leganés last season (where he was loaned from Real Madrid) but his biggest achievement came this summer, where he led Ukraine in goal during their championship run in the U20 World Cup. Lunin was given the Golden Glove in the U20 tournament after conceding just four goals in seven games. After originally being slated to go back out on loan to Leganés, Goal.com says Lunin is a likely candidate for the number two with Real Madrid. Fans may not get to watch much of Lunin during league play yet again but he’ll surely get his chance to prove his merit in various cup matches throughout the season.

31. Per Kristian Bratveit, Norway (Djurgarden, SWE) - 23
32. Nordin Jackers, Belgium (Genk) - 21
33. David Raya, Spain (Blackburn Rovers, ENG) - 23
34. Josip Posavec, Croatia (Hajduk Split) - 23
35. José Aurelio Suárez, Spain (Girona) - 23
36. Phillip Menzel, Germany (Wolfsburg) - 20
37. Anton Mitryushkin, Russia (Sion, SWI) - 23
38. Alexander Schlager, Austria (LASK) - 23
39. Sondre Rossbach, Norway (Odds) - 23
40. Mile Svilar, Belgium (Benfica, POR) - 19

One to Watch: Phillip Menzel. Wolfsburg’s reserve team just missed promotion with a tightly contested battle with Bayern Munich’s second team. Menzel’s tenure in the fourth division was still largely successful, compiling a 24-4-2 record throughout the season. Wolfsburg may look to send him back with the reserve side or, as Sportbuzzer reports, a loan to a third division side could be a natural progression for the German U20 goalkeeper. For those unfamiliar with Menzel’s game, think Lukasz Fabianski. It can be a little clunky at times, but the U20 German goalkeeper has an uncanny nose for the ball and a Michael Jordan hangtime-esque extension save. While first-team chances are close to zero for the time being, it’s more of a “not if but when” situation with Menzel.

41. Altay Bayindir, Turkey (Ankaragücü) - 21
42. Sebastian Jurado, Mexico (Tiburones Rojos) - 21
43. Justin Bijlow, Netherlands (Feyenoord) - 21
44. Antonio Sivera, Spain (Alavés) - 22
45. Nils Körber, Germany (Osnabruck) - 22
46. Rok Vodisek, Slovenia (Genoa, ITA) - 20
47. Pontus Dahlberg, Sweden (Watford, ENG) - 20
48. Javier Belman, Spain (Real Madrid) - 20
49. Dominik Kotarski, Croatia (Ajax, Netherlands) - 19
50. Michele Di Gregorio, Italy (Inter) - 21

One to Watch: Pontus Dahlberg. For Watford fans, Dahlberg has been a non-factor since joining the club 18 months ago and has probably been forgotten by some of the supporters. However Dahlberg picked up his first cap with the Swedish national team in January and followed up the 1-1 tie to Estonia by just barely missing the cutoff for the European Under-21 Championship. Dahlberg, who has been sitting for some time with Watford, seems prime to be loaned out and begin being groomed for the starting position for the Hornets.

The World's Top Goalkeepers (2018)

Top 50

The top 50 is based on current form, for both club and country.

1. Marc ter Stegen, Germany (Barcelona) - 26
2. Keylor Navas, Costa Rica (Real Madrid) - 31
3. Jan Oblak, Slovenia (Atlético Madrid) - 25
4. David de Gea, Spain (Manchester United) - 27
5. Thibaut Courtois, Belgium (Real Madrid) - 26
6. Jasper Cillessen, Netherlands (Barcelona) - 29
7. Gianluigi Buffon, Italy (PSG) - 40
8. Ederson, Brazil (Manchester City) - 25
9. Rui Patrício, Portugal (Wolverhampton) - 30
10. Manuel Neuer, Germany (Bayern Munich) - 32

One to watch: There are a number of great storylines within the top ten. How will de Gea respond to his lackluster World Cup performances? Will Barcelona be able to make Cillessen happy? How will Real Madrid handle both Navas and Courtois? But one goalkeeper that has flown under the radar is Wolves’ Patrício. The gauge of his success for the club will strictly be tried to Wolverhampton’s ability to stay afloat. Coming off an impressive World Cup run, Patrício has the “big save” in his repertoire, as he showed against Morocco and his new club will be expecting more of the same. Wolves currently sit ninth in the table but if their zero goal differential holds up, Patrício will surely be called into action a number of times before the end of the spring.

11. Yann Sommer, Switzerland (Borussia Mönchengladbach) - 29
12. Alisson, Brazil (Liverpool) - 25
13. Kepa Arrizabalaga, Spain (Chelsea) - 23
14. Fernando Pacheco, Spain (Alavés) - 26
15. Salvatore Sirigu, Italy (Torino) - 31
16. Roman Bürki, Switzerland (Borussia Dortmund) - 27
17. Pau López, Spain (Betis) - 23
18. Petr Cech, Czech Republic (Arsenal) - 36
19. Ron-Robert Zieler, Germany (VfB Stuttgart) - 29
20. Sven Ulreich, Germany (Bayern Munich) - 29

One to watch: Arsenal specifically brought in Leno to replace Cech and while the veteran goalkeeper has held off Leno so far, at some point the switch is going to be made. Fans and pundits have been critical of Cech’s questionable passing ability, with plenty of validity to their complaints. Cech is in the final year of his contract but Unai Emery hasn’t given us a clear path moving forward. He’s no stranger to pressure but Cech is playing for his starting spot every week and will likely be hearing about it his backup for the rest of the season. It’s a tough place to be for a goalkeeper who’s trying to squeeze the last bit of top-level goalkeeping out of his career.

21. Bernd Leno, Germany (Arsenal) - 26
22. Etrit Berisha, Albania (Atalanta) - 29
23. Lukasz Fabianski, Poland (West Ham United) - 33
24. Hugo Lloris, France (Tottenham Hotspur) - 31
25. Samir Handanovic, Slovenia (Inter) - 34
26. Lukas Hradecky, Finland (Bayer Leverkusen) - 28
27. Thomas Strakosha, Albania (Lazio) - 23
28. Igor Akinfeev, Russia (CSKA Moscow) - 32
29. Kasper Schmeichel, Denmark (Leicester City) - 31
30. Marwin Hitz, Switzerland (Dortmund) - 31

One to watch: Albania isn’t typically known for their elite goalkeeping but Berisha and Strakosha have done well to put their homeland on the map for Serie A fans. After seeing a new level of transfer fees for goalkeepers this summer, Strakosha is surely one of the next few to have his name tied to an eight-figure transfer fee. The twenty-three-year-old is everything coaches want in a goalkeeper. His impressive frame and ability to cover the goalmouth will catch anyone’s eye but his mobility is unique for goalkeepers of his stature. Whether it’s going post-to-post, getting up or down, or closing space on a 1v1, Strakosha has the wheels to cover the ground.

31. Martin Dubravka, Slovakia (Newcastle United) - 29
32. Fernando Muslera, Uruguay (Galatasaray) - 32
33. David Ospina, Colombia (Napoli) - 30
34. Adrián, Spain (West Ham United) - 31
35. Anthony Lopes, Portugal (Lyon) - 27
36. Alphonse Areola, France (PSG) - 25
37. Jiri Pavlenka, Czech Republic (Werder Bremen) - 26
38. Ralf Fährmann, Germany (FC Schalke 04) - 29
39. Bono, Morocco (Girona) - 27
40. Marco Sportiello, Italy (Frosinone) - 26

One to watch: Alphonse Areola is best known for his reaction saves, which there are many, but as Areola encountered recently against Liverpool, top-level goalkeeping requires another layer of perfection. Whether it’s utilizing efficient lateral movement or handling a cleat to the midsection, Areola has his work cut out for him to keep Buffon on the bench. If Areola can find more consistency in uncomfortable situations, he may not only tie down his starting spot with PSG but also with the French national team.

41. Kevin Trapp, Germany (Eintracht Frankfurt) - 27
42. Asmir Begovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bournemouth) - 31
43. Wojciech Szczesny, Poland (Juventus) - 28
44. Orestis Karnezis, Greece (Napoli) - 33
45. Mattia Perin, Italy (Juventus) - 25
46. Jordan Pickford, England (Everton) - 24
47. Antonio Adán, Spain (Atletico Madrid) - 31
48. Fabri, Spain (Fulham) - 30
49. Pepe Reina, Spain (AC Milan) - 36
50. Tomas Vaclik, Czech Republic (Sevilla FC) - 29

One to watch: Similar to Petr Cech, Wojciech Szczesny has a younger goalkeeper quietly waiting in the wings behind him. Perin is a bit wild in goal but Szczesny isn’t exactly known for steadiness either, struggling to handle 1v1s in past seasons. It’ll be a tightly contested goalkeeping battle that could see multiple changes throughout the course of the season. Szczesny will need to keep errors to a minimum and have a positive Champions League run to in order to keep his starting spot.

Top 20 Under 24

The top 20 under 24 is based off a prediction of who will be the top goalkeepers by the time of the 2022 World Cup for goalkeepers currently under 24 years of age.

1. Kepa Arrizabalaga, Spain (Chelsea) - 23
2. Pau López, Spain (Betis) - 23
3. Thomas Strakosha, Albania (Lazio) - 23
4. Alban Lafont, France (Fiorentina) - 19
5. Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy (AC Milan) - 19
6. Fabian Bredlow, Germany (1. FC Nürnberg) - 23
7. Mike Maignan, France (Lille) - 23
8. André Onana, Cameroon (Ajax) - 22
9. Simone Scuffet, Italy (Udinese) - 22
10. Emil Audero, Italy (Sampdoria) - 21

One to watch: It’s not often a twenty-three-year-old simply hops into the starting spot of a Champions League team but that’s the level Kepa brings to the table. Similar to de Gea’s arrival with Manchester United, Kepa is surely going to be reamed for his lack of aerial prowess. He’s already looked a little shaken on a couple of balls into the six-yard box a few weeks into the season. There’s a lot of pressure for Kepa to prove his worth after what Chelsea went through to bring him in, with something as little as Kepa’s fluency in English likely to become a talking point in magazines. Kepa may have some glaring errors this year but de Gea has displayed a good blueprint on how to adjust to tough crosses. If Kepa can impress fans in other parts of the game, they may be more forgiving in his first season. If not, Chelsea could be looking for a quick fix to fix the situation.

11. Dominik Livakovic, Croatia (Dinamo Zagreb) - 23
12. Marvin Schwäbe, Germany (Brondby IF) - 23
13. Boris Radunović, Serbia (Cremonese) - 22
14. Mouez Hassen, Tunisia (Nice) - 23
15. Runar Alex Runarsson, Iceland (Dijon) - 23
16. Rubén Blanco, Spain (Celta) - 23
17. Alex Meret, Italy (Napoli) - 21
18. Denis Shcherbitski, Belarus (BATE Borisov) - 22
19. Adrian Semper, Croatia (Chievo Verona) - 20
20. Mile Svilar, Belgium (Benfica) - 19

One to watch: Some may have missed Hassen’s World Cup performance as the Tunisian goalkeeper injured his shoulder just eleven minutes into the first match, prematurely ending his tournament run. Despite the shortened performance, Hassen managed to make two goal-denying saves and would have surely had the save of the tournament had a rebound not found its way back in goal. For American readers, Hassen has a number of similarities to Nick Rimando. Both undersized, they implement a scrambling style to get from point A to point B. A little erratic, both live and die by their mobility and have the ability to produce jaw-dropping saves.

Cover photo belongs to Omni Sport

Top 50 Goalkeepers in Women's Soccer (2018)

The Top 50 Women's Rankings return with just a little over a year until the next World Cup. Asia and South America have finalized their qualification process, which only leaves Africa, North America, and Europe to fill out the World Cup's final 16 spots this fall. We'll see a number of these goalkeepers in France next summer while the recently concluded UEFA Champions League had a handful as well.

The first set of rankings are based on current play, both club and country, while the U24 rankings are centered around projecting the top goalkeepers for the next World Cup cycle.

Click here to see the 2019 rankings.

rank. player, nationality (club / league) - age

1. Erin McLeod, Canada (USV Jena / Germany) - 35
2. Almuth Schult, Germany (Wolfsburg / Germany) - 27
3. Karen Bardsley, England (Manchester City / England) - 33
4. Stephanie Labbé, Canada (Free Agent) - 31
5. Alyssa Naeher, USA (Chicago Red Stars / USA) - 30
6. Tinja-Riikka Korpela, Finland (Vålerenga / Norway) - 32
7. Lisa Schmitz, Germany (Turbine Potsdam / Germany) - 26
8. Lydia Williams, Australia (Seattle Reign / USA) - 30
9. Lisa Weiss, Germany (SGS Essen / Germany) - 30
10. Carly Telford, England (Chelsea / England) - 30

Both Stephanie Labbé and Erin McLeod experienced setbacks with their clubs, as the PDL ruled Labbé wasn't eligible for PDL play and Jena were relegated to the second division after a 4-0 loss last week. Almuth Schult and Wolfsburg repeat as champions in the Bundesliga but Mary Earps' signing may put Schult's future with the club in question. Alyssa Naeher looks to maintain her starting spot with the US when they kick up qualifying in October but will first face Lydia Williams and Australia in the 2018 Tournament of Nations in the run-up to qualifying.

11. Adrianna Franch, USA (Portland Thorns FC / USA) - 27
12. Aubrey Bledsoe, USA (Washington Spirit / USA) - 26
13. Gaëlle Thalmann, Switzerland (Mozzanica / Italy) - 31
14. Haley Kopmeyer, USA (Orlando Pride / USA) - 28
15. Sandra Paños, Spain (Barcelona / Spain) - 25
16. Stephanie Ohrstrom, Sweden (Fiorentina / Italy) - 31
17. Michelle Betos, USA (Seattle Reign / USA) - 30
18. Katie Fraine, USA (Växjö / Sweden) - 30
19. Ashlyn Harris, USA (Orlando Pride / USA) - 32
20. Meline Gerard, France (Montpellier / France) - 28

A number of Americans fill in the batch here. Adriana Franch should be nearing her return to the field after undergoing surgery on her meniscus back at the end of April. Haley Kopmeyer patiently awaits in the wing to take over for Ashlyn Harris in Orlando. Michelle Betos has had a major resurgence in her career while Aubrey Bledsoe has broken onto the scene after being mostly a backup for a number of years. Lastly, Spanish goaltender Sandra Paños had a strong Champions League run before ending with a hard-fought showing to eventual champions Lyon in a close 3-1 series.

21. Adelaide Gay, USA (Portland Thorns / USA) - 28
22. Didi Haracic, USA (Washington Spirit / USA) - 26
23. Mary Earps, England (Reading / England) - 25
24. Sarah Bouhaddi, France (Lyon / France) - 31
25. Laëtitia Philippe, France (Montpellier / France) - 27
26. Karima Benameur, France (Paris FC / France) - 29
27. Sabrina D'Angelo, Canada (North Carolina Courage / USA) - 25
28. Hedvig Lindahl, Sweden (Chelsea / England) - 35
29. Laura O'Sullivan, Wales (Cyncoed Ladies / Wales) - 26
30. Loes Geurts, Netherlands (Göteborg / Sweden) - 32

Sarah Bouhaddi recently captured her fifth Champions League title and her third in as many years. Wales have managed to score only three goals in their five World Cup qualifying games yet have 11 points largely because Laura O'Sullivan hasn't conceded a goal in qualifying, with her best performance coming against England in a 0-0 draw. Mary Earps earned her first cap for England last year after three positive seasons with Reading and just recently signed with Wolfsburg for her efforts there. Sabrina D'Angelo has been kept busy in North Carolina, notching three 1-0 wins for the first place Courage, before stepping out with an ankle sprain.

 31. Sari van Veenendaal, Netherlands (Arsenal / England) - 28
32. Katarzyna Kiedrzynek, Poland (PSG / France) - 27
33. Genevieve Richard, Canada (Marseille / France) - 25
34. Rachael Laws, England (Sunderland / Englan) - 27
35. Oksana Zheleznyak, Kazakhstan (BIIK-Karzygurt / Kazakhstan) - 31
36. Kateryna Samson, Ukraine (Ryazan / Russia) - 29
37. Megan Dorsey, USA (AC Sparta Praha / Czech Republic) - 26
38. Friederike Abt, Germany (Hoffenheim / Germany) - 23
39. Lee Alexander, Scotland (Glasgow City / Scotland) - 26
40. Kaycee Gunion, USA (Sky Blue FC / USA) - 28
 

Katarzyna Kiedrzynek and Poland have a tough task in front of them next week as they need a win at home against Scotland to realistically keep their World Cup hopes alive. Ukraine hopes to lean heavily on Kateryna Samson as well, as they take on Sweden and Denmark this month to try to keep their foot in the World Cup's door. Megan Dorsey helped Sparta Praha reach the round of 16 in Champions League play, marking one of the better finishes by a Czech club in Champions League history.  Friederike Abt is the youngest goalkeeper in the list but she's proven more than reliable for Hoffenheim, finding another mid-table finish this year with the club.

41. Barbara Lorsheijd, Netherlands (ADO Den Haag / Netherlands) - 27
42. Erin Nayler, New Zealand (Bordeaux / France) - 26
43. Nicole Barnhart, USA (FC Kansas City / USA) - 36
44. Erina Yamane, Japan (Real Betis / Spain) - 27
45. Britt Eckerstrom, USA (Portland Thorns FC / USA) - 25
46. Lindsey Harris, USA (Klepp / Norway) - 24
47. Nora Gjøen, Norway (Sandviken / Norway) - 26
48. Neide Simões, Portugal (Valadares Gaia FC / Portugal) - 29
49. Audrey Baldwin, USA (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera / Israel) - 26
50. Daniele, Brazil (Santos / Brazil) - 25

Britt Eckerstrom has been a little streaky since filling in for an injured Adrianna Franch but has still kept the Thorns in playoff contention, earning back-to-back shutout wins this month. Lindsey Harris and Klepp have conceded ten goals in nine games and sit in third place in the Toppserien but need to climb over Nora Gjøen's Sandviken to qualify for Champions League play. Audrey Baldwin gave some good insight while writing from Women's Soccer Zone about her time in Kosovo and how she ended up in Israel.

Top 20 Goalkeepers Under 24

1. Sophie Baggaley, England (Bristol City / England) - 21
2. Carina Schlueter, Germany (SC Sand / Germany) - 21
3. Ellie Roebuck, England (Manchester City / England) - 18
4. Henrikka Mäkelä, Finland (PK-35 Vantaa / Finland) - 21
5. Anna Klink, Germany (Bayer Leverkusen / Germany) - 23
6. Mylene Chavas, France (Saint-Etienne / France) - 20
7. Lize Kop, Netherlands (Ajax / Netherlands) - 20
8. Merle Frohms, Germany (Wolfsburg / Germany) - 23
9. Emma Johansson, Sweden (Mallbacken / Sweden) - 21
10. Cecilie Fiskerstrand, Norway (Lillestrom / Norway) - 22

England's WSL has been exciting to watch a number of young goalkeepers get a chance to impress fans and coaches alike. Sophie Baggaley and Ellie Roebuck combined for 27 starts between the two and could soon find themselves in a similar spot as Mary Earps when a larger club wants a top end goalkeeper. Mylene Chavas rightfully won the 2016 U20 World Cup Golden Glove award and is set to return with France this cycle again, making France a strong candidate for winning the tournament. Cecilie Fiskerstrand has anchored Lillestrom's season and already has 14 caps to her name for Norway.

11. Solene Durand, France (Guingamp / France) - 23
12. Jane Campbell, USA (Houston Dash / USA) - 23
13. Elisa Launay, France (Lille / France) - 22
14. Aurora Mikalsen, Norway (Kolbotn / Norway) - 22
15. Emily Dolan, USA (Medyk Konin / Poland) - 23
16. Deborah Garcia, France (Rodez / France) - 23
17. Megan Walsh, England (Yeovil Town / England) - 23
18. Ayaka Yamashita, Japan (NTV Beleza / Japan) - 22
19. Casey Murphy, USA (Montpellier / France) - 22
20. Zecira Musovic, Sweden (Rosengard / Sweden) - 22

Jane Campbell has tried to take over the starting spot for the US but has struggled mightily with handling incoming aerial service. The USA might turn to Casey Murphy, who jumped fairly seamlessly from collegiate play in the states to France's Division 1. Japan's Ayaka Yamashita has appeared in international play 11 times, including the 2018 Algarve Cup as well as the recent Asian Cup, where Japan finished first and qualified for the World Cup.

For older rankings, you can see the 2017 list and the 2016 list for comparison.