The Top Five Goalkeeping Nations for 2022

With one World Cup ending, the green light is officially given to project the next top goalkeepers on the world’s stage. While no nation is head over shoulders for winning the 2022 competition - France leads the pack with best odds to win the next World Cup at 17%  - there are already some noticeable gaps in talent when comparing the goalkeeping pools. Of course it’s impossible to predict with certainty on which goalkeeper will be the starter for a nation four years from now, so this list is taking into account the entire stable of goalkeepers, not just the likely number one.

1. Spain

Photo belongs to Reuters

Contenders:
David de Gea (Manchester United) - 27
Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea) - 23
Sergio Rico (Sevilla) - 24
Pau López (Real Betis) - 23
Fernando Pacheco (Alavés) - 26

Bill says: While de Gea critics will be quick to point out his performance from the last World Cup, it’s hard to gauge any goalkeeper on four games. It was truly a poor goal in the opening match but de Gea has handled pressure well in the past and will continue to amaze fans for the steadiness he’ll provide Manchester United this season. And if worst comes to worst, Spain has the luxury of leaning on up-and-coming goalkeepers. There's a reason Chelsea brought in Arrizabalaga ASAP, and on a pretty penny too. Spanish goalkeepers are known for the abilities with their feet but their quick mobility and fantastic reflex saves are something to expect from Spain's starter in 2022, whoever it may be.

2. Germany

Photo belongs to Getty

Contenders:
Marc ter Stegen (Barcelona) - 26
Bernd Leno (Arsenal) - 26
Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) - 32
Timo Horn (1. FC Köln) - 25

Bill says: Most countries wouldn’t be against Manuel Neuer starting for them at 36 years old, but right now it’s ter Stegen’s job to lose. The Barcelona goalkeeper has patiently waited for his tenure with the national team and he’s in prime position to continue to bolster his résumé even further. While Neuer could very well still earn a World Cup invite come 2022, Bernd Leno and Timo Horn are playing at levels where they could theoretically establish themselves over the Bayern Munich goalkeeper. It's been a while since Germany has struggled to field a competent goalkeeper at the world stage and 2022 will be no different.

3. Portugal

Contenders:
Anthony Lopes (Lyon) - 27
Rui Patrício (Wolverhampton) - 30
José Sá (FC Porto) - 25
Bruno Varela (Benfica) - 23
Cláudio Ramos (Tondela) - 26
Joel Pereira (Vitória de Setúbal) - 22
Pedro Silva (Tondela) - 21

Bill says: Some are already writing off Portugal as a contender next World Cup but if there’s a weakness in their lineup, it won’t be found in their goalkeeping. Rui Patrício did a wonderful job of setting a high standard for Portuguese goalkeeping at the 2018 World Cup and a number of young goalkeepers are looking to follow suit going forward. Sá’s ability comes with little question but if he can get his club situation sorted out, he should be contesting with Patrício and Lopes down the line. Lopes enters his sixth season as a starter for Lyon and returns to Champions League play after the French club missed last year’s contest.

4. Italy

Contenders:
Mattia Perin (Juventus) - 25
Marco Sportiello (Atalanta) - 26
Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan) - 19
Alessio Cragno (Cagliari) - 24
Emil Audero (Juventus) - 21
Simone Scuffet (Udinese) - 22
Alex Meret (Napoli) - 21
Alessandro Plizzari (AC Milan) - 18

Bill says: Many are expecting Italy to replace Gianluigi Buffon with Donnarumma moving forward but it’s a crowded field he’ll have to beat out. Perin and Sportiello are entering the peak of their careers while there are many other young talented goalkeepers littered across Italy. It’ll be a tightly contested battle that could easily come down to the run-up year to the Cup. Perin already has a heavy challenge battling for the number one spot at Juventus, but if he can win that out, he should do will to follow in Buffon’s footsteps.

5. Brazil

Contenders:
Alisson (Liverpool) - 25
Ederson (Manchester City) - 24
Rafael (Napoli) - 28

Bill says: Unlike Italy, Brazil doesn’t have an extensive top-tier goalkeeping core but with Alisson and Ederson competing for the top spot, it’s easy to think “Who else do you need?” Alisson started in the 2018 World Cup - his performance largely forgettable yet not poor - but the competition between the two has a strong chance of extending all the way until the 2026 World Cup as well. With Alisson joining Liverpool this summer, fans would do well to brace themselves for the longstanding narrative of comparing the two goalkeepers for many years to come.

NCAA Preseason Goalkeeper Rankings - Women's 2018

cover photo belongs to WSU Student Sports Photos

Seniors

1. Ella Dederick (Washington State) - 22
2. Lainey Burdett (Arizona) - 21
3. Kaelyn Johns (Dayton) - 21
4. Shae Yanez (Tennessee) -21
5. Marnie Merritt (Mississippi) - 22
6. Arielle Schechtman (Georgetown) - 22
7. Alison Jahansouz (Stanford) - 22
8. Sydney Wootten (NC State) - 21
9. Alex Steigerwald (Murray State) - 21
10. Nonie Frishette (Wake Forest) - 21

Bill says: The biggest news from the senior class is the absence of Penn State's would-be starting goalkeeper Rose Chandler. Chandler's absence is rumored to be due to her pursuit of medical school, leaving an already thin graduating class even barer. Nevertheless, Dederick and Burdett are frontrunners for All-American honors, displaying the confidence and power to potentially make the jump to the professional game. Yanez, Merritt, and Wootten don't necessarily possess the ideal height for a professional goalkeeper but if they - or any senior - can consistently show scouts their ability to cover the goalmouth, they could very easily see themselves on some draft boards come January.

Juniors

1. Rylee Foster (West Virginia, Canada) - 20
2. Mandy McGlynn (Virginia Tech) - 19
3. Jalen Tompkins (Colorado) - 21
4. Jaelyn Cunningham (Illinois) - 20
5. Mikayla Krzeczowski (South Carolina) - 20
6. Haley Smith (Illinois State, Canada) - 20
7. Sam Miller (Lehigh) - 20
8. Sandy MacIver (Clemson, England) - 20
9. Katie Lund (TCU) - 21
10. Lauren Rood (Stanford) - 20

Bill says: Yet another group with a notable omission. Kentucky's Evangeline Soucie has recently moved on as the goalkeeper coach for the program after a strong sophomore season, where she ended fourth in the class. McGlynn (USA) and MacIver (England) will join their respective schools later than their peers, as both as participating in the U20 World Cup. And similar to last year, Rood will compete for the starting spot with Jahansouz while Katie Lund ended her sophomore year on a strong note, earning a U23 invite with the national team.

Sophomores

1. Laurel Ivory (Virginia) - 19
2. Hillary Beall (Michigan) - 19
3. Brooke Heinsohn (Duke) - 20
4. Lysianne Proulx (Syracuse, Canada) - 19
5. Kaylie Collins (USC) - 20
6. Emily Alvarado (TCU, Mexico) - 20
7. Sydney Schneider (UNC Wilmington, Jamaica) - 19
8. Madison Less (Cincinnati) - 20
9. McKinley Crone (Oklahoma) - 19
10. Hannah Sargent (Western Michigan) - 19

Bill says: Emily Alvarado is set to return to TCU after her U20 World Cup run, where she led her country to a 3-2 win over Brazil in their opening match. It's hard to see how TCU will handle both her and Lund vying for minutes but I'm sure their goalkeeper coach is well equipped to handle the star-studded roster. Beall was set to join her U20 teammates in France before a leg injury forced her removal from the World Cup squad, with no timeline given for a return. Heinsohn and Proulx combined for only a handful of games but are finally looking to take the starting spot with full force. Less and Sargent are hoping to build off their work earlier this summer, appearing for the Cleveland Ambassadors and Columbus Eagles, respectively.

Freshmen

1. Claudia Dickey (North Carolina) - 18
2. Brooke Bollinger (Florida State) - 18
3. Meagan McClelland (Rutgers) - 18
4. Zoe Clevely (Pepperdine) - 19
5. Olivia Sekany (California) - 19
6. Hensley Hancuff (Villanova) - 18
7. Katherine Asman (Penn State) - 18
8. Katie Meyer (Stanford) - 18
9. Mackenzie Wood (Northwestern) - 18
10. Holly Stam (Duke) - 18

Bill says: It's hard to have an appropriate ceiling for freshmen goalkeepers when they have respected upperclassmen to supplant first. While Bollinger's and Sekany's chances at starting seem to be theirs to lose for the time being, Clevely and Meyer may have to wait a year or two before they break through the crowded depth chart. Just about every goalkeeper on the list has USYNT experience under their belt from over the past few years although Dickey's two-sport aspirations (suiting up for both UNC soccer and basketball) are a rare sight for modern D1 programs.

Past Collegiate Goalkeeper Rankings

2015: Preseason and Final
2016: Preseason and Final
2017: Preseason and Final

The Pros and Cons of a Top Hand and Bottom Hand Save

cover photo belongs to EPA

For a shot heading towards the top corner, there are two main approaches for a goalkeeper to attempt the save: a top hand or bottom hand save. The terminology is fairly straightforward. Depending on which side the shot is, the top hand is on the side of the body where the shoulder is closest to the crossbar when the dive is made. If the shot is to the goalkeeper’s right, the left hand is the top hand and vice versa. The decision of hand choice only comes into play for shots in the top third of the goal. Anything lower than head-height is almost certainly the obvious, bottom hand.

Top hand save

Bottom hand save

There’s a little bit of a debate in some goalkeeping circles as to which approach is better. English goalkeeper Katie Startup wrote on the differences between the top and bottom hand saves - at eighteen years old, no less - but overall there isn't a ton of literature on the subject. Some coaches prefer the top hand acrobatics while others lean towards the simplicity of the bottom hand. Let’s break down the advantages for both types of saves.

Bottom Hand

The most obvious positive about using the bottom hand is that it is closer to whichever post the goalkeeper is diving towards. With the ease of using the nearer hand on reaction saves, it makes sense to extend their territory for shots floating to the top corner. Whether it is a strong palm or fingertip save, the natural flow to the bottom hand dive matches the simplicity of the save. Additionally, it’s easier to line up the hand-to-ball coordination the closer the hand is to the ball.

The bottom hand save has a very specific bonus factor, one that isn’t discussed much, and it's centered on the wrist. For skipping or lofted balls to the goalkeeper's side, the bottom hand save offers a flick ability unique to the hand. For American audiences, they might remember Stefan Frei’s save that kept Seattle in the 2017 MLS Final. Non-millennial soccer fans may be familiar with Gordon Banks’ immaculate stop on Pele. And of course, our most hipster of readers will be quick to recall David Seaman’s Stretch Armstrong save in the 2003 FA Cup semi-final.

You can actually see a brief moment where Frei first chooses to go with the top hand but instead opts for the bottom hand.

All three are similar in that the flexibility of the wrist helps flick the ball from the goalmouth. This is a major advantage that the bottom hand can offer that the top hand would struggle on. It's almost the equivalent of a forehand throw on a frisbee versus a big bear paw. The forehand throw contains a lot of wrist action while the swatting bear paw has some, but not nearly as much.

As for disadvantages with the bottom hand, there aren’t many poor aspects to the save, although there are areas the top hand is better at. Perhaps most notably, a top hand typically clears rebounds farther than what a bottom can offer (as shown in Seaman's save). This is why the top hand is preferred on back the bar situations as the top hand has the strength to push the ball over and past the crossbar. Additionally, using your bottom hand can be awkwardly paired with jumping off your lead foot. The iconic goal David Seaman conceded against Brazil in 2002 showcases this. Notice how the narrator heckles the poor Englishman for his lack of jumping. Had the English goalkeeper gone for a top hand save, he would have been significantly closer to the ball with an additional spring to his jump.

Top Hand

The 2018 World Cup offered us a number of memorable goalkeeping moments, including a number of stellar top hand saves. Russia' Igor Akineev made a wonderful tip over in the 90th minute against Uruguay, both Mohamed El-Shenawy and Lovre Kalinić utilized a top hand correctly, and of course, Courtois showed Neymar a massive paw in their quarterfinal matchup.

Top hand save at 0:32

Notice how far the ball is redirected off Courtois' hand, along with the other top hand saves linked above. Whether needing to tip a ball over or around the crossbar, the ability to displace a shot is a strong advantage to the top hand save. While the wrist does exhibit some movement on each save, the overall strength and leverage of the joint play a big role in making the save, along with the elbow extension and fingers flicking the ball onward.

While some are against the top hand entirely, the top hand can offer a little more reach across the goalmouth compared to the bottom hand, although it requires some time to cover the distance. If you were to stand with just your right foot on the ground, you can reach higher with your left hand by tilting your hips and shoulders than you could with your right hand. A similar process occurs when diving off the lead foot, the top hand will actually cover more distance (especially the more vertical the jump is) but will need a little more time to do so. This is why top hand saves typically occur when a goalkeeper has the time to move their feet. The graph shows below shows how, over time, the top hand (red line) can actually outcover the bottom hand (blue line).

As time passes (left to right), the top hand (red line) will eventually surpass the bottom hand (blue) in distance but is starting farther behind.

Although a top hand can be found in highlight-reel saves, it does require mastery of all the moving pieces. Precise footwork is more necessary with the top hand save. It’s not altogether rare to see a goalkeeper attempt a top hand save only to mistime their approach, leaving themselves flapping in the wind. Top hand saves can also obstruct the vision of the goalkeeper with the arm crossing in front of his or her face.

Conclusion

When deciding which hand is the correct one for a save, the main response you’ll hear can likely be boiled down to “use whatever works”. Ultimately, the choice of hand ties back into the style and personality that comes from each and every goalkeeper. Ideally, a goalkeeper has tried both types of saves and has drawn the line on where they feel comfortable with each hand. Some goalkeepers will use their writing or dominant hand for every extension save, regardless of the situation. However, this can lead to an unnecessary weakness for the goalkeeper. A goalkeeper should be efficient with both hands as they are with their feet, even if they have different preferences between themselves.

Regardless of which hand a goalkeeper chooses to us, it’s good to remember the pros and cons of each. The bottom hand can reach the ball quicker and is typically more simple to line up, although it may not offer the desired extended reach or leverage to displace to a ball. The top hand save, in contrast, will typically parry a ball with a strong force and can cover more of the goalmouth than the bottom hand, although it will need the correct time and footwork to do so.

The Top Ten Goalkeepers at the 2018 World Cup

While goalkeeping wasn't the highlight of the World Cup final, there were many outstanding performances in the lead up to the final game. Some goalkeepers reserved their best for penalty shootouts to pad their highlight reels, some were consistently aiding their team regardless of the scoreline, and some goalkeepers managed to undermine their previous performances by watching multiple shots slip by them in the World Cup Final. In spite of the mixed performances, here are the top ten goalkeepers from the 2018 World Cup.

Photo belongs to Imago

1. Yann Sommer (Switzerland)

While Sommer technically did have an own goal off a late penalty in a meaningless group game, he more than redeemed himself with a strong performance against Brazil and Serbia. He would go on to pull off a wonderful sprawling save off a low header in the 6th minute to keep Costa Rica out and another similar save stopping a bouncing ball to the backpost against Sweden. Sommer, barely standing at 6’0”, is a great example of a goalkeeper who can cover the entire goal width without relying on his size. The tournament's Golden Glove recipient typically has to finish in the top four but it was Sommer who stood high above the rest. 

Photo belongs to AFP

2. Igor Akinfeev (Russia)

Probably the highlight of Akinfeev’s tournament was outclassing David de Gea in the penalty shootout, winning Man of the Match for his heroics in the round of sixteen matchup. He would go on perform admirably against Croatia, saving a penalty in the second round of the shootout, and despite being down 2-0 in Russia’s last group game, Akinfeev managed to pull off a wonderful tophand save on a blistering strike from Cristian Rodríguez. A classic strong, tall goalkeeper, Akinfeev did well to represent the host country by limiting mistakes and rising to the occasion more than once to help Russia notch their best World Cup finish since 1982.

3. Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)

There was a lot of talk about goals being scored in the final minutes this World Cup but Courtois reversed the script when Neymar attempted to level the score in the quarterfinal matchup. It’s hard to imagine any goalkeeper shorter than 6’6” making that tophand save. Earlier in the match, Courtois pulled off two good close-range shots in quasi-1v1 situations, simply by holding his ground and not rushing out blind, but it was the flicked near post header that bested Courtois against France. It was a tough post-to-post run Courtois was trying to make but there’s no doubt he would want a second chance at the goal. If he gets his feet set quicker instead of taking a big hop into place, he can parry the shot away. Still, the Golden Glove winner can look back proudly on his performances as large contributions to Belgium's best World Cup run to date.

4. Jordan Pickford (England)

Most people were talking Pickford’s passing ability heading into the tournament but it was his clutch saving prowess that led the English to a fourth place finish. Against Colombia - in extra time, no less - it was the unbelievable Gumby save where he pulled the ball out of the corner. Against Sweden, he shut the door twice on the Swedes on two well-hit shots inside the 18. And against Croatia, Pickford exchanged some not-so-nice words after denying a point bank save from Mandžukić. It’s hard to imagine this was the same Pickford who started for Everton and conceded 58 goals last season, eight most in the Premier League. Blues fans will surely have different expectations going into this fall after such a wonderful performance this summer.

5. Eiji Kawashima (Japan)

There’s some sort of irony with Kawashima’s best game coming in a 1-0 loss but the Japanese goalkeeper couldn’t allow another goal if Japan wanted to play in the knockout round. In the first half, Kawashima himself ended up in the back of the net batting a flicker header towards the back post back into play. (VAR would later verify the immaculate save.) Then in the second half, Kawashima would pull off an equally impressive strong palm on a deflected cross, saving his defender from scoring an own goal and keeping Japan's hopes of entering the next round alive. While Kawashima’s performances in the other games were largely forgettable, the Poland game will surely be a bright spot on the 35-year-old’s tenure with Japan.

Photo belongs to Mexsport

6. Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)

A good game against Germany, a soft goal against Sweden, and a great game against Brazil add up to find Ochoa at the six slot. The most polarizing goalkeeper on the list, Ochoa somehow always matches the level of competition. Ochoa kicked off his World Cup with a shutout against Germany, highlighted by a topnotch free kick-denying save, and ended his tournament with a hard-fought 2-0 loss to Brazil. Although it was a loss, Ochoa continued his fiction-esque level of play against Brazil, building off of the 2007 Copa America win and the 2014 World Cup tie against Brazil. Ochoa’s success doesn’t make sense from a technical standpoint and his future with the national team seems to be running out, but viewers can’t deny he had another clutch tournament performance for the Mexican national team.

7. Jo Hyeon-Woo (South Korea)

Jo entered the tournament as a relatively unknown goalkeeper playing somewhere in South Korea and only six national caps to his name yet somehow walked away from the tournament with a stellar performance against Sweden and a shutout against Germany. The 26-year-old showcased a really fun spring to his leap and quick footwork to frustrate opposing offenses. He plays with a fairly high line and while I’m not sure how that’s going to fit into his game - he’s not exactly the tallest goalkeeper out there - his agility helps him cover ground that lumbering goalkeepers can’t.

8. Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark)

It hurts my heart to have him this low on the list. His string of penalty saves against Croatia paired with continual shots of his father cheering from the press box was exactly the snowballing ability I wrote about before the tournament started. Unfortunately, an in-game penalty save and two more in the shootout weren't enough to get Denmark through to the quarterfinals. He lands at number eight for having an otherwise quiet World Cup but the main highlight to take away from his World Cup was that Kasper Schmeichel officially stepped out of his father’s shadow and put to rest the idea that he was just riding his father's fame, even though it felt like the magic ended well before midnight in Denmark's World Cup run.

9. Manuel Neuer (Germany)

It wasn't exactly a world beater that bested Neuer in the opening game against Mexico but it was Neuer standing on his head that helped propel his nation to victory against Sweden, highlighted by a strong palm before halftime to parry away a drifting header. Even though his last touch was a turnover that led to the final goal against Germany - somehow 80 yards upfield, of course - we saw flashes of the four-time IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper that hopefully provided enough nostalgia for fans wanting to see the Bayern keeper excel on the international stage at least one more time. Neuer won't look back fondly on the tournament and it's clear the injury didn't help his World cup preparations, but all-in-all it was a positive individual performance, even if it's overshadowed by the rest of his career.

10. Hugo Lloris (France)

Ahead of the tournament, many had some serious questions about Lloris’ ability to handle the ball at his feet and somehow Lloris proved them right yet still won the World Cup. Lloris was perhaps one goalkeeping error away from winning the Golden Glove, an award typically given to the top team with the goalkeeper who didn't make any dumb mistakes, but he graciously let Courtois take home the honor. It's easy to get caught up in the blunder but Lloris did his part to help France reach the Final. To his credit, he basically did nothing all game against Uruguay and Belgium yet pulled off two saves that were destined for the back of the net. It's a little bit of a head scratcher that he was able to maintain enough focus to make immaculate saves on a moments notice yet botch a stupid step over in the most important game of his career but it's Lloris who has a World Cup medal to his name at the end of the day.