The 25 Best Goalkeepers in World Soccer—Ranked | OneFootball

Look, compiling a list of the 25 best players in any position is really difficult.

But it's a whole lot of fun and stirs debate—and that's what football's about, right?

One of the hardest to judge, weirdly, is who the best goalkeepers in the game are. It's not all about shot-stopping now, with distribution, the ability to mop up behind a high line and extreme levels of composure a key component in every keeper's game.

You also have to demonstrate consistency, week in, week out, such is the calibre of attacking players now operating around the world. Here are the 25 Sports Illustrated deem to be the best in the business.

25. Dean Henderson

Dean Henderson capped off a fine season with a huge performance in the FA Cup final. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

Dean Henderson has endured an up-and-down senior career, with early promise shown at Sheffield United beginning to fadeQuestions arose as to whether the Englishman was any good at all, but the former Manchester United keeper has answered a few critics at Crystal Palace.Henderson ranks among the most efficient shot-stoppers in the Premier League and many now regard him as a shoo-in for England selection.

24. David de Gea

It seemed as if David de Gea’s days as one of the world’s best goalkeepers were behind him, but a switch to Fiorentina allowed the veteran Spaniard tp rediscover some vintage form. After spending almost a year out of the game, De Gea recorded double-digit Serie A clean sheets, prompting La Viola to offer the Spaniard a new contract until 2028.

23. Guglielmo Vicario

Guglielmo Vicario has done things the hard way throughout his playing career, but a fine season with Empoli earned him a move to Tottenham Hotspur ahead of 2023–24.The Italian has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting goalkeepers in Europe, producing some incredible saves when his team are under the cosh. Vicario’s reflexes are remarkable, but he has shown some vulnerabilities to the high ball.

22. Marco Carnesecchi

Marco Carnesecchi was exposed to regular Serie B football as a teenager, and his growth had been steady before he enjoyed the best season of his career in 2024–25. After a couple of successful loans, the Italian returned to Atalanta and was expected to compete with Juan Musso—a big-money arrival from Udinese—for number one duties. However, Carnesecchi, perhaps unexpectedly, won the battle, and hasn’t looked back since.

21. Giorgi Mamardashvili

Giorgi Mamardashvili is a name that popped up quite a bit over the summer of 2023, with the goalkeeper linked with basically every club in Europe at some point.The Georgian eventually earned a move to one of Europe’s elite off the back of an outstanding Euro 2024 campaign with minnows Georgia, as Liverpool made their move before loaning him back to Valencia.Mamardashvili is an imposing stopper with incredible hands, but improvement is required in possession for him to develop into one of the world’s very best.

Pickford had another clean sheet-heavy Premier League season. / IMAGO/PPAUK

Despite spending much of his Premier League career as a meme, Jordan Pickford has undergone quite the redemption arc in recent years.He’s quietly become more reliable and remains as useful as ever in possession, while he was one of the top players at Euro 2020 and would have become a national hero had that final shootout ended in an England win. There wasn't much he could do to deny Spain Euro 2024 glory as he enjoyed another successful individual tournament.Everton have flirted with relegation from the Premier League in recent times, but Pickford has consistently dragged the Toffees away from danger.

19. Vanja Milinkovic-Savić

It was Sergej this, Sergej that for so many years, but perhaps Vanja was the superior Milinkovic-Savić brother all along?Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but while Sergej is now away from mainstream prominence in the Saudi Pro League, Vanja has blossomed into one of Serie A’s best goalkeepers.The Serbian stalwart is a ruthless shot-stopper who has a penchant for saving penalties. At the end of January 2025, he'd recorded his 17th home clean sheet for Torino since the start of the 2023–24 campaign—the most out of any goalkeeper in Europe's top five leagues.

18. Michele Di Gregorio

Another excellent Italian goalkeeper, Michele Di Gregorio was a product of Inter’s academy.But after failing to get an opportunity at San Siro, he knew a move was needed in order to forge his way towards the top of the game. At Monza, Di Gregorio’s consistency saw him earn plenty of plaudits, and a move to one of calcio’s big boys was inevitable.Thiago Motta identified the young shot-stopper as a key part of his project in Turin, and Di Gregorio moved to Juventus in the summer. Motta has since been sacked, but the goalkeeper will be sticking around for the long haul.

17. Diogo Costa

A graduate of ’s academy, Diogo Costa has been one of the most talked about goalkeepers in Europe for quite a while—and for good reason.Costa is the archetypal modern-day goalkeeper and will surely be the number one for one of the biggest clubs in Europe very, very soon.Some penalty shootout heroics at Euro 2024 have also boosted his standing among the continent's best goalkeepers, even if he still has an error in his locker. He was at it again during the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League.

16. Lucas Chevalier

Lucas Chevalier is one of the highest-rated young goalkeepers in Europe, and he will ascend this ranking if he continues on his current trajectory.The Frenchman is already starring for Lille on the big stage and is likely to have Europe’s elite lining up at his door sooner rather than later. Chevalier has already played plenty of football at his young age, and he’s not far off the complete goalkeeper profile.

15. Mile Svilar

Svilar was named as the best goalkeeper in Serie A last season. / IMAGO/Sportimage

You might remember Svilar as the young goalkeeper who was consoled by Romelu Lukaku after he made a costly mistake while playing for Benfica in a Champions League fixture against Man Utd back in 2017.He barely played for Benfica in the aftermath and was signed by Roma in 2022 to back up Rui Patrício. However, Daniele De Rossi, who was in charge briefly, saw something in the Serb and thrust him into a starting role. He hasn’t relinquished the spot since. Svilar has blossomed into a superb goalkeeper, boasting standout reflexes that relentlessly make highlight reels. He’s been an incredibly clutch performer in the Italian capita and was named Serie A‘s best goalkeeper for the 2024–25 season.

Arsenal were keeping a watchful eye on Espanyol’s Joan García, but the Gunners missed their chance to acquire one of Europe’s best young goalkeepers. García instead joined Catalan giants Barcelona and is expected to become the number one goalkeeper for many, many years. The Spaniard loves being busy, excelling as a shot-stopper, but is also an astute claimer of the high ball and a decent-enough sweeper.

13. Unai Simón

Unai Simón is a reliable shot-stopper and cultured operator in possession who doesn't concede many in La Liga. Athletic Club boasted the division’s stoutest defence in 2024–25, and Simon was a big reason why. However, it's on the international stage where Simón has sparkled most, making key saves en route to 2022–23 UEFA Nations League and Euro 2024 success with Spain.

12. Matz Sels

Nottingham Forest struggled for continuity between the sticks after returning to the Premier League, with the likes of Henderson and Keylor Navas earning minutes as the club’s number one.Forest's £5 million ($5.8 million) addition of Matz Sels at the end of the January 2024 transfer window wasn't regarded as a revolutionary bit of business, but the experienced Belgian has proven to be one of the smartest transfers of Evangelos Marinakis’ reign.The 33-year-old has an imposing backline ahead of him, but Sels’ role in Forest's rise to near Champions League qualification can't be overlooked. He earned a share of the Golden Glove with David Raya in 2024–25.

11. Jan Oblak

There are times when watching five-time Zamora Trophy winner Jan Oblak when you might genuinely believe he has the power to attract the ball towards his hands. It's like his gloves have their own gravitational pull.He did experience something of a dip in form but is back to his best these days, continuing to thrive under Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid tutelage.

10. Manuel Neuer

Neuer is past his best but still one of the finest goalkeepers around. / IMAGO/kolbert-press

Manuel Neuer played a big role in the reinvention of the modern goalkeeper and remains one of the very best sweeper-keepers in the business.The veteran is nearing the end of his illustrious career but continues to sparkle for Bayern Munich, fending off a number of challengers to remain the man to beat between the posts.

9. Emiliano Martínez

Martínez is a madman between the posts. / IMAGO/Visionhaus

What a ride it's been for Emiliano Martínez.The Argentinian moved to Aston Villa after a few months in the spotlight at Arsenal and has since proven he’s really quite good.So good, in fact, that he's become Argentina’s number one, played a big role in their World Cup and Copa America triumphs, and earned Lionel Messi’s respect with his dark art antics.He is now a two-time Yashin Trophy winner, too.

8. Mike Maignan

Maignan is France’s number one. / IMAGO/Ulmer/Teamfoto

Milan had a huge goalkeeper-shaped hole to fill when Gianluigi Donnarumma departed, but some will argue the Rossoneri upgraded on the once-loved Italian. Maignan's impact at San Siro was immediate as Milan claimed the 2021–22 Scudetto off the back of a sound defensive performance.The France international has been widely renowned as the best goalkeeper in Serie A but faces future competition from Chevalier at international level.

7. Yann Sommer

Sommer has long been an underrated goalkeeper. / IMAGO/Ulmer/Teamfoto

Yann Sommer’s move to Inter didn't raise many eyebrows because it was Andre Onana’s sale to Man Utd that grabbed the headlines.Now in the twilight of his career, Sommer has been superb for Inter and has been a very smart pickup. Some might’ve thought he was a stopgap option, but the experienced goalkeeper could be sticking around for the long haul.

6. Gregor Kobel

Kobel is another excellent Swiss 'keeper. / IMAGO/Nicolo Campo

Gregor Kobel’s path to the Switzerland starting team had been blocked by the presence of Sommer, but the Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper has recently emerged as his country's number one.The BVB star has cat-like reflexes, having honed his skills during previous stints with Augsburg and Stuttgart, and played a pivotal role in his club’s run to the 2023–24 Champions League final.He’s the best goalkeeper you don't know all that much about.

Ederson is a master in possession. / IMAGO/Visionhaus

When Pep Guardiola made a cheeky remark about Ederson being the best penalty-taker at Manchester City, everyone believed him, such is the technical ability of the Brazilian stopper.2022–23 saw the Brazilian rise to the occasion in the Champions League, making heroic stops against Real Madrid and Inter as City won the tournament for the first time ever.He‘s no one-on-one specialist, but his form has been consistent for quite some time as he continues to defy belief with his exceptional distribution.

4. David Raya

Raya has won back-to-back Premier League Golden Gloves. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

David Raya turned himself into one of the Premier League’s top shot-stoppers, and his role as a playmaker at the back led Arsenal to sign him from Brentford.The Spain international took Aaron Ramsdale’s place at the Emirates Stadium and while errors did dog his early days in north London, Raya leant on the heroics of an excellent backline to win the 2023–24 Premier League Golden Glove—an award he retained in 2024–25.He’s improved tremendously in a short space of time and has to be regarded as one of the world's best right now.

3. Gianluigi Donnarumma

Donnarumma played a key role in PSG’s Champions League success. / IMAGO/NurPhoto

After leaving boyhood club Milan for Paris Saint-Germain, Gianluigi Donnarumma’s future looked to be carved out. He finally usurped Keylor Navas as PSG’s undisputed starter and was a key part of the Azzurri team that won Euro 2020, being named Player of the Tournament.Some poor years have followed, filled with one too many gaffes, but Donnarumma embarked on a legacy-defining Champions League run in 2024–25 as PSG conquered Europe for the first time. There’s perhaps no better shot-stopper in the game.

2. Thibaut Courtois

Courtois is an imposing presence between the posts. / IMAGO/Gribaudi/ImagePhoto

After a shaky opening at Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois has been in exemplary form to convince any remaining doubters of his ability.Courtois’ long limbs and excellent shot-stopping ability have saved Los Blancos on a fair few occasions in recent seasons, including the 2022 Champions League final, and he also scooped the Zamora Trophy in 2020.The Belgian missed much of 2023–24 after tearing his ACL, but Carlo Ancelotti didn't hesitate to immediately welcome Courtois to the fold despite the stellar performances of Andriy Lunin in his place. Courtois kept a clean sheet as Madrid claimed their 15th European title.He’s one of the best in the business and will be a crucial part of Xabi Alonso’s team moving forward.

1. Alisson Becker

Alisson claimed his second Premier League title last season. / IMAGO/Sportsphoto

When Liverpool spent nearly £70 million ($80.7 million) on Alisson back in 2018, social media was awash with jibes from rival fans questioning the size of the fee. They’re not laughing now and haven’t for some time.The Brazilian has proven to be a game-changing upgrade at Anfield, perfectly straddling the attributes of both a sweeper-keeper and traditional stopper. He’s also played his part in Liverpool winning the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup.The model goalkeeper.