There have been many names who have come and gone as part of the best goalkeepers of all time when it comes to Football.
The biggest of names have made tremendous impact making sure they help their teams to keep out opposition from scoring goals.
The goalkeeper position has been one that is never easy to manage when a team’s defence isn’t performing so well.
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The Best Goalkeepers Of All Time
There have been so many debates on which active and non-active goalkeeper have done well for themselves with their career.
Every generation has had some outstanding goalkeepers who made a name for themselves playing in top Leagues globally.
There are a handful of others who did get to play for notable teams, but they were able to rank among the best goalkeepers of all time.
10: Manuel Neuer
Neuer began his goalkeeping career with Schalke 04, where he won the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Ligapokal, before transferring to Bayern Munich in 2011.
At Bayern, Neuer has secured 11 Bundesliga titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies, achieving trebles in both 2013 and 2020.
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He has no doubt earned himself a place among the best goalkeepers of all time, thanks to the stats he has been able to put up.
9: Jens Lehmann
His journey as a goalkeeper started with Schalke 04 in 1987, making 274 appearances and notably scoring two goals—a rare feat for a goalkeeper.
After a brief stint with AC Milan, Lehmann returned to Germany to play for Borussia Dortmund, where he contributed to their Bundesliga title in the 2001–02 season.
He was an already established best goalkeeper of all time during his early stint with Milan and also Borussia Dortmund.
His career took a turn in 2003 when he joined Arsenal where he went on to become a pivotal figure in their historic “Invincibles” season.
8: Dida
His career started with Vitória in 1992 before moving to Cruzeiro, where he secured the Copa do Brasil in 1996 and the Copa Libertadores in 1997.
In 1999, Dida joined AC Milan, becoming a pivotal figure in their successes over the next decade. He was instrumental in Milan’s UEFA Champions League victories in 2002–03 and 2006–07.
One of his biggest performances saw him saving three penalties in the 2003 Champions League final against Juventus.
His tenure also included a Serie A title in 2003–04 and a FIFA Club World Cup in 2007. Dida quickly placed his name as one of the best goalkeepers of all time with his performance which was mostly witnessed in Europe.
7: Lev Yashin
Yashin spent his entire career at Dynamo Moscow, securing five Soviet Top League titles and three Soviet Cups.
Yashin earned 78 caps for the Soviet Union. He was instrumental in their triumph at the 1960 European Nations Cup.
He played a pivotal role in securing the gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
Yashin is legendary and among the best goalkeepers of all time after stopping 151 penalties and keeping 270 clean sheets.
6: Oliver Kahn
He is, with all honesty, among the best goalkeepers of all time despite not moving too much during his active days.
Oliver Kahn began his career with Karlsruher SC in 1987, making his Bundesliga debut that year. In 1994, Kahn transferred to Bayern Munich for a then-record fee for a goalkeeper of 4.6 million Deutsche Mark.
During his 14-year tenure at Bayern, Kahn secured numerous titles, including eight Bundesliga championships, six German Cups, the UEFA Cup in 1996, and the UEFA Champions League in 2001.
5: Edwin van der Sar
He started his professional career with Ajax in 1990 before moving to Juventus in 1999. In 2001, he was with Fulham in England.
Edwin van der Sar’s potential as one of the best goalkeepers of all time was already seen after his stint with Ajax and Juventus.
He later finalized a move to Manchester United in 2005 where he played his best Football until ending his career.
4: Petr Cech
The Czech goalkeeper started his career with Chmel Blšany before moving to Sparta Prague, where he set a League record by not conceding a goal in 903 consecutive minutes.
In 2002, he transferred to French club Rennes. Cech joined Chelsea in 2004, where he achieved remarkable success over an 11-year tenure.
He won four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, and was instrumental in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League victory in 2012 and UEFA Europa League triumph in 2013.
During the 2004–05 Premier League season, he set a record by keeping 24 clean sheets, earning him the Premier League Golden Glove.
He joined Arsenal in 2015 and retired in 2019. He made 124 caps for the Czech Republic national team and put his name as one of the best goalkeepers of all time.
3: Peter Schmeichel
His career with Brøndby IF marked the beginning of things, securing four Danish league titles before transferring to Manchester United in 1991.
At United, Schmeichel played a huge role in Manchester United’s dominance throughout the 1990s.
During his tenure, he won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and, notably, the UEFA Champions League in 1999, completing a historic treble for the club.
His name is among the best goalkeepers of all time because he did so much, putting in all the necessary work before he retired from Football.
2: Iker Casillas
Throughout the beginning and the peak of his career, he spent them all with Real Madrid, making his debut in 1999.
Casillas was outstanding during his active days as a goalkeeper. He remains the young goalkeeper to play and win the Champions League at 19 years old.
He spent 16 years with Real Madrid, where he won everything, both for the club and individually, before moving to Porto in 2015.
He also won everything, including the Euro and World Cup with the Spain national team, with a total of 167 caps.
1: Gianluigi Buffon
Italy legend Buffon is regarded as top of the best goalkeepers of all time who is ranked above others in history.
His journey into the Football profession started with Parma in 1995, where he contributed to the team’s Coppa Italia, UEFA Cup, and Supercoppa Italiana victories in 1999.
In 2001, Buffon transferred to Juventus for a then-record fee for a goalkeeper, approximately €52.9 million and he would go on to make the best of his career.
Buffon earned 176 caps for the Italian national team, making him the most capped player in Italy’s history. He was instrumental in Italy’s triumph at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and goes down the list of best goalkeepers of all time.
