The 25 Best Goalkeepers in World Soccer—Ranked

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The 25 Best Goalkeepers in World SoccerâRanked

Quality distribution and composure on the ball is now as important as shot-stopping ability.

SI FC Staff

By SI FC Staff

Jun 20, 2025

Thibaut Courtois has repeatedly proven his elite status for Real Madrid.

Thibaut Courtois has repeatedly proven his elite status for Real Madrid. / Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Compiling a list of the 25 best players in any position isÂ really difficult. But itâs a whole lot of fun and stirs debateâand thatâs what soccerâs about, right?

One of the hardest to judge, weirdly, is who the best goalkeepers in the game are. Itâs 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 keeperâs 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 active goalkeepers Sports Illustrated deem to be the best in the business.

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25. Ugurcan Cakir

UÄurcan ÃakÄ±r has been in fine form for Galatasaray. / Hakan Akgun/Anadolu/Getty Images

It was the end of an era when Fernando Muslera left Galatasaray in the summer of 2025. The Uruguay international had spent 14 years patrolling the posts in Istanbul, amassing 551 appearances, eight top-flight titles and even two goals. Replacing this larger-than-life figure was not a task a for the faint hearted. Enter: UÄurcan ÃakÄ±r.

Plucked from rivals Trabzonspor for a record-breaking fee, ÃakÄ±r has lived up to his billing as TÃ¼rkiyeâs most expensive goalkeeper ever. A towering character who has scarcely been fazed by the intimidating atmosphere of Rams Park, ÃakÄ±r has performed the impossible: replacing Muslera.

24. Diogo Costa

Diogo Costa has been linked with Europeâs elite. / IMAGO/Maciej Rogowski

The archetypal modern goalkeeper: Diogo Costa is as good with his feet as he is with his hands. Portoâs homegrown skipper is even better at penalties.

Rather than rely upon reams of data and video analysis, Costa has put his ridiculous record at saving efforts from 12 yards down to gut feeling. âItâs about instinct, about having the nose for it, about feeling what a player is going to do,â he once mused.

23. Robin Roefs

Roefs has been an astute addition. / Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Robin Roefs arrived at a Sunderland fresh from promotion with just one full season of senior football to his name. âHeâs young, without a lot of experience,â RÃ©gis Le Bris would later admit. âOften you would say you need an experienced goalkeeper, because this role is really demanding, even psychologically.â But Roefs has proven more than up for the task.

As commanding with his gloves as he is with his boots, the Dutch shot-stopper is imperative on both sides of the ball for Sunderland, snuffing out opposition attacks while spearing long passes forward to set up surges for his own side.

Le Bris summed it up best: âHeâs key.â

22. Yann Sommer

Yann Sommer has had his ups and downs this season. / Pablo Morano/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Yann Sommerâs move to Inter didnât raise many eyebrows because it was AndrÃ© Onanaâs 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 mightâve thought he was a stopgap option, but the experienced goalkeeper has got other ideas.

21. Robert Sanchez

Robert SÃ¡nchez has had his ups and downs. / Robbie Jay Barratt-AMA/Getty Images

Robert SÃ¡nchez has endured a rocky road at Chelsea. However, Enzo Maresca blind faith no longer appears so misguidedâeven if the Italian is no longer in a position to reap the rewards. The once shaky aerial artist is now one of the Premier Leagueâs most commanding figures at cross.

Not that SÃ¡nchez has ever let his past blunders get him down. âNo matter how you play, one game is not everything,â he warned. âYou make a mistake, and yeah, people will talk about it. But if you have a good game in the next game, they will forget about it.â

20. Vanja Milinkovic-Savic

Vanja Milinkovic-SaviÄâs form led to Naples. / Image Photo Agency/Getty Images

It was Sergej this, Sergej that for so many years, but perhaps Vanja was the superior Milinkovic-SaviÄ 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 Aâs best goalkeepers.

The Serbian stalwart is a ruthless shot-stopper who has a penchant for saving penalties. After racking up continental-leading clean sheet figures at Torino, Milinkovic-SaviÄ joined reigning champions Napoli, managed by Antonio Conteâa manager who wonât try to sign you unless youâve got something about you.

19. Giorgi Mamardashvili

Giorgi Mamardashvili is an imposing figure in goal. / Michael Regan/Getty Images

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 Europeâs 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 worldâs very best.

18. Matz Sels

Matz Sels is an imposing figure. / Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images

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 clubâs No. 1.

Forestâs Â£5 million addition of Matz Sels at the end of the January 2024 transfer window wasnât regarded as a revolutionary bit of business, but the experienced Belgian has proven to be one of the smartest transfers of Evangelos Marinakisâ reign.

The towering figure has an imposing backline ahead of him, but Selsâs role in Forestâs rise to Europa League qualification canât be overlooked. He earned a share of the Golden Glove with David Raya in 2024â25.

17. Ivan Provedel

Ivan Provedel has been impressive for Lazio. / NicolÃ² Campo/LightRocket/Getty Images

There was a story Ivan Provedelâs grandmother never tired of passing down to her grandson. When they lived in Russia, the legendary Lev Yashin was their neighbour. That connection to the greatest goalkeeper of all time wasnât enough to initially persuade Provedel to pick up a pair of gloves.

âI was a striker until I turned 15,â he would explain. âMy goal-to-game ratio was actually decent.â

Provedelâs scoring ratio now isnât too bad now for a goalkeeper. The Lazio custodian has a one-in-eight record in the Champions League after netting a dramatic equaliser against AtlÃ©tico Madrid in 2023.

His more orthodox goalkeeping skills are also admirable.

16. Dean Henderson

Dean Henderson has enjoyed a trophy run for Crystal Palace in 2025. / Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Dean Hendersonâs senior career has been up and down at times, with early promise shown at Sheffield United beginning to fade.

Questions arose as to whether the Englishman had enough substance to maintain the level required to play at the very top, but the former Manchester United keeper has answered his critics at Crystal Palace.

Henderson ranks among the most efficient shot-stoppers in the Premier League, and his heroics between the sticks helped Palace win a first-ever FA Cup months before downing Liverpool in the Community Shield.

15. Jordan Pickford

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.

Heâs 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 wasnât 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.

14. Unai Simon

Unai SimÃ³n turns it on for club and country. / Diego Souto/Getty Images

Unai SimÃ³n is a reliable shot-stopper and cultured operator in possession who doesnât concede many in La Liga. Athletic Club boasted the divisionâs stoutest defence in 2024â25, and Simon was a big reason why.

However, itâs on the international stage where SimÃ³n has sparkled most, making key saves en route to 2022â23 UEFA Nations League and Euro 2024 success with Spain.

13. Manuel Neuer

Manuel Neuer is still going strong in his 20th season as a professional. / Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Manuel Neuer played a transformative 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.

12. Jan Oblak

Jan Oblak has been one of the most consistent top-level goalkeepers. / Marc Atkins/Getty Images

There are times when watching six-time Zamora Trophy winnerÂ Jan Oblak that you mightÂ genuinely believe he has the power to attract the ball towards his hands. Itâs like his gloves, which have been donned over 500 times in AtlÃ©tico Madrid colours, have their own gravitational pull.

Oblak did experience something of a dip in form but is back to his best for Diego Simeone, reinforcing his status as one of the gameâs elite stoppers.

11. Gregor Kobel

Gregor Kobel is Borussia Dortmundâs No. 1. / Gabriel Calvino Alonso/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Gregor Kobelâs path to the Switzerland starting team had been blocked by the presence of Yann Sommer, but the Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper has recently emerged as his countryâs No. 1.

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 clubâs run to the 2023â24 Champions League final.

Heâs the best goalkeeper you donât know all that much about.

10. Marco Carnesecchi

Itâs been thumbs up for Marco Carnesecchi of late. / Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

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 2024â25.

After a couple of successful loans, the Italian returned to Atalanta and was expected to compete with Juan Mussoâa big-money arrival from Udineseâfor No. 1 duties. However, Carnesecchi, perhaps unexpectedly, won the battle, and hasnât looked back since.

9. Emiliano MartÃnez

Emiliano MartÃnez is part of a superb Aston Villa team. / Marc Atkins/Getty Images

What a ride itâs been for Emiliano MartÃnez.

The Argentinian moved to Aston Villa after a few months in the spotlight at Arsenal and has since proven heâs really quite good.

So good, in fact, that he became Argentinaâs No. 1, played a big role in their World Cup and Copa AmÃ©rica triumphs, and earned Lionel Messiâs respect with his dark art antics.

He is a two-time Yashin Trophy winner, too.

8. Senne Lammens

Lammens has enjoyed a steady start. / James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Sir Alex Ferguson knows a good goalkeeper when he sees one. After suffering through a drought of top-quality shot-stoppers in between Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar, he also knows what a not so good one looks like. Senne Lammens has the golden seal of approval.

âThe goalkeeper has been outstanding,â Ferguson gushed after Lammens enjoyed a confident start to life between the posts for Manchester United.

Entirely unburdened by the weight of expectation which comes with playing for the worldâs most scrutinised football club, the springy Belgian has made a mockery of Ruben Amorimâs warning prior to his arrival. âItâs hard to be a Manchester United goalkeeper in this moment.â

7. Mile Svilar

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

You might remember Mile 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 Manchester United back in 2017.

He barely played for Benfica in the aftermath and was signed by Roma in 2022 to back up Rui PatrÃcio. However, Daniele De Rossi, who was in charge briefly, saw something in the Serb and thrust him into a starting role. He hasnât relinquished the spot since.

Svilar has blossomed into a superb goalkeeper, boasting standout reflexes that relentlessly make highlight reels. Heâs been an incredibly clutch performer in the Italian capital and was named Serie Aâs best goalkeeper for the 2024â25 season.

6. Mike Maignan

AC Milan look set to lock down current No. 1 Mike Maignan. / Ivan Romano/Getty Images

AC 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.

Maignanâs impact at San Siro was immediate as Milan claimed the 2021â22 Scudetto off the back of a sound defensive performance.

The France international has been widely renowned as the best goalkeeper in Serie A but could soon be moving on to pastures new as he heads towards the final months of his Milan contract.

5. Alisson Becker

Alissonâs problematic hamstrings have flared up once again this season. / Carl Recine/Getty Images

When Liverpool spent nearly Â£70 million on Alisson back in 2018, social mediaÂ was awash with jibes from rival fans questioning the size of the fee.Â Theyâre not laughing now and havenât 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. Heâs also played his part in Liverpool winning the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup.

The model goalkeeper.

4. David Raya

David Raya is rarely tested in the Arsenal goal. / Marc Atkins/Getty Images

David Raya turned himself into one of the Premier Leagueâs top shot-stoppers, and his role as a playmaker at the back led Arsenal to sign him from Brentford.

The Spain international took Aaron Ramsdaleâs 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 2023â24 Premier League Golden Gloveâan award he retained in 2024â25.

Heâs improved tremendously in a short space of time and has to be regarded as one of the world's best right now.

3. Joan Garcia

Joan GarcÃa earned a move to Barcelona in the summer of 2025. / Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Arsenal were keeping a watchful eye on Espanyolâs Joan GarcÃa, but the Gunners missed their chance to acquire one of Europeâs best young goalkeepers.

GarcÃa instead joined Catalan giants Barcelona and is expected to remain the clubâs No. 1 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.

Barcelona have been immensely grateful for his brilliant adaptation to the other side of Catalonia. âThe great teams have the best goalkeepers, and he is one of them,â Hansi Flick beamed.

2. Gianluigi Donnarumma

Gianluigi Donnarumma succeeded Ederson in Manchester Cityâs goal. / Gareth Copley/Getty Images

After leaving boyhood club Milan for Paris Saint-Germain, Gianluigi Donnarummaâs future looked to be carved out. He finally usurped Keylor Navas as PSGâs undisputed starter and was a key part of the Italy team that won Euro 2020, being named Player of the Tournament.

Some poor years followed, filled with one too many gaffes, but Donnarumma embarked on a legacy-defining Champions League run in 2024â25 as PSG conquered Europe for the first time.

Surprisingly, Luis Enrique then cast aside Donnarumma later that same summer. A quick game of pass the goalkeeper ended up in a switch to Pep Guardiolaâs Manchester City, where he swiftly replicated his sensational shot-stopper supremacy.

1. Thibaut Courtois

Thibaut Courtois has been among the elite for some time. / Mateo Villalba/Getty Images

After a shaky opening at Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois has been in exemplary form to convince any remaining doubters of his ability.

Courtoisâs impossibly 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 2023â24 after tearing his ACL, but Carlo Ancelotti didnât hesitate to immediately welcome Courtois to the fold for that yearâs Champions League final despite the stellar performances of Andriy Lunin in his place. Courtois kept a clean sheet against Borussia Dortmund as Madrid claimed their 15th European title.

While the Ballon dâOr may be out of reachâto his eternal chagrinâCourtoisâs quality has been lauded by his fellow professionals. Spainâs iconic former goalkeeper Santiago CaÃ±izares captured the towering figureâs lofty status: âThibaut Courtois is the Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo of goalkeeping.â