Ranking The 10 Best Goalkeeper In The World 2025

The world of football has evolved over the past few years, and with that, the role of the goalkeeper has also been changed frequently. Since the arrival of tactics and a formation-oriented style of play, it’s been very challenging to stay between the sticks week in and week out, given the high demands from the managers. Here, we will attempt to answer the following question: Who is the best goalkeeper in the world?

Goalkeepers are not only the last line of defence for their teams, but they are also the ones who add extra helping hands to their attacks with their long passing and excellent vision to create attacks and keep the ball in possession.

For example, Man City manager Pep Guardiola and Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca are notable football tacticians who prefer to use their goalkeepers in a sweeper role, relying on them to begin quick counters and build-ups to catch opponents off guard. Now, we look into our list of the best goalkeeper in the world.

Ranking Factors

There are several top goalkeepers across the biggest leagues in the world. But, we have compiled the best 10 in this position, focusing on some key aspects that are the most necessary traits to become one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world. The most important factors in our ranking of the best goalkeeper in the world, is as follows:

Clean sheets: the first and foremost factor in ranking, some of the best goalkeepers on this list are the number of times they have prevented the opposition from scoring a goal and kept a clean sheet for their team.

Role in the Team’s success: Another key factor in ranking the players is their importance in delivering success to their teams (Club and Country) by making crucial saves in critical moments.

Individual career: In this ranking factor, we examine the individual careers of goalkeepers for instance, appearances, clean sheets, trophies and titles before arranging them in order.

The above factors all come in handy as we attempt to narrow down on the best goalkeeper in the world 2025.

World Best Goalkeeper 2025

10. Emi Martinez (Aston Villa)

If you see the career trajectory of Emiliano Martinez, then it will look like a fairytale to you. The 2022 FIFA World Cup champion of Argentina, the Aston Villa stopper has gradually made his calculated move to be at the top of the tree of the best goalkeepers in football. What makes the Argentine goalkeeper different from others is his brilliant moves between the sticks during penalty shootouts.

In an interview, Martinez explained how he managed to read the minds of the French players during the 2022 World Cup final shootouts in Qatar to lift the ultimate glory. The 32-year-old entertains the Villa fans every week and shows why he is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. For his outstanding performance in the last season, Martinez was awarded the 2024 Yashin trophy by France Football.

Name	Emiliano Martinez
Current Club	Aston Villa
Number of matches	337
Clean sheets	106
Notable Titles won	FIFA World Cup, FA Cup, Copa America

9. Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao)

Unai Simon has been a cog in the wheel of Athletic Bilbao across all competitions. He is by far the most underrated goalkeeper in the world. Simon has earned a reputation for making unbelievable saves to bail his team out in times of trouble. In the Spanish top-tier, he claimed the Golden Glove with 16 La Liga sheets in the 2023/24 season.

Every Spanish fan still remembers his one-handed save to deny England’s Bukayo Saka from a close range in the final of the Euro 2024 in Berlin, Germany. The Spaniard has been a mainstay under the bar for the last four years for Spain’s national team. The 27-year-old’s reliable skill has boosted the defensive unit of his team, both club and country.

Name	Unai Simon
Current Club	Athletic Bilbao
Number of matches	269
Clean sheets	100
Notable Titles won	Copa Del Rey, UEFA Euro, Nations League

8. Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG)

Gianluigi Donnarumma has already etched his name in the history of Italian football. The 2021 Yashin trophy winner first came under the spotlight when he made a courageous move to Italian giants, AC Milan, at the age of 16. Since then, he has been maintaining his rank as one of the best goalkeepers in football.

Known for his reflexes, Donnarumma is one of the best to have ever donned the gloves. Currently, the 26-year-old is playing for the Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain. His heroics helped the Parisians go through to the next round of the UEFA Champions League after beating Liverpool on a penalty shoot-out. Donnarumma made two vital saves.

Name	Gianluigi Donnarumma
Current Club	PSG
Number of matches	406
Clean sheets	139
Notable Titles won	UEFA Euro, Ligue 1, Italian Super Cup

7. Mike Maignan (AC Milan)

Mike Maignan began to be noticed during his Lille days when he worked like a defensive leader at the back. After leading the Ligue 1 club to silverware, he arrived at San Siro in 2022. AC Milan went on to win the Serie A title that year, with the Frenchmen playing like Bellona’s bridegroom under the sticks.

The France International is widely acclaimed as the best French soccer player in the present, thanks to a series of unbelievable performances over the years with France and Milan. The best weapon in his arsenal is his smart positioning, which gives him an upper hand in the feisty battles against top attackers.

Name	Mike Maignan
Current Club	AC Milan
Number of matches	359
Clean sheets	129
Notable Titles won	UEFA Nations League, Ligue 1, Serie A

Also Read: Top 10 Goalkeepers with the Most Penalty Saves of the 21st Century

6. Ederson (Manchester City)

Ederson has played a key role in the success of Manchester City for the last few years seeing the Cityzens lift the continental treble in the 2022/23 season. The Brazilian international has been a mainstay under the sticks for Pep Guardiola in the last seven years. His leadership qualities, sweeper-keeper role and pin-point long passes make it easy for both defenders and attackers. 

His agility, commanding voice and physical strength have boosted the morale of Manchester City teammates at times. Consequently, many football pundits also regarded him as “the best goalkeeper in the world with his feet” back in 2018. He has led Man City to lift the Premier League title six times in the past six seasons with the English Premier League giants.

Name	Ederson
Current Club	Manchester City
Number of matches	487
Clean sheets	216
Notable Titles won	UEFA Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Copa America, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup

5. Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)

A silent killer, who lets his hands and legs walk the talk, Jan Oblak has been a permanent pick between the sticks for the La Liga giants Atletico Madrid for almost a decade. Since the Madrid-based outfit’s resurrection under the supervision of Diego Simeone, Oblak has become a renowned figure on the legendary list of best goalkeepers. His awareness in the box during penalty shootouts and corner kicks is something to be honoured.

The Slovenian International has created his legacy playing for Rojiblancos during his decade-long spell, having made 480 appearances, boasting 220 clean sheets for the Spanish giants. In terms of titles, he won La Liga, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Super Cup while playing a key role in between the sticks.

Name	Jan Oblak
Current Club	Atletico Madrid
Number of matches	594
Clean sheets	265
Notable Titles won	La Liga, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Super Cup

4. Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

The Belgian wall of Real Madrid, Thibaut Courtois has been a regular name in the list of best goalkeepers in the recent past. But, his true worth became visible during his stint with Atletico Madrid where he made the lives of big players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi difficult by his tall stature and shot-stopping abilities. Before joining Los Blancos, he had a stellar spell with Chelsea.

However, the 6 ft 7 inches tall Belgian created his legacy at the Spanish capital, lifting three La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions Leagues. Over the years, he has cemented his status as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, despite a rough start to his second spell in the Spanish capital.

Name	Thibaut Courtois
Current Club	Real Madrid
Number of matches	624
Clean sheets	256
Notable Titles won	UEFA Champions League, La Liga, Premier League, UEFA Europa League, FA Cup, Copa del Rey

Also Read: 10 Best Goalkeepers of All Time in Football History

3. Alisson Becker (Liverpool)

On this list of the best-performing goalkeepers, Alisson Becker has once again snatched a top spot with his flawless displays in recent years. After representing SC Internacional and AS Roma until 2018, the Brazilian showstopper reached the highest peak of excellence with English giants, Liverpool. 

Ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s trophy-laden venture with the Premier club before his departure in 2024 was a perfect opportunity for Becker to become the best goalkeeper in the world, and the Yashin trophy and two-time Premier League Golden Glove winner made the best use of that. His tall physique and fast reflexes make him too difficult to beat by opponents. 

Name	Alisson Becker
Current Club	Liverpool
Number of matches	456
Clean sheets	199
Notable Titles won	UEFA Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup

2. Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)

The absolute legend of the game, Manuel Neuer, is the most legendary name on this list of the best goalkeepers in the world. The veteran keeper is a folkloric figure in Bayern Munich’s history. Some might ask why he is still considered one of the best, as his glorious days are long gone. Is it so? The answer is no.

Despite being in the twilight years of his career, Neuer keeps delivering for the Bavarians even at 38. He is the pioneer in revolutionizing the role of the goalkeepers in the game. Being a baller to an expert penalty saver, the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion incorporated every important quality of the best goalkeeper. If goalkeeping is an art, then Manuel Neuer is the artist.

Name	Manuel Neuer
Current Club	Bayern Munich
Number of matches	814
Clean sheets	371
Notable Titles won	Champions Leagues, Bundesliga, FIFA World Cup

1. David Raya (Arsenal)

There must be no debate over the place of the former Brentford goalie at the top of this list, David Raya, on the list of best goalkeepers in 2025. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta understood the potential of the Spanish goalie and deployed him ahead of a highly-rated Aaron Ramsdale in the 2022/23 season. Last season, he won the Premier League’s Golden Glove for keeping the most clean sheets (16) in the league.

Arsenal has massively benefitted from Raya’s adaptation in playing out from the back and covering the open space left behind the high defensive line of his team. His finger-tip save against Manchester City to deny Kevin de Bruyne was like poetry in motion. At present, the Spaniard is the most complete shot-stopper in world football.

Name	David Raya
Current Club	Arsenal
Number of matches	407
Clean sheets	136
Notable Titles won	UEFA Euro, Nations League

List of Best Goalkeepers in the World

Rank	Player	Age	Club	Country
1	David Raya	29	Arsenal	Spain
2	Manuel Neuer	38	Bayern Munich	Germany
3	Alisson Becker	32	Liverpool	Brazil
4	Thibaut Courtois	32	Real Madrid	Belgium
5	Jan Oblak	32	Atletico Madrid	Slovenia
6	Ederson	31	Man City	Brazil
7	Mike Maignan	29	AC Milan	France
8	Gianluigi Donnarumma	26	PSG	Italy
9	Uani Simon	27	Athletic Bilbao	Spain
10	Emiliano Martinez	32	Aston Villa	Argentina

Also Read: Ranking the 10 Best Premier League Goalkeepers of All Time

CIES best goalkeepers

The CIES Football Observatory uses a method to take into account the level of games played, the results of the several matches played, and the change in the percentage of saves by goalkeepers at the domestic league compared to the expected value. The CIES Football Observatory Index categorizes the world’s best goalkeepers, while Brentford’s Mark Frecken is classified as the best in the Premier League. Here’s the top twenty list provided by them.

Rank	Player	Club	Value
1	Gianluigi Donnarumma	PSG	95.5
2	Yann Sommer	Inter Milan	91.7
3	Thibaut Courtois	Real Madrid	88.0
4	Stanislav Agkatsev	Krasnodar	87.4
5	Mark Flekken	Brentford	85.9
6	Robert Sanchez	Chelsea	84.1
7	Peter Gulacsi	RB Leipzig	83.9
8	Joao Ricardo	Fortaleza EC	83.7
9	Moritz Nicolas	Borussia Monchengladbach	83.3
10	Robin Zentner	Mainz 05	82.2
11	Djordje Petrovic	Strasbourg	82.1
12	Evgeniy Latyshonok	Zenit	81.7
13	Lucas Perri	Lyon	81.6
14	Remko Pasveer	Ajax	81.6
15	John McCarthy	Los Angeles Galaxy	81.2
16	Davy Roef	Gent	80.9
17	Kepa Arrizabalaga	Bournemouth	80.8
18	Weverton Pereira	Palmeiras	80.6
19	Kasper Schmeichel	Celtic	80.6
20	Fernando Muslera	Galatasaray	80.1

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