IFFHS ALL TIME RANKING OF THE WORLD'S BEST GOALKEEPERS (1987-2020)


Picture : Gianluigi Buffon began his Top career at 17 in 1995 with Parma in Serie A and is today, 26 years later, always the Goalkeeper of Juventus in Serie A !


IFFHS ALL TIME WORLD'S BEST GOALKEEPERS - THE DOMINATION OF "GIGI" BUFFON

The determination of the IFFHS All Time Ranking of The World's Best Goalkeeper carried out analogous as those of The World's Best Goalkeeper of the Decade or the Century, so there is a uniform system for the future. From the annual world ranking of the Goalkeepers (as a result of the world vote) the IFFHS will take into consideration the "Top 20" for each year and allocate points to each place. So the first-placed receives 20 points, the second-placed 19 points, the third-placed 18 points... and a point for twentieth place. If the annual world ranking comprises more than 20 goalkeepers, then the goalkeepers from 21st place onwards receive no points. If the annual world ranking comprises fewer than 20 goalkeepers (based on the fixed rules), no points will be awarded for the unoccupied places. Adding the points from the individual years provides an IFFHS All Time World Ranking since the beginning of the Goalkeeper Award in 1987 to end 2020.

Since already 34 years, the IFFHS crowned each year THE WORLD’S BEST GOALKEEPER (List of winners in the Column GALA AWARDS).


Gianluigi Buffon, the Italian Legend Goalkeeper, active in the Top Division since 1995 ( !), winner of 5 individual annual IFFHS Trophies (Record with Spain’s Iker Casillas and Germany’s Manuel Neuer) , leads the IFFHS All Time Ranking with 357 points, 97 more than the second Iker Casillas and 139 more than the third Petr Cech ! Buffon was ranked 18 years in the annual World's Top 5, Casillas 12 years and Petr Cech 10 years. Manuel Neuer is already also 10 years in the Top 5.



Behind Buffon, the 9 other Goalkeepers of the Top 10 !


The Top 10 is composed of 9 European and 1 South American Goalkeepers. Italy (Buffon, Zenga), Spain (Casillas, Zubizaretta) and Germany (Neuer, Kahn) have each two goalkeepers in the Top 10.

The Top 50 is composed of 37 UEFA Goalkeepers, 10 CONMEBOL and 3 CONCACAF. Spain and Germany (each 6), Italy and Brazil (each 5) dominate the Goalkeepers ranking. 

The IFFHS All Time Ranking from 1987 to 2020 :

Best UEFA Goalkeeper : Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)

Best CONMEBOL Goalkeeper : Jose Luis Chilavert (Paraguay)

Best AFC Goalkeeper : Mohamed Abdullaziz Al-Deayea (Saudi Arabia)

Best CAF Goalkeeper : Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)

Best CONCACAF Goalkeeper : Keylor Navas (Costa Rica)

Best Oceania Goalkeeper : Mark Bosnich (Australia) 

 

Manuel Neuer (ranking at the 5th place), Thibaut Courtois (11th), Hugo Lloris (17th) and Keylor Navas (20th) are the only active Goalkeepers in the Top 20. Oblak (22), Ter Stefen (25), De Gea (27), Allison (32), Bravo (42) and Handanovic (44) are the only other active goalkeepers in the Top 50. So the year 2021  will be interesting to see the currently best world goalkeepers in the Top 3 (Neuer) and in the Top 10 (Courtois, Lloris )…


 

 IFFHS ALL TIME RANKING OF THE WORLD'S BEST GOALKEEPERS (1987-2020)

 

NameCountryPoints
1 - Gianluigi BUFFONItaly357
2 - Iker CASILLASSpain260
3 - Petr CECHCzech Republic218
4 - Edwin VAN DER SARNetherlands201
5 - Manuel NEUERGermany200
6 - Peter SCHMEICHELDenmark179
7 - Oliver KAHNGermany162
8 - Jose Luis Felix CHILAVERTParaguay146
9 - Walter ZENGAItaly132
10- Andoni ZUBIZARETTASpain132
11- Thibaut COURTOISBelgium130
12- Claudio TAFFARELBrazil130
13- Michel PREUDHOMMEBelgium124
14- Fabien BARTHEZFrance115
15- David SEAMANEngland114
16- Victor VALDESSpain113
17- Hugo LLORISFrance112
18- Nelson de Jesus e Silva DIDABrazil109
19- Vitor Manuel Martins BAIAPortugal94
20- Keylor NAVASCosta Rica93
21- Gianluca PAGLIUCAItaly90
22- Jan OBLAKSlovenia85
23- Francesco TOLDOItaly82
24- Jens LEHMANNGermany81
25- Andre TER STEGENGermany78
26- JULIO CESAR SoaresBrazil76
27- David DE GEASpain75
28- Bodo ILLGNERGermany71
28- Johannes VAN BREUKELENNetherlands71
30- Roberto Carlos ABBONDANZIERIArgentina68
31- Sergio GOYCOCHEAArgentina66
32- ALLISON BeckerBrazil64
32- Andreas KÖPKEGermany64
34- Jorge CAMPOSMexico62
34- Peter SHILTONEngland62
36- Thomas RAVELLISweden61
37- Rinat DASAEVRussia57
38- Angelo PERUZZIItaly56
38- Neville SOUTHALLWales56
40- Jose Manuel REINASpain54
41- Rogerio CENIBrazil53
42- Jose Santiago CANIZARESSpain51
42- Claudio BRAVOChile51
44- Jean Marie PFAFFBelgium49
44- Samir HANDANOVICSlovenia49
46- Jerzy DUDEKPoland48
47- Igor AKINFEEVRussia47
48- Oscar Eduardo CORDOBAColombia38
48- Bernard LAMAFrance38
48- Francisco Guillermo OCHOAMexico38