The Premier League is always home to the best talents, not only in attack but also in the goalkeeper position. Top goalkeepers are not only those who protect the goal but also the warriors who decide the outcome of the match with their amazing saves. In this article, Bestsoccertips.com will review the top 10 goalkeepers in the premier league, the names that have left a deep impression on fans with their quick reflexes, composure and great influence in each match.
Top 10 goalkeepers in the Premier League
1. Brad Friedel
Bradley Howard Friedel, an American coach and former goalkeeper, is one of the legends of the Premier League. During his career, he played 84 matches for the United States national team. Friedel stands out with an impressive Premier League record, when he played 310 consecutive matches, an admirable achievement. He is known for his excellent performances for clubs such as Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
Friedel is not only famous for his long-term achievements but also for being a player who has had a great influence on each team he has played for. He is Aston Villa’s oldest player and continued to play for Tottenham at the age of 40. By the end of his Premier League career, Friedel had made a total of 450 appearances, setting a record for players from North or South America. This achievement is not only a testament to his technical ability but also to his perseverance and dedication throughout his career.
2. David James
David Benjamin James was born on 1 August 1970 and is a former English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently the manager of Kerala Blasters FC in the Indian Super League and a football pundit for BT Sport. With 572 senior appearances, James is fourth in Premier League history, and held the record for clean sheets (170) until he was surpassed by Petr Čech. He also made 53 appearances for England and was the first goalkeeper selected for Euro 2004 and the 2010 World Cup.
David James, appointed an MBE in his 2012 birthday honour, is renowned for his shot-stopping abilities but has also had his share of unfortunate mistakes. He played for Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City, and finally Portsmouth in 2010.
3. Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer (born 6 October 1972) is an Australian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He began his career at Marconi Stallions, then moved to Germany before moving to England and playing for Bradford City, Middlesbrough, and finally Fulham. Schwarzer joined Chelsea in 2013 and became the oldest player to play in the UEFA Champions League.
Mark Schwarzer is the only Australian player to reach 500 Premier League appearances and holds the record for most caps for the Australian national team (109). He played in two World Cups and retired after winning the Premier League with Leicester City in the 2015–16 season.
4. Robert Green
Robert Green (born 18 January 1980) is an English former goalkeeper, who played for Norwich City, West Ham United, Queens Park Rangers and Leeds United. He began his career at Norwich City, winning the PFA Player of the Year award as they were promoted to the Premier League in 2003–04. He then played for West Ham, helping them win promotion via the Championship play-offs in 2012. He went on to play for QPR and Leeds United before retiring in 2019.
In his international career, Green made his England debut in 2005 and played at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where he started as a starting goalkeeper but made an error against the United States. He was also in the England squad for UEFA Euro 2012. After joining Leeds United in 2016, Green put in an impressive performance, saving a penalty and keeping a clean sheet in a win over Sheffield Wednesday.
5. Thomas Sorensen
Thomas Sørensen (born 12 June 1976) is a Danish former goalkeeper who enjoyed a long career in the Premier League. He began his career with Odense BK, then impressed on loan at Vejle Boldklub and Svendborg, before joining Sunderland in 1998. At Sunderland, Sørensen quickly established himself as a first-choice goalkeeper, spending five years there. He moved to Aston Villa in 2003 for £2 million, where he remained until his sacking in 2008 under manager Martin O’Neill.
After Aston Villa, Sørensen joined Stoke City, where he established himself as first-choice goalkeeper and helped the club maintain their Premier League status for three seasons. He finished his playing career at Melbourne City in Australia, having made a total of 364 Premier League appearances, becoming Denmark’s most capped goalkeeper in the competition.
On the international front, Sørensen was Denmark’s starting goalkeeper from 2000 to 2012, replacing the legendary Peter Schmeichel. He won 101 caps for the national team and played in several major tournaments, including UEFA Euro 2000, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2004 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. One of the most memorable moments of his international career was when he saved a penalty in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Sweden, helping Denmark to a 1–0 win. Sørensen was also the starting goalkeeper for the 2010 World Cup campaign, where Denmark were eliminated in the group stage.
6. Simon Mignolet
Simon Mignolet (born 6 March 1988) is a Belgian goalkeeper who plays for Club Brugge and the Belgium national football team. Mignolet began his career at Sint-Truiden, where he made 100 appearances in six years. He joined Sunderland in 2010 for a fee of £2 million and then moved to Liverpool in 2013 for a fee of £9 million. Mignolet has represented Belgium at youth level and made his senior debut in 2011. He attended the 2014 and 2018 World Cups but did not feature in either tournament.
At Sunderland, Mignolet impressed with his excellent saves, especially against Manchester City. He became the official goalkeeper of the Belgian national team in 2011, participating in Euro 2012 qualifiers and friendlies, however, he lost his place to Thibaut Courtois in 2012-2013. Mignolet continued to be a reserve choice in two World Cups, helping Belgium to third place at the 2018 World Cup.
7. Edwin van der Sar
Edwin van der Sar (born 29 October 1970) is one of the most outstanding goalkeepers in football history, famous for his international career and clubs such as Ajax, Juventus, Fulham, and Manchester United. He was the most capped player for the Netherlands national football team until he was surpassed by Wesley Sneijder in 2017. Van der Sar won the UEFA Champions League with Ajax in 1995 and Manchester United in 2008, and the UEFA Cup with Ajax in 1992. He was also named European Goalkeeper of the Year in 1995 and 2009.
Van der Sar joined Manchester United in 2005 for a fee of £2 million, and quickly established himself as one of the club’s best goalkeepers. He was instrumental in many victories, including saving a penalty in Manchester United’s win over Manchester City in 2007 and saving three penalties in the 2007 FA Community Shield. He signed a new contract with Manchester United in December 2008, keeping him at the club until at least the 2009–10 season.
8. Heurelho Gomes
Heurelho da Silva Gomes (born 15 February 1981) is a former Brazilian goalkeeper, who played for clubs such as PSV Eindhoven, Tottenham Hotspur and Watford. Gomes began his career at Cruzeiro in Brazil, before joining PSV in 2004, where he helped the club win four consecutive Eredivisie titles and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in 2004–05. Gomes also made 11 appearances for Brazil between 2003 and 2010, and was part of the squad that took part in the 2010 World Cup.
Gomes joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2008 for a fee of £7.8 million, but his career was marred by costly errors, including an own goal and a weak shot in a defeat to Aston Villa. These mistakes damaged his reputation, leading to a change in Tottenham’s goalkeeping coaching staff.
9. Ali Al-Habsi
Ali Abdullah Harib Al-Habsi (born 30 December 1981) is an Omani former goalkeeper, best known for his playing career at Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic. Al-Habsi joined Bolton in 2006, and although he did not make an appearance in his first season, he made an impressive debut in 2007 and continued to play for the club in the 2007–08 season. He then joined Wigan Athletic in 2011, where he distinguished himself with his penalty-saving ability, saving around 50% of the penalties he faced.
Throughout his career, Al-Habsi has stopped many penalties from the likes of Robin van Persie and Carlos Tevez, which has led to links with big clubs such as Liverpool and Arsenal. In 2014, he joined Brighton & Hove Albion on loan but only played one game before returning to Wigan.
10. David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman (born 19 September 1963) is an English former goalkeeper, most notably for Arsenal from 1981 to 2004. He was capped 75 times by the England national team, second only to Peter Shilton in terms of appearances. Seaman won three league titles, four FA Cups, the League Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup with Arsenal, and also played at the World Cup and European Championships. In 1997, he was awarded an MBE for services to football.
Seaman is best known for his impressive save from Paul Peschisolido in the 2002 FA Cup semi-final, and for setting a Guinness World Record for his save from 102.5m. However, he has also made two major errors, including the goal conceded in the 1995 Cup Winners’ Cup Final and the goal conceded from Ronaldinho’s free-kick at the 2002 World Cup. After retiring in 2004 due to injury, he has been a goalkeeping coach at Wembley since 2012.
Conclusion
The top 10 goalkeepers in the Premier League are not only talented goalkeepers but also symbols of endurance and excellence in every save. They not only play an important role in the team but also provide reliable stoppers in decisive moments. Ranking these goalkeepers gives fans an overview of the outstanding names, contributing greatly to the success of these prestigious clubs and tournaments.
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