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The position of goalkeeper is one of the most specialised ones in a football field. A goalkeeper enjoys certain privileges that other outfield players don't.
Unlike an outfield player, a goalkeeper can use his hands inside his penalty box to keep the opposition from scoring while being the last line of defence for his team. For that reason, a mistake by a goalkeeper more often than not results in a goal for the opposition.
As the only mandatory position in a football field, a goalkeeper wears a different jersey compared to his teammates. When the starting goalkeeper is sent off, a substitute goalkeeper takes their place; but if a team exhausts its substitutions, an outfield player becomes the goalkeeper as the position cannot be left vacant.
Considering their unique vantage point on the field, it is not uncommon for teams to have the goalkeeper as their captain. Many successful club and national teams over the years have entrusted captaincy responsibilities on their goalkeepers. Some notable examples in this regard are Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich, Hugo Lloris of Tottenham Hotspur and Jose Luis Chilavert of Paraguay.
Ten most valuable active goalkeepers in world football
Goalkeepers have become an integral part in a team's buildup play in recent times, with the term 'sweeper-keeper' gaining popularity since the turn of the millenium.
The success of a goalkeeper often translates to success for the team. In this regard, goalkeepers can arguably be considered the most vital cog in a side, with more and more top sides willing to spend the big bucks for their last line of defence, which was not the case in the not too distant past.
On that note, let us have a look at the ten most expensive custodians who are active in the sport.
#10 Bernd Leno (Arsenal/Germany) - €32 million
Bernd Leno has been Arsenal's undisputed number one goalkeeper since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2018.
The 28-year-old, who appears for the London club in the Premier League, has kept 21 clean sheets in 74 games in all competitions for Arsenal. Leno recently drew praise from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp for his heroics in the EFL Cup where Arsenal eliminated the reigning league champions in a penalty shootout.
The German custodian had previously made his name at Bayer Leverkusen where he kept an impressive 100 clean sheets in 304 games in all competitions during a seven-season stint at the club.
Leno, who is currently the understudy of Manuel Neuer and Marc Andre Ter Stegen in the German national team, has kept two clean sheets in eight appearances for the four-time world champions.
#9 Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus/Poland) - €35 million
Poland number one Wojciech Szczesny keeps a clean sheet almost every two games in all competitions for Juventus, managing to shut out the opposition 46 times in 101 games so far - a tally that includes 33 clean sheets in the Serie A.
Of course, the former Arsenal and AS Roma man immensely benefits by having one of the sturdiest defences in Europe in front of him, but the 30-year-old's class and attributes are unmistakable.
Last season when the Bianconeri's defensive fallibilities came to the fore in an unfamiliar zonal-marking defensive system under Maurizio Sarri, Szczesny was left exposed more often than as is usually the case. Nevertheless, the keeper provided an emphatic statement of his pedigree by making the most saves in Serie A last season as he played a key role in Juventus lifting an unprecedented ninth consecutive league title.
Unsurprisingly, Szczesny is also the first choice goalkeeper for Poland, keeping 21 clean sheets in 47 games while conceding less than a goal per game.
#8 David de Gea (Manchester United/Spain) - €35 million
David de Gea may have had an underwhelming season with Manchester United last campaign considering his staggering standards, but the 29-year-old remains the first-choice goalkeeper for both club and country.
The former Atletico Madrid custodian has been one of the few shining lights at the Old Trafford club since the departure of the club's legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson. During a near decade-long stint at Old Trafford, De Gea has kept 143 clean sheets in 408 games in all competitions for the club.
The long-serving Manchester United number one may have hogged the limelight in recent times because of his prolonged indifferent form, But on his day De Gea is one of the best in the business, which explains why Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has not run out of patience with his goalkeeper.
Since making his debut for Spain in 2014, De Gea has kept 21 clean sheets in 45 games in all competitions for La Furia Roja, a tally that comprises of 16 shutouts in 31 competitive fixtures.
#7 Andre Onana (Ajax/Cameroon) - €36 million
Andre Onana is one of the brightest young goalkeepers in the game at the moment.
The 24-year-old Cameroon international has made his name at Eredivisie side Ajax where he has kept an impressive 76 clean sheets in 182 games in all competitions. Onana's exploits, particularly in the last two seasons, have been instrumental in Ajax's successful domestic campaigns.
The Ajax goalkeeper has also kept eight clean sheets in 15 appearances for Cameroon.
#6 Ederson (Manchester City/Brazil) - €56 million
Since his arrival at the Etihad in the summer of 2017, Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson.has been a key player in Pep Guardiola's setup.
The Brazilian kept 37 clean sheets in 74 Premier League games as City won consecutive English league titles. However, despite contributing with another 17 shutouts in the next season, the defending champions were comfortably second best against a rampaging Liverpool.
The 28-year-old is renowned for his lightning-quick reflexes, shot-stopping abilities and penalty-saving prowess.
The former Benfica custodian is currently Brazil's second-choice goalkeeper behind compatriot Alisson Becker who plies his trade for Premier League champions Liverpool.
#5 Gianluigi Donarumma (AC Milan/Italy) - €60 million
At 21, Gianluigi Donarumma has already played over a 100 Serie A matches for AC Milan and is Italy's undisputed number one as well.
The young goalkeeper, who has earned quite a reputation for stopping penalties, has kept at least 11 Serie A clean sheets in each of his five seasons with the Rossoneri, tallying 77 shutouts in 209 games in all competitions.
Since the retirement of his namesake Gianluigi Buffon, Donnarruma, unsurprisingly, has also been a fixture with the Azzurri, keeping nine clean sheets in 20 games.
Considered the long-term successor of the legendary Buffon, Donnarumma has impressive physical strength, technical abilities, composure and decision-making prowess for a player who hasn't yet celebrated his 22nd birthday.
#4 Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona/Germany) - €75 million
Marc-Andre ter Stegen has made quite a name for himself with La Liga giants Barcelona despite having limited appearances for Germany due to the presence of Manuel Neuer.
The 28-year-old former Borussia Monchengladbach custodian has kept an impressive 100 clean sheets in only 236 competitive games for the Blaugrana.
Ter Stegen is one of the finest ball-playing goalkeepers in the game today. In a La Liga game against Mallorca last season, the German custodian had a staggering 94% pass-completion success, making 64 of 68 passes, which was the most by a goalkeeper in a Spanish top-flight game in one and a half decades.
The Barcelona goalkeeper is renowned for his agility, reflexes, shot-stopping ability, composure in one-on-one situations and prowess in playing the ball out from the back.
It could only be a matter of time before Ter Stegen, who has kept nine clean sheets in 25 games for Germany, becomes a permanent fixture in Joachim Loew's squad.
#3 Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid/Belgium) - €75 million
Thibaut Courtois, widely known as one of the best active goalkeepers in the sport, took his time to get going at his new club before he stamped his class last season to inspire Real Madrid to their first La Liga title in three years.
The former Chelsea custodian, who kept a league-high 18 clean sheets last campaign, was a key component in a frugal Real Madrid defence that conceded only 25 La Liga goals all season.
Courtois has seemingly carried on from where he left off by keeping three clean sheets in four games this season.
Incredibly agile for his height, the Real Madrid first-choice goalkeeper, who has also excelled at Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, is one of the finest keepers in the game and has a keen positional sense, impressive reflexes and undoubtedly excellent shot-stopping prowess.
The 6' 6" goalkeeper is also one of the key components of Belgium's Golden Generation, keeping a staggering 42 clean sheets in 79 games for the world's top-ranked national team - a tally that comprises 34 shutouts in 58 competitive fixtures.
#2 Alisson Becker (Liverpool/Brazil) - €80 million
Alisson Becker, more popularly known simply by his first name, is one of the permanent fixtures in Jurgen Klopp's all-conquering Liverpool side.
The successful sweeper-keeper has excellent positional awareness, reactions, consistency and aerial prowess, which undoubtedly makes him a key component for the Anfield club that has won the Premier League and Champions League titles in the last two seasons.
Since his arrival from AS Roma in the summer of 2018, Alisson has kept a clean sheet once every two games for Liverpool (45 in 92).
The 6' 3" goalkeeper has also impressed in Brazil colours, keeping 30 clean sheets in only 44 games. for whom he starred in a successful Copa America campaign last year.
#1 Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid/Slovenia) - €90 million
Atletico Madrid's long-serving goalkeeper Jan Oblak has been the epitome of consistency since joining the Rojiblancos in the summer of 2014.
Like all top goalkeepers in the game, Oblak has excellent shot-stopping skills, aerial prowess and incredible reflexes.
In his sixth season in the Spanish top-flight last campaign, the Slovenian international reached the landmark of 100 La Liga clean sheets in only his 182nd match, lowering the previous mark of Miguel Reina by a staggering 40 games.
The 27-year-old has also been impressive in international football, keeping 16 clean sheets in only 32 games for Slovenia who missed out on Euro 2020 qualification by finishing fourth in their qualifying group.
