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#3 Alisson Becker (Liverpool and Brazil)
After a string of mediocre goalkeepers following Pepe Reina's departure to Napoli in 2013, Liverpool finally found an adept replacement for the Spaniard in the form of Alisson Becker. Signed up for a world-record fee of €62.5m, Alisson has more than repaid every penny that the Reds have invested in him.
The Brazilian goalkeeper had an instant impact at Anfield, winning the Champions League in his debut season at Anfield. Under Jurgen Klopp, Alisson has transformed into arguably the best shot-stopper of the present time. In addition to his remarkable skills between the sticks, the former Roma goalkeeper offers a lot more in terms of on-field output. Alisson was responsible for providing 3.2 accurate long balls per game in the Premier League last season.
Not content with being a provider, the 28-year-old goalkeeper inexplicably scored a sensational header against West Bromwich Albion in the 95th minute, to rescue a cheeky 1-2 win for the Reds. Alisson's stock has skyrocketed ever since he swapped the Stadio Olimpico for Anfield in 2018. The Brazilian is currently the fourth most valuable goalkeeper in the world. And deservedly so.
#2 Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich and Germany)
The quintessential sweeper-keeper, Manuel Neuer has revolutionized the goalkeeper post in his 10 years with Bayern Munich. The German shot-stopper reintroduced the concept of a goalkeeper being deployed as an outfield player, after the era of Lev Yashin.
After spending three years under Pep Guardiola's tutelage, Neuer embraced his updated role with open arms and subsequently became an ideal role model for the younger goalkeepers. The former Schalke player has kept a mind-boggling 212 clean sheets in the 435 games he has played for Bayern Munich, with 14 of them coming in last season itself.
Following an abysmal 2018 World Cup and a serious injury to his left calf in 2019, many believed that Neuer's time at the top had finally come to an end.
However, the 35-year-old veteran goalkeeper staged an emphatic comeback, starring in the Bavarians' fabled sextuple-winning campaign in the 2019-20 season. Neuer's everlasting brilliance is the only reason behind Marc-André ter Stegen's paltry 25 international caps, despite the latter being one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
#1 Ederson (Manchester City and Brazil)
Finishing up in the first place is, predictably, a Guardiola goalkeeper. Bought from Benfica in 2017 for a sizeable fee of €40m, Ederson was labeled as a panic buy to replace the erratic Claudio Bravo. However, the Brazilian goalkeeper has turned out to be one of the most astute signings made by Manchester City in the Guardiola-era.
In his four seasons at the Etihad Stadium, Ederson has managed to rack up a commendable 95 clean sheets, only allowing 145 goals in 195 appearances with the Cityzens. However, the 28-year-old shot-stopper is widely known for excellent technique on the ball, rather than his efforts between the posts. Ederson also possesses a keen eye for passing coupled with outstanding distribution.
The Brazilian is an ideal Guardiola player and, as a consequence, has thoroughly flourished under the Catalan manager. Due to his superior ball control and fine reflexes, the former Benfica custodian was given the nod over Alisson in the Copa America 2021. Although the Seleção eventually lost the final to a resurgent Argentina side, Ederson proved to be an inspired selection choice by Tite.
Also read: 5 players who could score more goals than Lionel Messi this season (2021-22)
