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Gone are the days when goalkeepers were only expected to make stops. In the modern era, football has become more complex, and a lot is now demanded from goalkeepers.
With many teams building up plays from the back, goalkeepers need to possess good passing skills and be comfortable in possession. They also need to up their distribution skills and heading prowess. In fact, it has become important for them to add ball-playing skills to their repertoire as well.
A few goalkeepers have stood up to the challenge and added the above attributes to their arsenal over the years. They are now so good that they may not have problems playing as outfield players. On that note, let us have a look at five goalkeepers who could play as outfield players:
#5 Keylor Navas
Keylor Navas has been one of the top goalkeepers in Europe over the last few years.
The Costa Rican is well-known for producing incredible performances between the sticks to keep the finest attackers at bay. However, aside from his goal-saving prowess, another aspect that makes the PSG custodian stand out is his ball-playing abilities.
Navas is calm and confident in possession. His passes are spot on; he rarely makes mistakes with the ball at his feet and also possesses decent vision to spot his teammates.
Despite featuring between the sticks, the former Real Madrid goalkeeper doesn't shy away from setting up goals for his team. He is certainly one of the few custodians who could thrive as an outfield player.
#4 Ederson Moraes
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola requires his goalkeepers to possess decent ball-playing skills, as his system requires building up plays from the back. In Ederson, the Spaniard found just what he wanted.
Ederson has been Guardiola's undisputed no. 1 between the sticks since signing him from Benfica in 2017.
The goalkeeper excels in connecting with his defenders to build up plays from the back. His passing, vision, calmness and composure in possession is second to none. He provided an assist against Tottenham Hotspur in a league game last season.
Ederson also possesses sharp dribbling skills. He's not afraid to use them on opposition attackers when the situation demands. The Brazilian rarely commits errors, and doesn't shy away from ground duels outside the box.
#3 Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is another custodian who could thrive in an outfield role. That's because of his incredible ball-playing prowess. The German has proved his effectiveness with the ball over the last few years, helping Barcelona implement their possession-based style of play.
Ter Stegen possesses immense confidence, intelligent movement and decent distribution skills. His vision and passing ability mean he could thrive when played as a midfielder.
The German made headlines when he set up Luis Suarez's goal against Getafe during a La Liga game on September 28, 2019. He repeated the feat just three months later, teeing up Antoine Griezmann to score in Barcelona's 5-2 victory over Mallorca in December 2019. That speaks volumes of what he could do if deployed in an advanced role on the pitch.
#2 Alisson Becker
There are not many goalkeepers who can claim to have scored in a professional football match in their careers, much less doing so in the Premier League. However, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker achieved that feat earlier this year.
The Brazilian dominated headlines when he scored a 95th-minute header to help the Reds to a key 2-1 victory over West Brom on May 16. By doing so, he became the sixth goalkeeper to score in the Premier League and the first-ever Liverpool goalkeeper to score in a competitive game.
That goal was only the cherry on the cake. Alisson's ability to impress in outfield areas is the real deal. The 29-year-old is one of the finest ball-playing goalkeepers in the world right now. He has the composure, confidence and ability to thrive in advanced areas.
#1 Manuel Neuer
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is one of the few goalkeepers in the football who would not look out of place as an outfield player. In fact, the German is in a class of his own, having displayed his incredible ball-playing skills with the Bavarians for years now.
Manuel Neuer dribbles like an attacker. He has left many strikers chasing dust when they attempted to press him. His confidence, movement, vision, passing and composure are second to none.
Neuer has six assists in his career for club and country, including one he provided for Germany's opening goal against England in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
