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In a game where strikers take all the limelight, goalkeepers are the silent heroes, and are critical to a team's success. They do the tough job of keeping the opponents at bay, but are often overlooked.
When FIFA announced the 30-man shortlist for Ballon d'Or in October 2017, there were only 3 goalkeepers compared to 15 forwards, showing the popularity of strikers in world football.
Lev Yashin was the only goalkeeper ever to have won the Ballon d'Or (in 1963) since its inception in 1956, evidencing the fact that goalkeepers are often robbed of the credit they deserve.
We have seen and known some of the greatest goalkeepers like Oliver Kahn, Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, Gordon Banks and David Seaman, who have never won this coveted award.
We saw some great performances by goalkeepers over the last 12 months and some of them deserve utmost recognition.
That being said, let's see the 5 goalkeepers who deserve to win the Ballon d'Or this year:
#5 Keylor Navas (Real Madrid)
One of the unsung heroes of Real Madrid's success in 2016/17, Keylor Navas played a starring role in Real Madrid winning the UEFA Champions League and La Liga title this year. The 30-year-old struggled during his initial Madrid days, but has developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world right now.
He was the key player in Costa Rica's successful 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. He was also named in the three-man shortlist for "Goalkeeper of the Year" at the 2017 FIFA Awards, only to lose out to Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon and Bayern Munich shot-stopper Manuel Neuer.
He may not be the most celebrated goalkeepers in the world right now, but his on-field performances and the huge success with Real Madrid and Costa Rica makes him a worthy candidate.
#4 Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
One of the key members of Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid side, Jan Oblak has been one of the best goalkeepers in Europe over the last few years. Ever since his move from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2014, he not only replaced Thibaut Courtois, but has also played a key role in Atleti's great run in the 2015/16 UEFA Champions League.
He was the best goalkeeper in the 2016/17 La Liga season, allowing only 27 goals, helping Atletico Madrid to a top-3 finish in the Spanish league. He possesses lightning-quick reflexes and has made some unbelievable saves in La Liga and the Champions League for Atletico Madrid.
At only 24, Oblak has shown the grit and temperament of a seasoned campaigner and is named in the 30-man shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or. He faces a tough challenge from some of the other names on the list, but will definitely a deserving winner, if he does indeed win it.
#3 Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
He was unlucky to miss out on the 2015 Ballon d'Or, when he finished behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in third place, after playing a starring role in Germany's 2014 World Cup win in Brazil.
Neuer possesses great shot-stopping abilities, concentration, speed, and footwork. He is one of the best "sweeper-keepers" is world football right now, and is a great leader for Bayern Munich and the German national team. Again, this year, Manuel Neuer has been named in the 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist.
He won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich last season, and reached the quarter-finals of UEFA Champions League. He also played a key role in Germany's unbeaten 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, allowing only 4 goals in 10 games, deserving a shot at one of football's most coveted awards.
#2 David De Gea (Manchester United)
If there is one player in the squad that no Manchester United fan will blame for their poor last few seasons, then the name will definitely be David de Dea. He moved to Manchester United in 2011 to replace one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Edwin van der Sar, and has played a stellar role for the English giants ever since.
De Gea has incredible reflexes and has made some stunning saves from point-blank range. He uses his whole body to defend his goal and has strong legs. At 6'4", he is always a commanding presence for United between the sticks.
In a poor 2016/17 Premier League campaign, De Gea was the shining light for United and saved Jose Mourinho from embarrassment on quite a few occasions. He is on the 30-man shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or, and is a worthy candidate, but United's poor season will have a huge influence on his chances of winning it.
#1 Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
Acknowledged by many as the best goalkeeper of the 21st century, Gianluigi Buffon has been paying at the highest level for almost 22 years. One of the faithful servants of Juventus football club, Buffon has made 858 appearances in Serie A and 175 for the Italy national team.
In the 2016/17 campaign, Buffon won the Serie A and Coppa Italia with Juventus, in addition to finishing runners-up in the UEFA Champions League. Even at the age of 39, Buffon has produced some acrobatic dives for Juventus this season and has been an outstanding shot-stopper throughout his illustrious career with the ability to read the game perfectly.
He was unlucky not to win it in the past, but has a real chance of beating Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi this time. He is one of the most deserving players in the 30-man shortlist, and will feel really hard done if he misses out on Thursday.
