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From Iker Casillas to Victor Valdes and David de Gea to Jan Oblak, La Liga has produced some of the best goalkeepers in European football.
In any serious football team, the goalkeeping department is one of the most important.
Goalkeepers have been known to play pivotal roles in their teams' success. Modern football requires goalkeepers to do much more than just make saves. Goalkeepers are expected to be good with their feet. They are also used by teams to play out from the back, giving them a more technical role than before.
La Liga goalkeepers often possess great quality
As mentioned above, La Liga has produced some brilliant goalkeepers. Even currently, the league boasts some incredible goalkeepers who have either transferred in or been here forever.
From the current crop of goalkeepers plying their trade in the Spanish La Liga, a number have stood out as the best in the division. Without further ado, here is a list of the five best goalkeepers in La Liga in 2021.
#5 Yassine 'Bono' Bounou - Sevilla
In Yassine Bounou, Sevilla have a goalkeeper who oozes class and ability. The 30-year-old Morocco international has played most of his senior career in Spain and has learned most of his trade in the country.
Bono has a 78.6% save ratio in La Liga this season and has kept eight clean sheets in 16 appearances for Sevilla. Last season, he kept 15 clean sheets in 33 appearances and had a save ratio of 76%.
Bono has played a huge part in Sevilla's title chase in La Liga this season. The Moroccan has a 73.5% pass completion ratio this season and a 78.9% ratio in the 2020-21 season. In all competitions this year, Bono has kept 25 clean sheets in 49 appearances, conceding 41 goals.
Bono will be a huge miss for Sevilla in the early part of 2022 when he'll be away with the Morocco national team at the Africa Cup of Nations.
#4 Geronimo Rulli - Villarreal
Geronimo Rulli is finally at the stage of his career where he is settled and enjoying his football at Villarreal's Estadio de La Ceramica. Having emerged as a youngster in Spain with Real Sociedad, Rulli failed to reach the projected heights he was expected to. He was then signed by Villarreal in 2020 and it has been an upward graph for the Argentine.
This year has brought about a difference in his career. The 29-year-old Argentina international has a 72.9% save ratio in La Liga this season and has kept seven clean sheets in 16 outings. Rulli is an expert with the ball at his feet and has a passing accuracy of 82.9% this season in La Liga.
The goalkeeper played a key role as Villarreal claimed their first-ever trophy in 2021. He saved a penalty during the shoot-out win over Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League 2020-21 final. Rulli has established himself as one of the top goalkeepers in La Liga after a consistently strong start to life as Villarreal keeper.
#3 Unai Simon- Athletic Club
For the first time since Iker Casillas, Spain's #1 goalkeeper is based in La Liga. Unai Simon has excelled for Athletic Club since being thrust into action as a replacement for Chelsea-bound Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The 24-year-old Spaniard has been impressive for Athletic Club this season. He has helped keep them in the top half of the La Liga table. Unai Simon has kept six clean sheets in 15 appearances for Athletic Club in La Liga, maintaining a save ratio of 80%.
The goalkeeper has conceded 43 goals in 42 appearances for the club in La Liga and other domestic competitions, keeping 12 clean sheets.
Unai Simon is also adept with the ball at his feet, making him an ideal modern day goalkeeper. He has a 77.1% pass completion ratio and is quite good at building up play with short passes into his defenders. Simon is a top quality goalkeeper for Athletic Club and Spain and is one of the best in La Liga.
#2 Jan Oblak- Atletico Madrid
Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak has been, without a doubt, one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga and Europe as a whole over the last few years.
The Atletico Madrid man kept 18 clean sheets and had a save ratio of 81% last season en route to winning the Spanish La Liga title. Oblak has had a serious drop in form, hence his position on this list. Oblak has a save ratio of 51.3% with five clean sheets in the league this season.
While his shot-stopping stats have dropped, statistics show that Oblak has improved his passing, with his pass completion ratio at 70.2%. Despite his loss of form, Oblak remains one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga.
#1 Thibaut Courtois- Real Madrid
Thibaut Courtois had a hard time adapting in his early days as a Real Madrid player. However, he turned it around brilliantly. The Belgium international has become a key component of Carlo Ancelotti's side as he was for his predecessor Zinedine Zidane.
Courtois kept an impressive 17 clean sheets last season in La Liga as Real Madrid finished in second place. He has a 75.8% save ratio in La Liga this season and has kept seven clean sheets in 19 appearances for Los Blancos this season.
Courtois' consistency over the past year makes him the best goalkeeper in La Liga in 2021.
