'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Gordon Banks
Gordon Banks is the best English goalkeeper of all time. Banks was at the top of his game during his spells at Leicester City and Stoke City during the 1960s and 1970s. He was England’s number 1 during their one and only FIFA World Cup glory in 1966.
Although Banks achieved World Cup success with England, he wasn’t as prolific at club level. Apart from a League Cup trophy each at Leicester and Stoke, he didn’t win any major honor at club level. Despite his club career lacking major silverware, the Englishman is dubbed as one of the greatest shot-stoppers of the 20th century.
The former Leicester City goalkeeper won the FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year award six consecutive times from 1966 to 1971. His breathtaking save against Brazil at the 1970 FIFA World Cup will forever stay in the memory of ardent fans of the game.
#2 Gianluigi Buffon
Gianluigi Buffon is the only active player on the list. The Italian legend has 123 Champions League appearances under his belt. The former Juventus shot-stopper has kept over 50 clean sheets in the competition and is one of the best keepers in UCL history.
Buffon has never won the Champions League despite all his individual success with Juventus. The failure to win the UCL lies solely on Juventus’ inability to overcome Barcelona and Real Madrid in 2015-16 and 2017-18, respectively.
At 44, Buffon continues to play football at Parma in Serie B. Having made his debut in 1995 for Parma, Buffon has nearly completed three decades of professional football. He may not have won the UCL, but Buffon is arguably one of the best goalkeepers of the 21st century due to his longevity.
#1 Lev Yashin
Lev Yashin is the only goalkeeper to win the coveted Ballon d’Or. The Black Spider spent his entire career with Dynamo Moscow, spanning two decades. In honor of the great goalkeeper, FIFA presents the Yashin Trophy to the best performing goalkeeper of the year.
Yashin saved a whopping 150 penalty kicks, which is an unbelievable figure to replicate in the modern era. He kept 270 clean sheets in 420 matches. His other achievements includes an Olympic Gold medal with the Soviet Union in 1956.
Although he didn’t win the FIFA World Cup with the Soviet Union, he did manage to secure the 1960 European Championships with Russia. Another major trophy that eluded the legendary shot-stopper was the European Cup. However, he won the European Goalkeeper of the Year award nine times.
