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Goalkeepers are known as the last line of defence, because their mistakes almost always don't go unpunished. For this reason, most top teams across the continent feature reliable goalkeepers who can be counted on to produce the goods and keep the opposing team from scoring.
It has been a trusted template for most successful teams in recent times. Last season, Real Madrid plotted their La Liga title triumph on the back of an uncharacteristic defensive resilience. Los Blancos conceded a league-low 25 goals thanks to the exploits of their Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who kept an impressive league-leading 18 clean sheets.
In Italy, Samir Handanovic's exploits - 13 clean sheets - helped Inter Milan to a creditable second place last season, while this campaign, Gianluigi Donnarumma's brilliant form has played a key role in AC Milan topping the Serie A table.
Serial Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich (13 goals conceded) may seem to be an anomaly in this regard, as the next five teams in the competition this season have all let in fewer goals. However, the Bavarian giants do have one of the world's best goalkeepers in Manuel Neuer.
On that note, let us have a look at the ten goalkeepers with the most clean sheets in the 2020-21 season.
10 goalkeepers with the most clean sheets in 2020-21 so far
In a surreal 2020-21 season, teams and players have had to endure one of the shortest-ever turnarounds in recent memory, as the previous season had a belated conclusion owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite most big teams unsurprisingly struggling to get going in the new season, a few have taken rapid strides owing to the sublime form of their goalkeepers.
Without further ado, let us have a look at the ten goalkeepers with the most clean sheets in all competitions in the ongoing season.
#10 Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg) - 5 clean sheets in 10 games
Koen Casteels has been a regular for Wolfsburg since the goalkeeper's arrival at the Bundesliga club in the summer of 2015.
The 28-year-old Belgian custodian, who made his professional debut at Genk more than a decade ago, has kept 49 clean sheets in over 150 games in all competitions for Wolfsburg.
Casteels has kept at least ten clean sheets in three of the last four seasons for his club. He has kept five clean sheets this season, three of them being in the Bundesliga and two apiece in Europa League qualifying and tournament proper.
The Belgian international made the Bundesliga Team of the week last month for his fine form.
#9 Ederson (Manchester City) - 6 clean sheets in 13 games
Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson has a key player for Manchester City since his arrival under Pep Guardiola in the summer of 2017.
The former Benfica custodian hit the ground running in his new surroundings, keeping 17 and 20 clean sheets respectively in consecutive seasons to help Manchester City win successive Premier League titles.
A rampaging Liverpool denied City a three-peat, but Ederson was a model of consistency in an otherwise disappointing season for City as the goalkeeper kept an impressive 17 clean sheets.
Despite City enduring a troubled start to their domestic campaign this season, the Brazilian goalkeeper has kept three clean sheets in the Premier League. However, Ederson has been more impressive in the Champions League, where he has conceded only one goal in five games.
#8 Roman Burki (Borussia Dortmund) - 6 clean sheets in 10 games
Roman Burki has been a standout performer for Borussia Dortmund since his arrival at the club in the summer of 2015.
The 30-year-old Swiss goalkeeper, who has kept an impressive 82 clean sheets in all competitions in over 200 games for BVB, is generally regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers in the Bundesliga.
The exploits of Burki have been pivotal in BVB mounting a robust challenge to mighty Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
The Swiss international has kept three clean sheets apiece in the Bundesliga (seven games) and Champions League (four games) this season.
#7 Rui Silva (Granada) - 7 clean sheets in 16 games
Rui Silva kept 12 clean sheets in the La Liga last season to help Granada finish seventh in the league table and qualify for the Europa League.
The 26-year-old, who is yet to debut for Portugal, has carried his good form into the 2020-21 season as well. Silva has kept three clean sheets in La Liga and has shut out the opposition in two games apiece in the Europa League qualifying and tournament proper.
The former CD National goalkeeper has kept a decent 15 clean sheets in 45 La Liga games and has been key in Granada punching above their weight in the competition.
#6 Mike Maignan (Lille) - 6 clean sheets in 16 games
Mike Maignan has grown by leaps and bounds since arriving at Lille from PSG in the summer of 2015. After taking his time to make his mark at his new surroundings, the 25-year-old goalkeeper became a first-team regular two seasons later.
Maginan kept only six clean sheets in 34 league games that season as Lille escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth. However, the Frenchman' stock has improved since then.
The Lille goalkeeper played all league games for his side the next season, keeping an impressive 15 clean sheets as the relegation battle of 2017-18 became a distant memory.
Maignan continued his good form in a truncated 2019-20 season to help his club qualify for Europe, with his exploits attracting interest from a bevy of clubs like Tottenham Hotspur.
The Frenchman has done his burgeoning reputation no harm by keeping six shutouts in 12 Ligue 1 games this season and one in the Europa League.
#5 Benoit Costil (Bordeaux) - 7 clean sheets in 12 games
After arriving from Stade Rennais at the start of the 2017-18 season, Benoit Costil has been a regular for Bordeaux.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper missed only three league games across the last three seasons, keeping an impressive 31 Ligue 1 clean sheets during this period.
Costil has kept a decent tally of 94 Ligue 1 clean sheets in over 300 games in the competition for three different clubs. He has engineered seven shutouts this season (all in Ligue 1).
#4 Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad) - 8 clean sheets in 14 games
Alex Remiro kept only six clean sheets (in 25 games) in La Liga last season. But the Real Sociedad goalkeeper has already equalled that tally after only 11 games this campaign, in the process taking his club atop the La Liga standings.
Remiro kept his first clean sheet of the season against defending champions Real Madrid, with the Sociedad goalkeeper frustrating Los Blancos on several occasions to earn a well-deserved point for his side.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper has since gone from strength to strength. He has orchestrated five shutouts in his next nine games in the competition to help Sociedad become the unlikely La Liga leaders ahead of the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
#3 Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid) - 8 clean sheets in 13 games
Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak has been one of the standout performers in Diego Simeone's team since his arrival from Benfica six years ago.
The 27-year-old Slovenian international is one of the best goalkeepers in the La Liga and has played a key role in the Rojiblancos earning a stingy defensive reputation.
Oblak has kept an impressive 20 or more La Liga clean sheets in three of his six seasons at the club. However, this season, the Atletico goalkeeper has taken it up a notch.
In one of the best starts to the season in recent memory, second-placed Atletico Madrid have kept seven clean sheets in nine La Liga games thanks to the brilliance of their goalkeeper Oblak.
However, in the Champions League, the Rojiblanco goalkeeper has been less stellar and has managed to keep out the opposition only once in five games.
#2 Keylor Navas (PSG) - 8 clean sheets in 12 games
After winning three successive Champions League titles at Real Madrid, Keylor Navas arrived at PSG last summer and has taken no time to hit his stride.
The 33-year-old Costa Rican goalkeeper kept 11 clean sheets in a truncated 2019-20 Ligue 1 season to help the French club successfully defend their league title.
Even in the Champions League, the PSG goalkeeper was at his imperious best, keeping five shutouts in nine games before he was denied a fourth Champions League title in five years by a rampaging Bayern Munich in the final.
Navas has seemingly continued from where he left off last season, conceding in just two of eight league games as PSG once again look like the team to beat in France. His two other clean sheets this season have come in the Champions League.
#1 Edouard Mendy (Chelsea) - 9 clean sheets in 12 games
Edouard Mendy has been like a breath of fresh air since his arrival at Chelsea this summer.
The 28-year-old Senegal international has instantly transformed Chelsea's beleaguered defence, with Mendy managing five shutouts in the Premier League and four in the Champions League.
The performances of Mendy between the sticks has consigned the frailties of Kepa Arrizabalaga to distant memory. Lampard's men have emerged as one of the genuine title contenders in the Premier League this season.
