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The 2017/18 season is coming to an end, and players are giving their best to get their hands on the individual awards.
Although awards like Ballon D'OR and Golden Boot get much of the attention,the race for the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award has attracted the attention of many this year. With Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer sidelined due to injury, this year is the chance for several young keepers to step into the limelight.
Awarded on the January of every year, Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon have the most wins with 5, while Manuel Neuer trails just behind with 4 wins. This time around, previously ignored names have broken out and have taken the world by storm with their sharp reflexes and lightning-quick dives.
Here's a look at the top 4 contenders leading the race for the prize:
#4 Ederson
Ever since his transfer from Benifica to Manchester City, he has been instrumental to Pep's Manchester City. After Claudio Bravo's disastrous first season, it was evident that there needed to be a new keeper in charge if City wanted to win the League - and what a different story it has been.
Ederson has been one of the main reasons behind Manchester City's success this season. A sweeper keeper who is never afraid of coming off his line, Ederson's passing and distribution is one of the best in the game. While this may catch him by surprise at times, the amount of dynamic choices he brings to the side make him a valuable asset.
This season, the Brazilian has 13 clean sheets in 29 games to his name in the PL. He has made 68 saves this season in all competitions and has conceded just 20 goals in the Premier League. He has also saved 3 penalties for Manchester City so far.
Ederson has risen above and beyond everyone's expectations and will be looking forward to show the world how good he is at the world cup, where he will represent Brazil.
#3 Marc-André ter Stegen
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (or MATS, as he is fondly called) is a player who keeps getting better and better with every game. He has made Barcelona rock solid at the back after becoming their new No.1 following the exit of Claudio Bravo from the side. A goal keeper with excellent reflexes, he is a strong contender for the award.
In addition to the World's Best Goalkeeper award, the German must also be looking forward to lifting the Ricardo Zamora trophy with 17 clean sheets in 28 games this season in La Liga. Marc has also made 86 saves this season in all competitions and has conceded only 13 goals in the La Liga.
Unfortunately, he is yet to save a penalty this year - but that's just because Barcelona went on a 74 game streak in La Liga without conceding a penalty until recently.
With Ter Stegen guarding the goal, Barcelona is surely a tough nut to crack. He will also be giving Neuer a tough challenge for the goalkeeper spot in Germany's squad at the world cup. It is a shame that he had to share the same era as Manuel Neuer, without whom he will be a shoo-in into the German line-up.
#2 Jan Oblak
Atletico Madrid are never short of great goalkeepers and Oblak is their most recent addition. Oblak is like a wall in front of the goal and is one of, if not the only reason for Atlético Madrid's great defensive form in recent years. He has been awarded with Ricardo Zamora trophy for the last 2 consecutive seasons and will be expecting to win a third soon.
The Slovenian has kept 18 clean sheets in 28 games in La Liga. He has conceded 12 goals this season, and made 94 saves in all competitions this season. He has also saved 2 penalties in La Liga this season.
Los Rojiblancos's goalkeeper is usually able to neutralize the threat of most opponent strikers and his ability to make himself big on during 1-on-1s sets him apart from the other keepers.
Oblak has helped Atletico Madrid reach the 2 spot in La Liga and will be a key prospect in helping them challenge Barcelona for the top spot.
#1 David de Gea
De Gea has been saving Manchester United in the recent seasons with his extraordinary saves and was rightfully awarded Manchester United's player of the season award for three years in a row until Ander Herrera won it last year.
Although conceding more goals as compared to the other three goalkeepers, his saves have been a class apart. In 30 appearances, the Spaniard has kept 15 clean sheets while conceding 23 goals in the PL. He has made 115 saves in all competitions this year but is still yet to save a penalty this year.
In the game vs Arsenal, he equaled the record for most saves in a Premier League game, by making 14 saves. De Gea has been the most consistent and in-form goalkeeper in recent times. He will be looking to emulate Iker Casillas' heroic displays in the world cup when he lines up as Spain's shot-stopper later this year in the WC.
