The Premier League is blessed with some of the best goalkeepers in football. But who’s the most effective goalkeeper from the English Premier League? Find out here on Give Me Sport as we review the top 10 shot-stoppers in England’s top league. Check the Top 10 Best Goalkeepers in Premier League History.
The Premier League has always been famous for its great players behind the ball. When you think of the greatest players of all time, Peter Schmeichel, Petr Cech, Edwin van der Sar, David Seaman, and Jens Lehmann are all in mind. Here is a Ranking of the Best Goalkeepers in Premier League History see below.
Top 10 Best Goalkeepers in Premier League History
The position of goalkeeper has changed during the Premier League’s 30-year existence. Today’s goalkeepers are expected to resemble outfield players who can manage the ball, pass it accurately, and defend more effectively from goal-line attacks through “sweeping up” opposition attacks. They are also fitter than goalkeepers in the 1990s.
Goalkeeper made it to the Premier League. These Best goalkeepers have played many games and won many leagues. Here is the list of the Ranking Best Goalkeepers in Premier League History.
10. Thibaut Courtois – Chelsea:
| Nickname | The Octopus |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 11 May 1992 |
| Age | 31 years |
| Birth place | Bree |
| Country | Belgium |
| Education and school | Not Available |
| Height | 2.00 m |
| Weight | 96 Kg |
| Family Details | Not Available |
Thibaut Courtois would rank higher on this list had he seen more action in the Premier League. When he arrived in 2011, Petr Cech was still Chelsea’s go-to goalie, so Courtois was sent on loan to Atletico Madrid for three seasons before returning for four more at Chelsea before ultimately heading over to Real Madrid.
During his time at Chelsea, Courtois won two Premier Leagues, an FA Cup, and League Cup. Additionally, he earned the Golden Glove award for the cleanest sheets recorded in 2017. Courtois is an accomplished modern goalkeeper with few weaknesses. His height allows him to reach more shots than other keepers can, and he excels in one-on-one situations.
9. Petr Cech – Czech Republic – Chelsea:
| Nickname | Big Pete |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 20 May 1982 |
| Age | 41 years |
| Birth place | Pilsen Czechia |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Education and school | Birthplace |
| Height | 1.96 m |
| Weight | 92 Kg |
| Family Details | Mother Name Libuše Čechová, and father Name Václav Čech. Both are retired athletes. Čech elder sister name Markéta. |
Petr Cech was born on the 20th of May, 1982, and was a Czech professional footballer and Goalkeeper. Many coaches and other players identified him as one of the most successful Goalkeepers in European the history of Europe.
The huge Chelsea and the Czech Republic Goalkeeper were one of the most consistent and impressive shoot-stoppers of his time. Many believe Petr Cech was among the top three Goalkeepers of the game on Planet Football for the period. After his transfer 2004 from Rennes to Chelsea in 2004.
8. Gordon Banks – England- Leicester City:
| Nickname | Banks of England |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 30 December 1937 |
| Age | 81 years |
| Birth place | Abbeydale, Sheffield |
| Country | English |
| Education and school | Not Available |
| Height | 1.83 m |
| Weight | 84 Kg |
| Family Details | Not Available |
Gordon Banks, born on 30 December 1937, was a famous English footballer who played for England’s national team. In December 2015, it was revealed that Banks was undergoing treatment for kidney cancer. Banks passed away on the 12th of February 2019 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, at 81.
Banks will be remembered for his historic save during the 1970 World Cup finals in Mexico. In the managed to force Pele’s goal-bound shot across the goal line in what many experts believe is the greatest save in football history.
7. Hugo Lloris – Tottenham Hotspur:
| Nickname | Saint Lloris |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 26 December 1986 |
| Age | 36 years |
| Birth place | Nice |
| Country | France |
| Education and school | Not Available |
| Height | 1.88 m |
| Weight | 82 Kg |
| Family Details | Not Available |
Before Hugo Lloris arrived at Spurs in 2012, he enjoyed an outstanding reputation from playing in France for Nice and Lyon. Additionally, since 2009 he has been the number-one goalkeeper for France, with over 140 caps to his name.
ALSO READ: Top 10 Best Goalkeepers in La Liga History
At Spurs, Lloris has reached two League Cup finals and one Champions League final without ever winning any silverware with them. But his skill was evident when France won the 2018 World Cup; indeed, he proved himself a talented shot-stopper with agile and quick reflexes and paced off his line.
6. Peter Schmeichel – Denmark – Manchester United:
| Nickname | The Great Dane |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 18 November 1963 |
| Age | 59 years |
| Birth place | Søborggård parish of Gladsaxe |
| Country | Denmark |
| Education and school | Not Available |
| Height | 1.93 m |
| Weight | 96 Kg |
| Family Details | Not Available |
Peter Boleslaw Schmeichel, born on 18 November 1963. He was an ex-professional player who was Goalkeeper for the English team Manchester United and Denmark national team.
He is famous for his impressive appearance in the penalty box when confronted by a player on the move. Schmeichel played in 292 games between 1991 to 1999. He won five league titles before his moment of glory during his final match at Old Trafford. Which fittingly came in his final game with the Red Devils.
5. Edwin Van Der Sar – The Netherlands – Manchester United:
| Nickname | het ijskonijn” aka “The Ice Rabbit |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 29 October 1970 |
| Age | 52 years |
| Birth place | Voorhout |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Education and school | Not Available |
| Height | 1.98 m |
| Weight | 87 Kg |
| Family Details | Wife name Annemarie van Kesteren they have two children |
Edwin van der Sar born was 29 October1970, in Voorhout, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. He began in the professional game with Ajax in 1990 and then played for the massive Dutch club for nine years. Van der Sar played for Ajax, Juventus, and Fulham.
Van der Sar played for Fulham, Juventus, Ajax, and Manchester United. He had crowned the Champions League with Ajax in 1995. And again with United in 2008 when the team was awarded Man of the Match.
4. Brad Friedel – Tottenham Hotspur
| Nickname | The Human Wall |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 18 May 1971 |
| Age | 52 years |
| Birth place | Lakewood, Ohio |
| Country | United States |
| Education and school | Not Available |
| Height | 1.93 m |
| Weight | 92 Kg |
| Family Details | Not Available |
Friedel earned himself the record for most consecutive appearances (310). Furthermore, his 450 appearances ranked as the highest total ever for an American player. At 42, Friedel became one of the oldest players ever to grace the Premier League.
This impressive achievement spoke volumes about his fitness when he played his last match for Tottenham (following an injury to Hugo Lloris). Friedel won the League Cup with Blackburn Rovers in 2002 and led his side to victory. Additionally, he collected the cleanest sheets in 2003 (pre “Golden Glove” award creation in 2005). As such, his peers honored him with inclusion into their PFA Team of the Year squad.
3. Shay Given – Manchester City:
| Nickname | The Horse |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 20 April 1976 |
| Age | 47 years |
| Birth place | Lifford |
| Country | Ireland |
| Education and school | Not Available |
| Height | 1.85 m |
| Weight | 84 Kg |
| Family Details | Not Available |
Shay Given’s career spans nearly all of Premier League history, though he did not become a starter until joining Newcastle in 1997. While with them, he made two FA Cup finals – 1998 for them and 2015 with Aston Villa. Given also won an FA Cup trophy with Manchester City in 2011.
Given was widely respected as a top goalkeeper and was twice selected in the PFA team of the year (2002 and 2006). Outside of Premier League duties, Given earned 134 caps for Ireland’s national team.
2. Pepe Reina – Liverpool:
| Nickname | José Reina |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 31 August 1982 |
| Age | 40 years |
| Birth place | Madrid |
| Country | Spain |
| Education and school | Not Available |
| Height | 1.88 m |
| Weight | 92 Kg |
| Family Details | Not Available |
Although his Liverpool career eventually faltered, Pepe Reina was the undisputed best goalkeeper in the Premier League for several years – winning three consecutive Golden Glove awards (2006-2008) and boasting an outstanding clean-sheet rate (46%). His clean sheet rate on this list is also among the best among goalkeepers.
Reina won three trophies at Liverpool, including the FA Cup and League Cup, and reached the 2007 Champions League final. Additionally, Aston Villa played in a League Cup final in 2020 as well. Renowned as an excellent sweeper keeper known for being “good with his feet,” Reina proved a masterful penalty saver.
1. David de Gea – Manchester United:
| Nickname | Blondie |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Date of Birth | 7 November 1990 |
| Age | 32 years |
| Birth place | Madrid |
| Country | Spain |
| Education and school | Not Available |
| Height | 1.92 m |
| Weight | 82 Kg |
| Family Details | Not Available |
De Gea was only 20 when he joined Manchester United from Atletico Madrid, yet he has maintained his spot for over 10 years – a testament to his quality. At United, David de Gea has won many prestigious trophies: Premier League (2013), FA Cup (2018), and two League Cups – and has been chosen to the PFA Team of Year five times.
Additionally, he received the Golden Glove Award. David de Gea is well-known for using his long legs to stop shots with his feet, enabling him to make instinctive saves that other goalkeepers cannot “get down” for with their hands. This video displays some of his more striking saves.
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