|
|
Goal.com Poll: Who Is The Best Goalkeeper In The World?
Here's kicking off a series of polls, which will eventually see the whole of India create their own dream team. It's always wiser to start from the back, so we ask you to choose who you think is the best man between the sticks in football today...
12-Dec-2008 1:06:54 PM
Great teams are built on a solid backline, and the most important man
in that backline, the goalkeeper, is who we're talking about today. A
sad fact in the world of football today is that the goalkeeper isn't
given the credit due to him. All the awards are scooped up by strikers
or midfielders, and the 'keepers don't get that recognition, even from
the fans! So Goal.com asks the whole of India to vote for who they
think is the best goalkeeper in the world today, and tell us why in the
comments section below! Let's have a brief look at the contenders that
you have to choose from.
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus/Italy) - Who else, but Gigi himself? He's been pretty much the unanimous choice of critics and fans alike over the last five years or so, and noone can say it hasn't been deserved. His agility and reflexes are top notch, and he transmits a certain sense of calm throughout the team. He was a big reason for Italy winning the World Cup in 2006, and has become a legend at Juventus, as he stuck by them throughout the Calciopoli scandal. In short, he's our panel's favourite for this poll!
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid/Spain) - Another man considered by many to be the best in the business, Iker Casillas is the consumate professional. He's fully committed at all times, is a complete team man, and lets his performances speak for him. He's saved countless (literally) matches for Real Madrid, often playing behind a flimsy and leaky defence, and has been at the top of his game for the last 5-6 seasons. Still only 27, his best years are still ahead of him, which is an ominous sign for any striker facing up to this Euro winner.
Edwin Van Der Sar (Manchester United/Holland) - Frankly speaking, any sportsman who is still considered one of the best in the world at the age of 38, has to be someone special. In fact, Van Der Sar's best years as a glovesman have been after he turned 30. Also, he's been a proven winner at club level with Ajax and Manchester United, and is Holland's most capped footballer till date.
Jens Lehmann (VfB Stuttgart/Germany) - He might be past his best now, but at his peak, "Mad Jens" was a fantastic goalkeeper. He was eccentric in his ways, and definitely had his moments of madness. But more often than not, there was a method to it, and his shotstopping skills were second to none. His performances for Arsenal between 2003 and 2007 were top notch, especially in the 05-06 Champions League, where he went 853 minutes without conceding a goal, still a record in the competition.
Petr Cech (Chelsea/Czech Republic) - During Jose Mourinho's reign at Chelsea, everybody in England believed that Petr Cech was better than anybody else in his position, and one can't blame them for thinking so. He went a staggering 1025 minutes in the Premier League without conceding a goal, and also has the record number (25) of clean sheets in a single league season. He's been a model of consistency over the last four years, and has seen his stock rise each year. His career was in doubt after he suffered a dangerous head injury against Reading, but he returned as strong as ever, going this time, on a 810-minute run without conceding a goal!
Brad Friedel (Aston Villa/USA) - Brad Friedel isn't the most glamourous of choices, but if you've followed the English Premier League closely over the last decade, you would know just how many matches the American has single handedly saved for Blackburn Rovers. Also, he's been as consistent as ever, and has only missed a mere five matches in the last five years! He broke the record for most consecutive Premier League appearances in November this year, when he played his 167th straight league fixture against Fulham. He also played a major role in USA's World Cup run in 2002, which led to fans calling him "The Human Wall".
Pepe Reina (Liverpool/Spain) - If he was born in any other country in the world, he would have been an international stalwart, but due to the presence of a certain Iker Casillas, Jose Manuel Reina has been relegated to the bench for Spain ever since one can remember. His performances at club level for Villarreal and Liverpool, however, have been nothing short of outstanding. He's been awarded the Premier League's Golden Gloves award for three years in a row, and has consistently saved Liverpool a number of games, especially the crunch matches in the knockout phases of the Champions League and FA Cup.
Andres Palop (Sevilla/Spain) - He's another outsider in this poll, but all La Liga fans will know how much value he brings to the Sevilla side, and just like Reina, if he were of any other nationality, he would be playing regularly at the international level. The fact that three of the eight 'keepers in this poll are Spanish speaks volumes of their bench strength.
So vote now for YOUR favourite, and ensure that he gets selected in YOUR Goal.com Dream Team!
Goal.com
Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus/Italy) - Who else, but Gigi himself? He's been pretty much the unanimous choice of critics and fans alike over the last five years or so, and noone can say it hasn't been deserved. His agility and reflexes are top notch, and he transmits a certain sense of calm throughout the team. He was a big reason for Italy winning the World Cup in 2006, and has become a legend at Juventus, as he stuck by them throughout the Calciopoli scandal. In short, he's our panel's favourite for this poll!
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid/Spain) - Another man considered by many to be the best in the business, Iker Casillas is the consumate professional. He's fully committed at all times, is a complete team man, and lets his performances speak for him. He's saved countless (literally) matches for Real Madrid, often playing behind a flimsy and leaky defence, and has been at the top of his game for the last 5-6 seasons. Still only 27, his best years are still ahead of him, which is an ominous sign for any striker facing up to this Euro winner.
Edwin Van Der Sar (Manchester United/Holland) - Frankly speaking, any sportsman who is still considered one of the best in the world at the age of 38, has to be someone special. In fact, Van Der Sar's best years as a glovesman have been after he turned 30. Also, he's been a proven winner at club level with Ajax and Manchester United, and is Holland's most capped footballer till date.
Jens Lehmann (VfB Stuttgart/Germany) - He might be past his best now, but at his peak, "Mad Jens" was a fantastic goalkeeper. He was eccentric in his ways, and definitely had his moments of madness. But more often than not, there was a method to it, and his shotstopping skills were second to none. His performances for Arsenal between 2003 and 2007 were top notch, especially in the 05-06 Champions League, where he went 853 minutes without conceding a goal, still a record in the competition.
Petr Cech (Chelsea/Czech Republic) - During Jose Mourinho's reign at Chelsea, everybody in England believed that Petr Cech was better than anybody else in his position, and one can't blame them for thinking so. He went a staggering 1025 minutes in the Premier League without conceding a goal, and also has the record number (25) of clean sheets in a single league season. He's been a model of consistency over the last four years, and has seen his stock rise each year. His career was in doubt after he suffered a dangerous head injury against Reading, but he returned as strong as ever, going this time, on a 810-minute run without conceding a goal!
Brad Friedel (Aston Villa/USA) - Brad Friedel isn't the most glamourous of choices, but if you've followed the English Premier League closely over the last decade, you would know just how many matches the American has single handedly saved for Blackburn Rovers. Also, he's been as consistent as ever, and has only missed a mere five matches in the last five years! He broke the record for most consecutive Premier League appearances in November this year, when he played his 167th straight league fixture against Fulham. He also played a major role in USA's World Cup run in 2002, which led to fans calling him "The Human Wall".
Pepe Reina (Liverpool/Spain) - If he was born in any other country in the world, he would have been an international stalwart, but due to the presence of a certain Iker Casillas, Jose Manuel Reina has been relegated to the bench for Spain ever since one can remember. His performances at club level for Villarreal and Liverpool, however, have been nothing short of outstanding. He's been awarded the Premier League's Golden Gloves award for three years in a row, and has consistently saved Liverpool a number of games, especially the crunch matches in the knockout phases of the Champions League and FA Cup.
Andres Palop (Sevilla/Spain) - He's another outsider in this poll, but all La Liga fans will know how much value he brings to the Sevilla side, and just like Reina, if he were of any other nationality, he would be playing regularly at the international level. The fact that three of the eight 'keepers in this poll are Spanish speaks volumes of their bench strength.
So vote now for YOUR favourite, and ensure that he gets selected in YOUR Goal.com Dream Team!
Goal.com
Inside Goal.Com
-
Euro 2012 Group D: Stats to keep at your fingertips
With the final edition of the statistical overview, we take a look at hosts and heavyweights in Group D
-
Blast from the Past - Euro 1976 Final: Czechoslovakia 2(5)-(3)2 West Germany
This edition of Blast from the Past brings a highly eccentric clash between Czechoslovakia and Germany in the Euro 1976 Final.
-
Blast from the Past - Euro 1972 Semi-finals: Belgium 1-2 West Germany
In the latest piece of Blast from the Past, Goal.com takes a look at one of the best matches for the tournament's 1972 edition...
-
Poll: Who will be most missed at Euro 2012?
Several key players from the top teams in the competition will be absent from the Poland and Ukraine, but Goal.com asks whose loss from the tournament will be felt the greatest
-
The list of EPL targets from Euro 2012 Group A
With the transfer rumour mill set to kick into frenzy throughout this month's European Championship, Goal.com looks at which players could be heading for England this summer