Greatest Goalkeeper of all Time?

Greatest Goalkeeper of all Time?

  • Banks

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Barthez

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Buffon

    Votes: 9 23.7%
  • Casillas

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Cech

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Chilavert

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Courtoiz

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Kahn

    Votes: 3 7.9%
  • Lehmann

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Maier

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Neuer

    Votes: 5 13.2%
  • Preud'homme

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Schmeichel

    Votes: 7 18.4%
  • Schumacher

    Votes: 1 2.6%
  • Seaman

    Votes: 1 2.6%
  • Shilton

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Taffarel

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Van Der Sar

    Votes: 2 5.3%
  • Yashin

    Votes: 10 26.3%
  • Zoff

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    38
  • Poll closed .

Evilo

Registered User
Mar 17, 2002
61,956
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It does appear that way but I question whether the same team of scouts that targeted Schmeichel way back then is the same that targeted De Gea all those years later. It’s true that there have been mostly studs in there though. Barthez not withstanding.
And yet Barthez might be one of the best goalies they ever had.
 

gary69

Registered User
Sep 22, 2004
8,181
1,602
Then and there
I realize that voters are a younger crowd on this board, but I don't really see much difference between Zoff and Buffon, either in ability or achievements.
 
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Evilo

Registered User
Mar 17, 2002
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I don’t think his performances there could be ranked above or near Schmeichel, Van der Sar or De Gea at least.
Sure, he didn't perform like he should have with United, not disputing that. But they bought him as the best goalie in the world. He was key to WC win, CL win and EC win. Everytime as a major factor. That's quite a resume.
 
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The Abusement Park

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Does it really take a genius scout to recognize DDG talent though?

I mean how many talented young players end up being the best of be best? I mean Donnaruma was supposed be a see shot top tier goalie at 17. And now he’s struggling. I mean he can turn it around, he has the talent. But you gotta find the right young players to buy.
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

In the hands of Genius
Aug 8, 2006
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I mean how many talented young players end up being the best of be best? I mean Donnaruma was supposed be a see shot top tier goalie at 17. And now he’s struggling. I mean he can turn it around, he has the talent. But you gotta find the right young players to buy.

DDG won a Europa prior to joining Man u. Donnaruma is 19 2 years younger than DDG when he joined Man u and struggled hard.
 

Fighter

Registered User
Jan 1, 2004
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Trieste, Italy
Only Yashin can get close to Buffon, and the latter is my choice. He has won everything except the CL and has been at the top for 20 years: nuff said!
 

The Abusement Park

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DDG won a Europa prior to joining Man u. Donnaruma is 19 2 years younger than DDG when he joined Man u and struggled hard.

No I know. I’m just saying there’s plenty of young can’t miss talent that doesn’t pan out. It may seem easy in hindsight but still gotta find the guys that aren’t just promising.
 

Evilo

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Mar 17, 2002
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Buffon should have won Ballon d'Or 2006 by he way. I would still vote Yashine if he had however.
 

S E P H

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Mar 5, 2010
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Probably SEPH
Lol, no. I voted the correct answer here as Buffon, Neuer is not the best goalkeeper ever. He was the best of his generation and will go down as one of the best, but Buffon is tied with Yashin alone. Only thing that Yashin might have is he revolutionized the position. However, Buffon took what he created and made it into a steal fortress of perfection that not even KBG agents could penetrate.

Additionally, I remember reading that Yashin was also a goaler in hockey as well and won a cup, what an accomplished bloke.
There were a few flops in there. Schmeicel was incredible Barthez was wildly inconsistent. Howard was a damn good goalie, just not an elite one. There’s that Italian guy who’s name I can’t remember who was a big flop. But then they found VDS who was incredible and then replaced him with DDG. So I mean obviously not a 100% record but really well.
Didn't see Schmeichel play, but watched game highlights and he's unbelievable.
 

The Abusement Park

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Lol, no. I voted the correct answer here as Buffon, Neuer is not the best goalkeeper ever. He was the best of his generation and will go down as one of the best, but Buffon is tied with Yashin alone. Only thing that Yashin might have is he revolutionized the position. However, Buffon took what he created and made it into a steal fortress of perfection that not even KBG agents could penetrate.

Additionally, I remember reading that Yashin was also a goaler in hockey as well and won a cup, what an accomplished bloke.
Didn't see Schmeichel play, but watched game highlights and he's unbelievable.

Schmeichel was just intimidating man. He’s huge commanded his box like no other and was just a big dude in general. Not quite the best ever but he’s not far off.
 

YEM

Registered User
Mar 7, 2010
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Schmeichel was just intimidating man. He’s huge commanded his box like no other and was just a big dude in general. Not quite the best ever but he’s not far off.
he was the best in the world when he played, for sure
his technical ability is above that of any other keeper ever, imo
buffon is the best anticipatory keeper of all time [best reader of play] and schmeichel is the best reactionary keeper
 

Evilo

Registered User
Mar 17, 2002
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Wow, lots of best ever about players that don't compare to best ever.

I also agree with Zoff being underrated here.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
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I will say though, United May suck at scouting players, but their goal tending scouting has been great throughout the years.

Huh? Between Schmeichel and Van der Sar, they failed to get more than meh goaltending for no less than six years. That's a pretty bad stretch for one of the big international clubs.
 
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Stray Wasp

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May 5, 2009
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Huh? Between Schmeichel and Van der Sar, they failed to get more than meh goaltending for no less than six years. That's a pretty bad stretch for one of the big international clubs.

And since I'm old enough to remember the remarkable collapse of Jim Leighton, and before that the signing of little Chris Turner, I can assure you that their iffy goalkeeping choices preceded the creation of the EPL.
 

Stray Wasp

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May 5, 2009
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South east London
There are a lot of players where nostalgia or legend overtakes facts and actually impact on the game and players of a bygone era end up being overrated.

That, however - according to everything I've read (because I've never watched Yashin play a game, just highlights) - is not the case here.
By all accounts, he changed how goalkeepers play - he was the first "Neuer" of the game and was fantastic in every aspect of the game.

While I agree with this, I'll repeat my usual caveat that during World Cups Yashin conceded some rank bad goals - not least the one direct from a corner against Colombia in 1962. His performance in that game was so bad that a L'Equipe journalist was moved to write Yashin's career obituary. (Mind you, said obituary named Yashin the greatest ever goalkeeper).
 

Corto

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Sep 28, 2005
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While I agree with this, I'll repeat my usual caveat that during World Cups Yashin conceded some rank bad goals - not least the one direct from a corner against Colombia in 1962. His performance in that game was so bad that a L'Equipe journalist was moved to write Yashin's career obituary. (Mind you, said obituary named Yashin the greatest ever goalkeeper).

I've read about that (the bad goals given away, especially in that WC) - but as with anything with Yashin - I've only really read about it.

I'm basing my opinion more on how he revolutionized the position, similar to (for example) how Santiago Bernabeu forever changed the club scene after assembling the Madrid team from 55 onwards, not just Di Stefano, but Puskas and Kopa as well (to go with the always overlooked Paco Gento etc.).
Nothing was the same after that.

That said...
I do admit my own potential lack of information on games pre-1990, because everything until then I've only ever read about, seen on tape (a select few games, nothing more) or seen some highlights.
I'm very vary of "passing judgement" on all that - but I always wondered why a lot of people weren't. Not just here, everywhere.
(doesn't apply only to hockey, I marveled at so many threads on here comparing Eddie Shore to Lidstrom, when absolutely noone here has seen him play)

Nothing compares to actually watching games, and for a vast majority of people that doesn't help either.
Most football fans (most of my own friends included - some of which played high level football in youth systems) - either don't care enough to understand what makes a great footballer in a certain position, or simply don't know enough.
Never stopped them from making criticisms though. :D
 
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Siamese Dream

Registered User
Feb 5, 2011
75,215
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Voted Schmeichel because he was my favourite growing up and in his prime he was outstanding with Manchester United and contributed to their dominance of the 90s era. If he had played for a bigger country like Spain or Italy he would be in the conversation more with Casillas and Buffon, though he did actually win a Euros once with Denmark. He also used to score what we would call in the hockey world "clutch" goals that were proper goals and not just be a novelty penalty and free kick taker like Chilavert who was just a sideshow let's be honest.

I was tempted by Casillas though because I witnessed some performances where he just looked unbeatable
 
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Evilo

Registered User
Mar 17, 2002
61,956
8,524
France
Chilavert a side show?
What?
He was a tremendous goalie. Best goalie in WC 98 with Barthez.
 

Evilo

Registered User
Mar 17, 2002
61,956
8,524
France
It's not that they didn't have anyone else. He was very good at it. And a great goalie. Paraguay qualified for the 98 WC thanks to him and got through the group stage thanks to him.
 

gary69

Registered User
Sep 22, 2004
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Then and there
I've read about that (the bad goals given away, especially in that WC) - but as with anything with Yashin - I've only really read about it.

I'm basing my opinion more on how he revolutionized the position, similar to (for example) how Santiago Bernabeu forever changed the club scene after assembling the Madrid team from 55 onwards, not just Di Stefano, but Puskas and Kopa as well (to go with the always overlooked Paco Gento etc.).
Nothing was the same after that.

That said...
I do admit my own potential lack of information on games pre-1990, because everything until then I've only ever read about, seen on tape (a select few games, nothing more) or seen some highlights.
I'm very vary of "passing judgement" on all that - but I always wondered why a lot of people weren't. Not just here, everywhere.

(doesn't apply only to hockey, I marveled at so many threads on here comparing Eddie Shore to Lidstrom, when absolutely noone here has seen him play)

Nothing compares to actually watching games, and for a vast majority of people that doesn't help either.
Most football fans (most of my own friends included - some of which played high level football in youth systems) - either don't care enough to understand what makes a great footballer in a certain position, or simply don't know enough.
Never stopped them from making criticisms though. :D

On the bolded, I hold a pretty much similar view, I feel uncomfortable of judging players if all I have seen are maybe a dozen games in World Cups/Euros as compared to say watching a player for decade in the domestic/European club competitions as well (so well over a hundred games during that span).

Of course watching only those few selected games might end you rating the player about right (let's say somebody only saw Hasek in the 1998 Nagano Olympics and never saw a single NHL game by him, and ranks him all time about same than someone who saw his whole NHL career).

Although the contemporary reports from those, who saw the players both with their clubs and national teams throughout their career, will create a clearer picture. But before the 1980's more widespread television and video, there weren't too many people who actually saw most of the top players from East Europe to South America to play regularly for their clubs. Most people passed judgement based on only the few NT games in the major tournaments and whatever country they were living in and seeing matches of that domestic competition. And on some limited stats.

So unless you know he specifics on what somebody's rating of a player is based on, it might not be that valuable.
 

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