Begovic’s Five Best Keepers in the World Right Now
Asmir Begovic has thrown the cat among the pigeons with his list of the five best goalkeepers in world football right now, and there are a few eye-brows raised already. No Alisson. No Joan Garcia. Not even a nod for some other big-name stoppers who many fans would have in the conversation. That’s football, though — opinions matter, and when a former Premier League winner talks about goalkeepers, he’s not exactly guessing in the dark.
Begovic, who knows the position inside out after starring for Chelsea and Everton, winning league honours and taking home his country’s Player of the Year award in 2012, has picked a very strong top five. And in fairness, it’s hard to argue too loudly when you look at the calibre involved. We’re in a golden era for keepers, with the lot of them expected to save shots, sweep behind the back line and basically run the team from 18 yards out.
5. Mike Maignan
Begovic starts with AC Milan’s Mike Maignan, and it’s a decent shout. The Frenchman, now France’s first-choice following Hugo Lloris’ retirement in 2023, has built a reputation as one of Europe’s most reliable penalty stoppers, saving more than 30 per cent of the spot-kicks he has faced. That is elite territory, plain and simple.
He made an immediate impact in Italy too, keeping 17 clean sheets in 32 league games in his debut season and helping Milan end an 11-year wait for the Serie A title. He’s been linked with moves elsewhere, including Chelsea, but Maignan remains one of those keepers who can change a match with one spring across the goal.
4. Jan Oblak
At number four comes Jan Oblak, a man who has made a career out of making life miserable for strikers. Atletico Madrid have often built around being stubborn, compact and impossible to break down, and Oblak fits that mindset perfectly. When the pressure is on and the game is tight, he looks more comfortable than most.
His record speaks for itself: six La Liga Zamora trophies, plus a haul that includes La Liga, Europa League and UEFA Super Cup success. He’s the sort of goalkeeper managers trust when they need a result, not a highlight reel.
3. Gianluigi Donnarumma
Gianluigi Donnarumma takes third, and that feels about right. When he first emerged, he looked destined to own the goalkeeping conversation for years, and while the path hasn’t been entirely smooth, his quality has never really been in doubt. After an up-and-down spell early on at Paris Saint-Germain, his move to Manchester City has only reinforced what a huge presence he is.
His size alone gives him an advantage, but it’s his reach and instinct that make him such a problem for attackers. He was vital to Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph and then played a major role in PSG’s first Champions League crown, including crucial saves against Arsenal in the semi-final. He can still look a bit eccentric at times, but that’s the modern sweeper-keeper trade-off.
2. David Raya
David Raya slots in at number two after cementing himself as one of the Premier League’s most dependable keepers. He won the Golden Glove with Brentford before joining Arsenal permanently, and since then he’s added another and then another, helping the Gunners finally get their hands on the league title last season. That’s not bad going at all.
Raya benefits from a strong defence in front of him, of course, but that shouldn’t be used to diminish what he brings. When called upon, he produces top-class saves, and he does it with a calm efficiency that keeps Arsenal ticking. He may not always grab the headlines, but elite goalkeeping is often about doing the simple things brilliantly, and Raya does exactly that.
1. Thibaut Courtois
At the top of Begovic’s list is Thibaut Courtois, and frankly, it’s difficult to complain. His performance in the 2022 Champions League final against Liverpool is still talked about as one of the great goalkeeping displays in the competition’s history, and with good reason. Nine saves on target in a final? That’s not just good — that’s monstrous.
Courtois has backed that up with trophy after trophy, from Premier League titles with Chelsea to success with Atletico Madrid and multiple European honours with Real Madrid. Add in his 115 appearances for Belgium and a third-place finish at the World Cup, and you’ve got a goalkeeper with the lot: size, command, authority and big-game temperament. If you want the ultimate modern number one, Begovic’s answer is Courtois.
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It’s a ruthless list, but that’s what makes it interesting: Begovic values big-game presence, consistency and the ability to win matches almost single-handedly.
