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Here are the top 20 goalkeepers in the Qatar World Cup starting lineup.
Here is a look at the top 20 goalkeepers who will be key to their team’s success as the world’s greatest football teams arrive in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The value of a goalie to a football team cannot be overstated. Modern goalkeepers have a variety of duties throughout a game, from stopping goals from the opponent to launching an attack from the back.
The life of a shot-stopper is not monotonous, for our first mid-season World Cup, we can expect more hilarious and amazing moments from the players who wear number one.
Who’d be a goalkeeper? Well, this lot; here are the Top 20 first-choice goalkeepers at the 2022 World Cup ranked.
20. Milan Borjan – Canada.
Milan Borjan, a Canadian who was born in Croatia, is in Qatar with 65 caps.
Milan Borjan, who has kept double-digit clean sheets in Serbia’s top flight each of his last five seasons with Red Star Belgrade, has been a key component of the spine that has allowed young stars like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David to flourish. These players are destined to hog the admiration of young fans.
19. Remko Pasveer – Netherlands.
Who proclaimed that it was ever too late to compete in international football? Not Remko Pasveer, for sure.
At the age of 38 years and ten months, the Ajax goalkeeper made his first two appearances for Die Oranje after receiving his first call-up in 2022. The veteran appears set to keep his spot in November after a strong start to the domestic season for Ajax.
18. Vanja Milinkovic-Savic – Serbia.
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, the younger brother of Lazio player Sergej, is Torino’s first-choice shot-stopper and has seized the starting position for Serbia since the year 2022 began.
The 25-year-old can hope to play a significant role in Group G after starting four games during his country’s Nations League campaign throughout the year and contributing significantly to their remarkable form.
17. Sergio Rochet – Uruguay.
Two-time winners Uruguay will put out one of the most exciting sides they’ve had in a long time in Qatar.
Powerhouses Rodrigo Bentancur and Federico Valverde will patrol behind a forward line consisting of Luis Suarez and Darwin Nunez, promising some fireworks and fearsome football in midfield and attack, while Sergio Rochet’s six clean sheets in his eight Uruguayan caps suggest a complementary resilience at the back.
The Nacional goalkeeper made his debut in January and has been a mainstay ever since thanks to some standout performances in goal.
16. Guillermo Ochoa – Mexico.
What would the World Cup be like if Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico played? It’s hardly worth watching.
The 37-year-old has been chosen for Mexico’s team for a fifth straight World Cup after making an explosive impression in the previous two tournaments. There’s no denying Ochoa’s renowned charm and leadership, even though he may not be the same great cat-like goalie we’ve previously seen.
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15. Kasper Schmeichel – Denmark.
While Brendan Rodgers’ team’s disastrous start to the 2022–23 season showed how important Kasper Schmeichel was to them, Leicester was far from secure at the defence last season.
The former Leeds goalkeeper is a massive presence in goal, fending off opponents in classic Schmeichel fashion, and will captain a Denmark team that shouldn’t be disregarded this winter.
14. Wojciech Szczesny – Poland.
It is undeniable that Wojciech Szczesny of Poland has improved as a goalkeeper; it is only his persistent propensity for a misstep that prevents him from reaching the top.
Nevertheless, he is Poland’s finest shot-blocker and will definitely play at a fifth major championship for his country.
13. Bono – Morocco.
No, it’s not the U2 frontman, it’s Sevilla and Morocco number one Yassine Bounou – better known, like a pretty well-known Irishman, as Bono.
He’s had a very rocky start to the season with a seemingly despondent Sevilla, but that doesn’t take away from the quality he’s consistently shown between the sticks in recent seasons.
12. Andre Onana – Cameroon.
Andre Onana has had a really difficult few years, but he appears to be flying again despite some significant turbulence.
He earned a move to Inter as a result of his continued success for Dutch champions Ajax, where he won three Eredivisie titles and maintained 60 league clean sheets over five seasons. At Inter, he is persistently challenging the very well-established Samir Handanovic thanks to some impressive Champions League performances.
11. Yann Sommer – Switzerland.
Yann Sommer is a mainstay for Borussia Monchengladbach despite playing for a Bundesliga team that frequently gives up a ton of goals.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper is just outstanding, and he regularly pulls off spectacular saves that send spectators’ hands to their heads. Keeping six clean sheets as the Swiss won five games and drew three, Sommer enjoyed a standout World Cup qualification campaign and distinguished himself during Switzerland’s performance at Euro 2020, finishing first in Group C ahead of Italy.
10. Unai Simon – Spain.
It’s little surprise to see Athletic Club’s Unai Simon consistently claiming the title of Spain’s primary shot-stopper these days.
By keeping players such as David de Gea and Kepa Arrizabalaga off the World Cup squad, Spain’s head coach Luis Enrique has made significant decisions. Instead, Enrique has chosen Unai Simon, Robert Sanchez, and David Raya as La Roja’s three goalkeepers for their campaign in Qatar.
To maintain his position as Spain’s best shot-blocker, Simon holds off competition from Sanchez and Raya.
In contrast to De Gea and Arrizabalaga, who plays for Manchester United and Chelsea, respectively, Simon plays club football for the less prestigious Athletic Bilbao in Spain. Simon has participated in 27 games for Spain and recorded 12 shutouts.
9. Diogo Costa – Portugal.
Portugal boss Fernando Santos has a few goalkeeping options to pick from; gone are the days of Rui Patricio automatically donning the gloves. The likes of Jose Sa and Diogo Costa are all pushing for that starting role for their nation and, for the moment, the latter seems to be succeeding.
Costa, who is only 23 years old, has had a significant impact since making his senior Porto debut and taking over as the team’s starter at the beginning of the 2021/22 season.
He has played for Portugal at every level, and after starting six of his nation’s eight games in 2022, he is expected to play a significant role in Qatar.
8. Keylor Navas – Costa Rica.
Although there aren’t many stars on Costa Rica’s national team, Keylor Navas stands out when compared to players like Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell who play in the outfield.
Navas, a goalkeeper who is frequently overlooked, has a long list of achievements to his credit. He still contributes greatly to his country despite appearing to have lost the competition for a starting position at Paris Saint-Germain to Gianluigi Donnarumma.
He’ll be a hard act to follow after announcing that Qatar 2022 will be the end of his international career.
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7. Emiliano Martinez – Argentina.
Everyone would agree that Emi Martinez, a former bench warmer for Arsenal, has done outstanding work to establish himself as a starter in the Premier League at Aston Villa and, in the process, make himself important at the international level.
The 30-year-old, who was a key player in Argentina’s Copa America victory last year and has won each of his 18 caps since June 2021, will undoubtedly be used by one of the favourites in Qatar.
6. Jordan Pickford – England.
Although prone to the occasional slip-up at the club level, Jordan Pickford has consistently held the top spot for England under Gareth Southgate thanks to his dependability on the international stage.
The Everton player’s toughest opposition should come from Aaron Ramsdale’s sustained success with Arsenal, but Pickford should be a safe pick for Qatar given his prior success at important tournaments.
5. Edouard Mendy – Senegal.
With 30 shutouts in his first two seasons as a Premier League goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy has rightfully entered the conversation about the “greatest ‘keeper on earth.”
The Chelsea player may not have had the best of beginnings to this season because new manager Graham Potter appeared to second-guess his first choice in goal, but he is still a fantastic shot-stopper for a Senegal team that may cause some controversy in Qatar.
4. Hugo Lloris – France.
Defending champions France are currently seeing a new generation rise through the ranks, giving spectators an interesting championship defence this time around. However, several old-guard veterans are still there despite being headed by outfield stars like Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni.
Hugo Lloris, who has served as a hero for his country over the years, will surely captain France once again this winter as he approaches 140 caps.
3. Manuel Neuer – Germany.
Of course, the passage of time has caused Manuel Neuer to lose some of the abilities that have helped him become one of the most admired, complete, and unbeatable goalkeepers of all time. In spite of Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s fierce competition, the 36-year-old German is still at the top of his game and maintaining his spot in the national team.
The captain of Bayern Munich and Mannschaft missed COVID-19’s September international matches, but he should return to lead his country at the World Cup for a fourth straight major tournament.
2. Thibaut Courtois – Belgium.
Thibaut Courtois, the European champion, had to be the clear choice as the greatest goalkeeper among the elite competitors who will compete in Qatar this winter. The gangly, enormous goalkeeper has been a crucial part of Real Madrid’s humming machine for the past two years as he has been in top form.
Despite the current fading of Belgium’s Golden Generation, the Red Devils have an unbreakable base on which to grow thanks to Courtois in goal.
1. Alisson Becker – Brazil.
For the World Cup, Brazil coach Tite has the luxury of selecting from two top-tier goalkeepers. Alisson and Ederson are the two goalkeepers vying for spots in Brazil’s starting lineup, and Weverton is the third goalkeeper included in the World Cup squad.
While Alisson plays for Premier League side Liverpool, Ederson is the goalkeeper for Liverpool’s Premier League rivals Manchester City. Both Alisson and Ederson keep churning out quality performances every week, but in Qatar, Alisson is likely to be preferred over Ederson. The Liverpool goalkeeper has been in brilliant form this season at the club level and made numerous vital saves for the team.
Alisson also has the ability to launch Route One if necessary and excels at beginning counterattacks from the back. Watch out for Alisson performing his magic in between the poles as Brazil is one of the favourites to win the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.