"Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles".

The adage has never rung truer than in today's modern football. With the last line of defence now the first line of attack, goalkeepers have never played a more important role in a football side than in today's game. 

It’s no longer the days of goalkeepers booting the ball long from goal kicks and not getting involved in build-up play. They are now the 11th outfield player and with the level of strikers in the game at the moment, their shot-stopping has hit the height of importance as well. To determine who the best goalkeepers are, you need to take all these factors into consideration. 

With that in mind, let’s have a look at the five best goalkeepers in the world right now.

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Liverpool - Alison 

Despite not having the best of seasons last year, Alison has returned in season 2021/22 with a bang. Always acting as the first point of attack for Liverpool, the Brazilian shot-stopper has garnered quite the reputation for being an elite goalkeeper. Ever since coming across from Roma, he has transformed Liverpool into an extremely good defensive team. His 1.55 defensive actions outside the penalty area per game this season shows that he is very proactive and aggressive in his approach. He was one of the few goalkeepers that adopted the ‘sweeper keeper’ role early in his career. 

His 0.77 goals conceded per 90 this season ranks 6th lowest of any keeper with more than 900 minutes in Europe's top 5 leagues. Alison’s +3.6 Post-Shot Expected Goals minus Goals Allowed ranks 14th in Europe’s top 5 leagues. This indicates that not only is he is not conceding goals, but that the better-quality chances that Liverpool are conceding, Alison is saving. This shows that not only is Alison saving the shots he should be, but he is also coming up clutch when Liverpool needs him most. He is a very key part of Liverpool’s success and the better he performs the more likely Liverpool are going to have success this season. 

Punters- Liverpool made light work of Inter Milan in Italy last week, taking a first leg 2-0 scalp against the reigning Serie A champs. At TopSport the Reds are 2nd favourites to win the UCL and are currently paying $4.80.

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Manchester City - Ederson 

Moving to the other Brazilian goalkeeper in the Premier League. Ederson has probably been more consistent than his Liverpool counterpart, so this goes to show just how good he can be. Arguably being the most involved in the build-up play for his team than any other side in the league hi integral nature makes his performance even more critical when it comes to the success of his club. His 58.3 clean sheet percentage is the best in the Premier League this season and it's no surprise that City have conceded the least amount of goals. While he might not pull out ‘camera’ saves week in week out, he’s ruthlessly efficient with his shot-stopping.

While Alison was one of the early few adopters of the ‘sweeper keeper’ style of goalkeeping, Ederson was perhaps the pioneer. While Manuel Neuer might have something to say about that statement, you can deny that Ederson was one of the earliest to use this style. His foresight and ability to execute it put him ahead of the curve in his overall ability as a goalkeeper. On occasion, he pushes into midfield and can play the ball around seamlessly. In the modern game this is so important as it allows City to play with a man advantage because if you give Ederson enough time and space, he will pick out a line splitting pass and create another goal-scoring opportunity. 

Punters- Brazil are unbeaten in 32-straight CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying matches with both Alison and Ederson as world-class goal keeping options. They’re $6.50 favourites at TopSport to win what would be a 6th World Cup crown this December. 

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Chelsea - Edouard Mendy 

Staying in the Premier League, but back to the more traditional shot-stoppers. Edouard Mendy came to Chelsea at the start of last season and effectively changed their defence for the better. Especially under Thomas Tuchel, he transformed himself from a relatively unknown player to one of the world’s best in a matter of month, and it all culminated in the Champions League glory last season. And Mendy played an absolutely crucial role in that run to success. He kept both Madrid sides as well as Porto and Manchester City to 2 goals combined. Whereas Ederson is a lot more unassuming with his saves, Mendy couldn't be more opposite. He can get his 6foot 3inch frame all across the goal and pull-out spectacular saves game after game. 

The more traditional nature of his goalkeeping can be seen through his average distance of defensive actions being 14 yards, compared with the two Brazilians who are in the 17 yards. Despite this, he is still quite comfortable with the ball at his feet and can play out from the back if needed. His 81% save percentage this league season shows how good is and why he is one of the worlds best in between the sticks.

Punters- At TopSport, Chelsea are paying $8.50 to repeat as UCL champs and are also $8.50 to win their 5th FA Cup final in the last 15 years. 

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Paris Saint-Germain - Gianluigi Donnarumma

The Italian hero. After years in the wilderness of a post Gianluigi Buffon era of Italian goalkeepers, the stallion has finally revealed himself. After making a name for himself at such a young age, Gianluigi Donnarumma struggled to hit his straps as an elite goalkeeper. Always struggling with form and inconsistency, all he needed was one big moment on the world stage to announce himself and show how good he is. Enter the Euro 2020 final. He came up with two crucial penalty saves in the final to lift the trophy for his country. This unbelievable performance has allowed him to kick on in his club form, being one of the best goalkeepers in this his first season in Ligue 1. 

Having the second-best save percentage (78.8%) and the third-best clean sheet percentage (40%) is a clear indication that he’s performing to the level that is required for a PSG goalkeeper. His +1.7 Post-Shot Expected Goals minus Goals Allowed shows that he is capable to step up the big occasion and save the shots that he perhaps shouldn't save. Being selected as the goalkeeper in the FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11 for 2021 shows how highly regarded he is in the footballing world. 

Punters- TopSport is currently offering $6.75 about the prospect of PSG winning their first-ever Champions League trophy. 

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Wolverhampton Wanderers - José Sá

Despite the left-field nature of this pick, Jose Sa is putting together an outstanding season for Wolves. Going under the radar with the likes of David De Gea and Aaron Ramsdale taking the spotlight, Sa’s outstanding performance has allowed Wolves to make a sustained push for European Football this season. Having the 5th best clean sheet percentage this season, Wolves have only conceded 17 goals this season, the second least only behind Manchester City. Despite being much more a transitional keeper, with his ball-playing ability being good but not excellent, he is having such a positive impact on this Wolves squad and has proved to be invaluable. 

His 85.2 save percentage is the highest in the league, further displaying how much of a natural shot-stopper he is. Furthermore, his +7.4 Post-Shot Expected Goals minus Goals Allowed is further proof that he is an elite shot-stopper. What sets him apart from the rest is that he is single-handedly winning his side's games. Without him, Wolves would be nowhere near their current 7th place league position. The current success that they are experiencing is mainly down to how good Jose Sa is. He is one of the very few goalkeepers in the world that is winning their team games, thus making him one of the best goalkeepers in the world at the moment. 

Punters- Will José Sá take over from Rui Patricio in goal for Portugal and lead them to qualify for a 6th consecutive World Cup? Portugal are currently paying $26 at TopSport to lift the nation’s first ever World Cup this December. 

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