Alisson Becker’s extraordinary goalkeeping performance for Liverpool, in their smash-and-grab victory over Paris St-Germain, provided another reminder of the Brazilian’s shot-stopping ability. His nine saves were the joint-most on record by a goalkeeper in a Champions League knockout game.
The 32-year-old has long been regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world and, in the eyes of many observers, he also ranks highly on the list of all-time greats since the launch of the Premier League. Here, Telegraph Sport assesses his rivals for top spot.
Do you agree with our choices? Click here and use the tool at the bottom of this article to help build the Telegraph readers’ ranking.
Petr Cech
The only goalkeeper in Premier League history to record more than 200 clean sheets, Cech enjoyed a decade of trophy-winning success at Chelsea. This included four league titles, four FA Cup triumphs and Champions League glory in 2012. He then had four seasons at Arsenal, winning the Golden Glove award for the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets in 2015/16.
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Peter Schmeichel
Without doubt the dominant goalkeeper of the 1990s, Schmeichel is the only goalkeeper to have been named Premier League player of the season (in 1996). Perhaps best known for his “star fish” saves, he won five titles with Manchester United and was a key member of their treble-winning team in 1999.
Edwin var der Sar
After joining United from Fulham, Van der Sar won the Premier League title in four of his six seasons at Old Trafford. This included a run of three consecutive titles from 2006 to 2009. He also helped United to reach three Champions League finals, winning one of them. The Dutchman was the Premier League’s Golden Glove winner in 2008/09.
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David Seaman
Seaman’s CV speaks for itself: in 13 years at Arsenal, he won three league titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup and made 75 appearances for England. In his Premier League career, Seaman kept 141 clean sheets in 344 matches – almost the exact same ratio as Schmeichel.
Alisson Becker
A spectacular shot-stopper who has thrived in the Premier League’s most testing era for goalkeepers. Unlike the previous four names on this list, Alisson has been tasked with building play from the back and defending with a perilously high line under Jurgen Klopp. The Brazilian has won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup during his time at Liverpool.
Sit back and enjoy the Alisson masterclass from tonight ????
All the saves from a memorable night for the Reds. pic.twitter.com/H3DPCC21M8
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 5, 2025
Ederson
No goalkeeper in Premier League history has been as effective as Ederson with the ball at his feet. The Brazilian’s extraordinary range of passing has brought him six assists in the league, the most of any goalkeeper. Although he is capable of making mistakes, Ederson’s trophy haul is remarkable: he has been central to six Premier League titles at Manchester City.
What our writers think
Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel brought a different style of goalkeeping to the Premier League. Petr Cech, Edwin van der Sar and David Seaman were all excellent for their consistency. Ederson’s distribution is extraordinary. But the best? It has to be Alisson.
The Brazilian is the complete goalkeeper. Brave, agile and calm. He is great with his feet and makes match-winning saves. Alisson also has no ego.
Alisson
The complete goalkeeper, as good with his feet as he is with his hands. He stops attacks and builds then and even scored a vital goal for Liverpool against West Brom. There has never been anyone quite like him.
Schmeichel
Schmeichel was a major piece of the jigsaw as Ferguson assembled a title winning side. Jurgen Klopp repeated it when adding Alisson to his line-up.
Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel had Incredible presence and agility. The save from Dennis Bergkamp’s penalty in the FA Cup semi-final was astonishing.
Cech
Cech holds the record for the number of Premier League clean sheets – 207 – and conceded only 13 goals in 35 appearances during the 2004/05 season in which Chelsea won the title. So the answer is Petr Cech.
Schmeichel
Schmeichel is the subject of a recent documentary where it is revealed we have been saying it wrong all along: the Danes pronounce it “Schmi-shel”. The Manchester United great passes the rudimentary test of who would you like in goal for a must-win game. His saves were match-winning and his presence in Sir Alex Ferguson’s backline was immense. Possibly the best half a million quid United spent when they bought him from Brondby in 1991.
Cech
For his combination of longevity and reliability, it has to be Cech. Chelsea’s defensive spine in the mid-noughties was probably the most formidable unit in Premier League history, and Cech was a fundamental part of it.
Cech
For his first two seasons at Chelsea, behind the best Premier League defence ever, Petr Cech seemed utterly and infuriatingly unbeatable. Chelsea were rarely breached at the back but when they were Cech often performed miracles. To recover from his head injury in 2006 and still manage another 13 years of largely faultless work puts him above all other competitors.
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