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The Premier League has been graced by some truly legendary and inspirational figures between the posts.
From gravity-defying saves and rapid-fire reflexes to eye-catching one-on-one saves and pinpoint distribution, England’s top tier has been the stage for some otherworldly goalkeeping since its inception in 1992.
Indeed, behind every title-winning side, every survival bid and gritty underdog story stands a goalkeeper – an often overlooked but essential figure in any team.
In this definitive ranking, we dive into the careers of the best Premier League goalkeepers in history— a collection of stoppers who not only racked up clean sheets and silverware, but who also revolutionised the position itself.
10. Nigel Martyn
A towering figure who was remarkably consistent, Nigel Martyn recorded 137 clean sheets across 372 games while representing Crystal Palace, Leeds and Everton in the Premier League between 1992 and 2006. Martyn became the first keeper to be purchased for a fee of over £1 million when he joined Crystal Palace from Bristol Rovers in 1989.
9. Pepe Reina
Pepe Reina became a Liverpool cut hero during his lengthy spell on Merseyside between 2005 and 2013m claiming a remarkable 136 clean sheets in just 297 Premier League appearances for Reds.
The Spaniard’s 46% clean sheet rate during his stay with Liverpool was staggeringly high and Reina also won three consecutive Golden Glove awards in the 2005/26, 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons while at Anfield.
Reina couldn’t transform Liverpool from underdogs on the best Premier League betting sites into title winners, though he did win an FA Cup and League Cup with the Reds in 2006 and 2012.
8. Brad Friedel
Famed for his durability and reliability, American netminder Brad Fridel isn’t just an all-time Premier League great, he’s also an all-time record holder. Friedl played 310 consecutive Premier League fixtures between 2004 and 2012 – a record run of successive starts that stands to this day.
The Ohio-born keeper was also named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for 2002/03 following an outstanding campaign with Blackburn Rovers.
7. David de Gea
David de Gea kept goal for Manchester United during some turbulent times at Old Trafford and the Spaniard, who had a knack for pulling off show-stopping saves, was named United’s Sir Matt Busby Player of The Year on four separate occasions during his time in the north west.
At his best, De Gea was a mythical figure capable of keeping out just about everything an opposing team could throw at him. The Spaniard won one title, two Golden Gloves, was named in the PFA Team of the Year five times and kept 147 clean sheets in the Premier League before leaving United in 2023.
6. Ederson
Ederson’s ball-playing expertise and laser-like accuracy from long kicks reshaped how the entire position of goalkeeping was viewed shortly after his arrival at Manchester City in 2017.
The sweeper keeper has already claimed more assists (seven) than any other Premier League goalkeeper ever and alongside winning five titles with City, the former Benfica star has secured more than a century of clean sheets in less than 300 appearances in the division. Ederson redefined the role and will go down in history as a trailblazer.
5. Alisson Becker
Alisson Becker has barely put a foot – or glove – wrong for Liverpool since his move to the Merseyside giants in the summer of 2018. The Reds paid £66.8m to sign Becker from Roma, which made the Brazilian the most expensive goalkeeper of all time, however, that outlay was money well spent.
A Champions League and two-time Premier League winner with Liverpool, Alisson has developed into arguably the world’s best keeper in one-on-one situations over the past seven years. The 32-year-old is also closing in on 100 Premier League clean sheets for Liverpool and should reach that milestone before Christmas.
4. David Seaman
The moustachioed and ponytailed David Seaman was England’s undisputed number one for a decade during his prime years with his beloved Arsenal. An absolute rock between the sticks and pillar of consistency, Seaman ranks fifth on the list of all-time Premier League clean sheets with 141 shutouts.
The two-time league champion, who also sits sixth on Arsenal’s all-time appearances list, Seaman was a key member of Arsene Wenger’s best Gunners sides and earned two Golden Glove awards during his glittering career.
3. Edwin van der Sar
An unparalleled model of consistency, Dutch colossus Van der Sar posted 132 Premier League clean sheets during his career, including an unmatched, record-setting 1311-minuteunbeaten streak without conceding during the 2008/09 campaign.
A commanding force for Manchester United, Van der Sar won four Premier League titles and a Champions League with the Red Devils and was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year on four separate occasions.
2. Petr Čech
With four Golden Gloves, four Premier League titles and two inclusions in the PFA Team of the Year, Petr Cech could have easily topped our rankings.
The Chelsea legend still holds the Premier League’s all-time record for clean sheets with 202 shutouts in 443 games – and the target he has set could prove impossible to beat. Čech also holds the record for most clean sheets kept in a single Premier League campaign (24 in 2004/05). A bona fide Premier League great.
1. Peter Schmeichel
A figure of worship for both Manchester United and Danish football fans, Peter Schmeichel is considered by many to be the best goalkeeper to have ever played the game.
A physical beast, Schmeichel dominated every inch of his penalty box, combining remarkable reflexes with superb distribution, while using his trademark “starfish” pose to thwart attackers.
The Great Dane, known for his vocal cajoling and unerring will to win, lifted five Premier League titles with United and was a key member of the club’s famed treble-winning squad in 1999. Schmeichel also kept a mammoth 128 clean sheets during his Premier League career.
