5 goalkeepers who are the best shot-stoppers in world football right now

Edouard Mendy and Jan Oblak
Edouard Mendy and Jan Oblak

#3 Edouard Mendy (Senegal/Chelsea)

Brentford v Chelsea - Premier League
Brentford v Chelsea - Premier League

Edouard Mendy has proved to be a great signing for Chelsea. Kepa Arizzabalaga's inconsistency had become a huge cause for concern but Mendy's arrival has sorted their goalkeeping woes.

The 29-year-old played a starring role in Chelsea's Champions League triumph last season. But he has never been more impressive than he has been this term. Mendy has saved 25 of the 27 shots he has faced in the 2021-22 Premier League campaign. He has clocked a save percentage of 96.3 in the league.

Mendy is a physically imposing goalkeeper and has always been great at shot-stopping. In fact, in his final season in Rennes, he recorded a league-high 75.3% save success rate and averaged 2.5 saves per game. In addition to being a great shot-stopper, Mendy is also good with the ball at his feet.

His distribution is excellent and he is key to Chelsea playing out from the back.

#2 Jan Oblak (Slovenia/Atletico Madrid)

Atletico de Madrid v C.A. Osasuna - La Liga Santander
Atletico de Madrid v C.A. Osasuna - La Liga Santander

Jan Oblak has arguably been the most consistent goalkeeper in the last decade. The Slovenian international has been an absolute beast between the sticks for Atletico Madrid ever since joining the club in 2014.

Oblak is an athletic and physically strong goalkeeper. He is renowned for his quick reflexes which has enabled him to become one of the greatest shot-stoppers of his generation. Oblak's reading of the game, decision-making and handling are also well worthy of praise.

All these attributes make him a rock behind the backline for the Rojiblancos. In the 2020-21 season, Oblak saved 97 of the 120 shots he faced in La Liga. His save success rate was 80%.

He has not been at his very best in the new season having saved just 11 of the 18 shots he has faced at a save success rate of 61.1%. But we all know that form is temporary and class is permanent. It can't very long before the 28-year-old returns to form.

#1 Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy/Paris Saint-Germain)

Paris Saint-Germain v Manchester City: Group A - UEFA Champions League
Paris Saint-Germain v Manchester City: Group A - UEFA Champions League

For all the good football that they played at Euro 2020, Italy ended up relying on their goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to bail them out on multiple occasions. It was Donnarumma's heroics that won them the semi-final and the final. The Italian goalkeeper was named the Best Player of the Tournament for his exploits.

At just 22-years-old, the PSG goalkeeper is already one of the very best in the business. Donnarumma is viewed as the long-term successor to the legendary Gianluigi Buffon and he has already shown that he is capable of living up to the expectations.

Pochettino has chosen to rotate the Italian international at PSG and Keylor Navas but it won't be long before the former takes over as he is clearly the future for them. Donnarumma saved 90 of the 125 shots he faced in the Serie A last term and clocked a save success rate of 71.2%.

He has not been at his very best this season but has saved 11 of the 16 shots he has faced in Ligue 1 but has kept only one clean sheet in five appearances. Donnarumma is also an absolute beast when it comes to penalties and is yet to lose a single shootout in his career.

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith
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