Sportskeeda Football Awards 2016: Goalkeeper of the Year

#8 Rui Patricio – (Reader’s Rank: 6 | Sportskeeda’s Rank: 10 | Average Score: 3)

Rui Patricio making that pivotal save against Jakub Blaszczykowski

The Sporting Lisbon shot-stopper’s presence in this list owes more to his performances with Portugal in Euro 2016 than with his club. The 28-year-old can look back on a year where he picked up his first international trophy, which earned him a Ballon d’Or nomination and a final rank of 12th, beating out the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba.

Patricio’s calendar stats aren’t the best, as can be gleaned from a dismal saves-per-goal ratio of just 1.39, the least of any player in this list. Sporting do not face many shots on goal in their domestic league, yet Rui Patricio has conceded 38 goals in 41 games this season while keeping 18 clean sheets.

Yet, Rui Patricio can hold his head high as the only goalkeeper apart from Gigi Buffon who received any votes for the Ballon d’Or this year, no doubt aided by those with a memory of his performance in the Euro 2016 final against France, where he made outstanding saves to deny Antoine Griezmann and Moussa Sissoko and thus ensure that Portugal did not concede. His penalty heroics against Poland, where he saved a Jakub Blaszczykowski strike to send Portugal through to the semifinals, could be considered the best moment of a stellar 2016.

Rui Patricio: 2016 Calendar Stats
Appearances	41
Clean Sheets	18
Goal Conceded	38
Saves	53
Saves per Goal	1.39
Penalties Conceded/Saved	4/1
Distribution Success Rate	65%