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The goalkeeper is probably the hardest position to play in football. A player who defends the goalposts can pass from hero to antagonist in just seconds. In fact, it is more of a mental position than anything.
That means any mistake can't affect the performance of the goaltenders because they are the main protectors of the goal line.
If being a professional goalkeeper for a club is tough, just imagine the pressure a player has when they represent their national team in the World Cup.
Here is a look at the best goalkeepers we will get to watch in the WC 2018:
#1 David De Gea
De Gea is widely regarded to be the best goalkeeper on the planet, and his saves prove it.
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The Spaniard established himself at Manchester United and now is ready to conquer the Wolrd Cup with his national team.
The 27-year-old ended the 2017/18 English Premier League season with 18 clean sheets and even equaled a record in November in the 3-1 victory over Arsenal with 14 saves.
De Gea has been touted to be the successor of Iker Casillas to become Spain's long-term goalkeeper.
Last season De Gea saved 115 shots in 37 games he played and had no errors that led directly to a goal.
The Manchester United goalkeeper has 650 saves, 93 clean sheets, 84 catches, 224 goals conceded, six errors leading to goals since his arrival in England in 2011. But maybe the most impressive stat is that he has just one own goal in 237 appearances in the Premier League.
De Gea's debut with Spain was in 2014 in a friendly 2-0 win against El Salvador. Then the Spaniard made the final 23-man list for the Brazil World Cup, but he was the only member of the squad not to play at that tournament.
Spain exited the last World Cup in the group stage after two consecutive losses.
Goals allowed in 17/18 season: 28.
#2 Keylor Navas
Navas struggled at first at Real Madrid when he came but throughout the 31-year-old showed he is one of the greatest between the goalposts.
Navas led Costa Rica to an unexpected quarter-final run in the 2014 World Cup, where they won the group over Uruguay, England, and Italy.
After the tournament, Madrid acquired Navas in a €10 million transfer from Levante, and since then the goaltender has won 10 different trophies, including three UEFA Champions Leagues in a row.
Navas had six clean sheets in 25 games played this past season in La Liga and averaged 2.64 saves per games.
Goals allowed in 17/18 season: 31
#3 Manuel Neuer
Neuer played on June 2nd in a 2-1 friendly win against Austria, which was his first game in over a year since fracturing his foot in September 2017.
The 32-year-old veteran goalie made the 23-man Germany Squad and it seems he is ready to captain his country to back-to-back World Cup crowns.
Neuer has played only two games this year, both unofficial, but the German coach Joachim Löw has trust in Neuer who is considered to be one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
Goals allowed in 17/18 season: 0
#4 Marc-André ter Stegen
It is weird to have Ter Stegen fourth in this list, but the German may not be an assured starter.
It would be unfair if Ter Stegen doesn't show up in the Germany XI. However, coach Löw is the one who decides, and it looks like Manuel Neuer will have the spot in the starting line-up.
Ter Stegen had a fantastic 2017/18 season with Barcelona. He finished with a remarkable 19 clean sheets in 37 matches, and made 98 saves.
The German has staked his claim for a starting spot in his national squad, but we have to wait until Loew's final decision.
Goals allowed in 17/18 season: 28.
#5 Thibaut Courtois
Chelsea had a terrible season, but Belgian Thibaut Courtois demonstrated once again that he is a top-class goalkeeper.
Courtois finished the English Premier League season with 15 clean sheets and 76 saves in 35 appearances.
Courtois is in good shape to prove he can be one of the Belgium stars in the 2018 World Cup. With his national team, the 26-year-old has played 57 games since his debut in 2011.
Goals allowed in 17/18 season: 34.
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