The strikers make the headlines; of course they do. They are the men who score the vital goals on the biggest stages and write the headlines.
They are the rock stars of football.
But when they miss, these world-class sharp-shooters are often denied by an opponent as brilliant as they are and invariably bigger, braver and with the quickest of reactions.
Yes, the goalkeepers are every bit as important to a successful team, and the very best in the world are worth their weight in gold.
So when you look at the most successful players in Europe’s big leagues you will always meet a colossus between the sticks, and we’re going to take a look at five of the finest right now.
Manuel Neuer: FC Bayern
With the joint-lowest goals conceded (37) in the Bundesliga, alongside fourth-placed RB Leipzig, FC Bayern once again proved they are just as good at the back as they are scoring goals. And they have a 6ft 4in legend as their last line of defence.
The most recognisable figure in German football over the last decade has been Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer. Neuer has been at the club since 2011, winning ten Bundesliga titles while representing Germany 113 times, winning the World Cup in 2014.
In a league full of free-scoring players and characterised by high-scoring games, clean sheets are hard to come by. But Neuer dug out 11, the joint-highest number in the German league. Now 36, he shows no sign of winding down. Neuer has extended his contract with Bayern to 2024 and that is bad news for strikers in the Bundesliga.
Thibaut Courtois: Real Madrid
Even in a side so dominant in attack and midfield, Courtois was seventh in the La Liga list of save-makers, with 93 saves in 36 matches, while Barcelona’s Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Atletico’s brilliant Jan Oblak both had quieter campaigns, ranking 13th and 17th. Courtois also had the second-highest number of clean sheets with 16 and conceded the second-lowest number of goals in the league at 31.
So while the likes of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior were tormenting keepers at the other end of the pitch, Courtois was quietly taking his place in the football 2022 highlightsand helping Los Blancos to another title.
Alisson and Ederson: Liverpool and Manchester City
These two stoppers are so hard to separate and, while Alisson made the PFA Team of the Year, Ederson made the SBOTOP Premier League team. Manchester City’s Premier League results were good enough to win the league title, and their keeper Ederson kept 20 clean sheets and conceded 26 goals, exactly the same number as Liverpool’s keeper.
Alisson arrived at Anfield in 2018 and, along with Virgil van Dijk in defence, has helped transform Liverpool from a free-flowing attacking side to one capable of winning the Premier League and the Champions League.
Meanwhile, his Brazilian compatriot has won four Premier League titles in his five years at Manchester City. Both Alisson and Ederson will travel to the Qatar World Cup with favourites Brazil, but which one will start for the Selecao remains to be seen.
Mike Maignan: AC Milan
When Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma left the San Siro for Paris Saint-Germain last summer, Milan fans could be excused for feeling a little deflated as their football 2022 odds to win the Scudetto took a hit.
The 6ft 5in stopper had just starred for Italy in their successful Euro 2020 campaign and was one of the most promising keepers in world football, destined for even greater things.
But step in Mike Maignan, the French keeper who won Ligue 1 with surprise 2021 champions Lille. After winning the league with the Northern France club he signed for Milan and a new adventure began.
Maignan suffered a wrist injury in October but recovered quickly to join I Rossoneri in their title charge, making a string of crucial saves against Inter in February, and in the same month he became the first Serie A goalkeeper to make an assist, teeing up a goal for Rafael Leao in a 1-0 win over Sampdoria.
And his shutout in Milan’s 3-0 win over Sassuolo, the league-winning moment, was his 17th of the campaign to make him the best stopper in Italy.
With four caps for France the 26-year-old is ready to step into the shoes of Hugo Lloris once the Spurs and Les Bleus stopper hangs up his gloves. But for the time being he has made his name as a Scudetto winner with I Rossoneri.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
