Presuming for arguments sake that Joe Hart is indeed the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, how then does he compare against the remainder of the world’s best?
Gianluigi Buffon is the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, a world cup winner and an Italian national hero. For years the captain of Juventus has been one of the world’s best keepers, possessing a dominant command of his area, outstanding shot stopping ability, as well as great organisational and leadership skills. Although Hart cannot compete with the Italian’s career successes, he does have youth on his side. Though Buffon’s handling is probably more consistent, Hart is arguably more agile, quicker off his line and perhaps, due to his sharper reflexes, even a better shot stopper.
Alongside Hart, Manuel Neuer is perhaps the only young goalkeeper who might hope to rival the success Buffon has achieved over his career. The German number one possess a number of similar qualities to Hart that have aided his rise to stardom; confidence, command of his area, bravery and natural shot stopping ability.
Neuer perhaps has the edge over Hart in terms of his distribution and his positioning, although both goalkeepers possess similar attributes and qualities. If we therefore refer to the Dortmund match as a comparative marker, Neuer conceded five against BVB in the German Cup final last season. Furthermore, he conceded three against BATE Borisov on Wednesday night, so on current form, Hart wins again.
If Buffon and Neuer’s claims can be so naively swept aside by a gently biased English football fan, then those of Iker Casillas cannot. The thirty-one year old Spaniard is a double Champions League winner, a double European Championship winner and also a World Cup winner; not even Buffon can compete with the decorations that Casillas has achieved over his illustrious career.
To add to his international acclaims, the Real Madrid skipper has also won ten domestic trophies including five La Liga titles; his accolades speak for themselves. Perhaps what they don’t measure is the amount of times that Casillas has been his side’s saving grace, the number of times he has pulled off strings of saves in order to keep his attack minded team in the contest. Hart gave such a performance against Dortmund, but Casillas has been doing it for his entire career.
Nevertheless, if Casillas trumps Hart with his reflexes, handling and ability in one-on-one situations, then Hart conquers Casillas in terms of his command of the area, communication and aerial ability, for one clear gap between the pair is their height difference. However, if Hart is being branded as the best goalkeeper in the world, then those individuals making these remarks are forgetting three other outstanding candidates. Even if at this present time one might consider Hart to be in the best form, few can deny that class is permanent; Buffon and Casillas thus possess this in abundance, and they too have the career successes to go with it.
If I had to be pushed into making a decision, bearing in mind all factors, I’d have to plump for Iker Casillas as the best goalkeeper in the world, with Joe Hart in a generous second and Buffon in third. For although both Neuer and Hart have the necessary qualities in order become number one, they may have to wait until their two elder statesmen have retired to their armchairs before they can truly claim such a title.
Who do you think is the best goalkeeper in the world? Comment below or tweet me @Benno_Watts22
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