The Best Goalkeeper in English Premier League History

The best goalkeepers in English Premier League history is subjective. Trophies matter but do not always tell the whole story. Lesser players sometimes win more silverware than better players, but this is true of all positions in all leagues. However, the cream always rises to the top, and modern goalkeepers are more skilful than past goalies: Fact!

The list of world-class goalkeepers who have played in the Premier League since 1992 is long. In the early days, many were British. Tim Flowers, Neville Southall, Nigel Martyn, David James, and David Seaman are a few during the early years. Flowers – who received one of the fastest red cards in Premier League history – was part of the Blackburn Rovers fairytale title triumph in 1994/95. Now, they come from around the globe. 

Seaman is an Arsenal legend, and one of the best England goalkeepers of all time. The former England No.1 won two titles and many other accolades in North London. Martyn and James, however, never won the top prize. Southhall, who is Welsh, won two First Division titles in the 1980s. 

Do goalies of yesteryear rank with their modern counterparts? Will any of the above-mentioned players be considered great English Premier League goalkeepers? SportsBoom explored the football databases and compiled a list of the greatest Premier League goalkeepers of all time. 

Image Credits: Brad Tutterow

Who are the Best English Premier League Goalkeepers of All Time

Ederson and Alisson Becker are among the two best goalkeepers in the world, never mind the English Premier League. The Brazilians have transformed goalkeeping in the Premier League since they entered the league. They are the only two goalies to win the Premier League since 2016/17. Ederson tops the list of most successful goalkeepers during the Premier League era. Has won six titles with Manchester City. 

Alisson has one title but is without a doubt one of the best goalkeepers, sharing national duties with Ederson at Brazil. Between them, they have won the last seven Premier League titles. Thibaut Courtois is another sublime goalie in the mould of the South Americans. The Spaniard won two English titles. 

He is one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga history, winning every trophy at Real Madrid. The Belgium international was instrumental in Chelsea’s 2014/15 and 2016/17 titles wins. He played less than half the number of games of Joe Hart and Seaman but won the same number of titles. 

Image Credits: @cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs) 

The style of goalkeeping has evolved from the traditional shot-stopper. Playing out from the back is historically anathema to British managers and coaches. Ederson, Alisson, and Courtois are superb with their feet. They can play out from the back, something not readily done in English football until the arrival of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. 

If a goalkeeper in the modern era of possession-based football cannot use their feet, they will not play for the best clubs. Alisson has scored one goal and has three assists; Ederson has no goals but three assists. Peter Schmeichel is the only other league-winning goalkeeper to score. He also has three assists, the same as Becker. Kasper Schmeichel, David de Gea, and Courtois are the only league-winning players without any goals or assists.
 

Image Credits: Seán Murray 

Only twelve goalkeepers have tasted Premier League success in 33 completed seasons. Ederson is the most successful goalkeeper in Premier League history. When Manchester City won their unprecedented fourth title in a row, he became the most decorated gloveman in the Premier League. Peter Schmeichel’s five titles put him second, one ahead of Petr Čech and Edwin van der Sar. 

The City shot-stopper has played 60 matches fewer than the Great Dane. The Manchester United legend only has 13 more clean sheets, which Ederson will pass. Both players have won it all. In 1999, Schmeichel won a famous continental treble with United. In 2022/23, Ederson matched the Dane’s feat. 

Čech and Van der Sar are Chelsea and United legends. Čech was the foundation of the best-ever Premier League defence. Under José Mourinho, Chelsea won back-to-back titles with the stingiest defence (37 goals conceded in 76 games) ever assembled. Mourinho’s men kept 24 clean sheets, conceding just 15 times, when Čech won his first of four Golden Glove awards in 2004/05. Chelsea conceded 22 goals in the 2005/06 title-winning campaign the following season. 
 

Image Credits: Twyford

Van der Sar is only ranked below Čech because the Chelsea gloveman won more individual awards and holds two of the most impressive records. Sir Alex Fergusen considered the Dutchman second only to Schmeichel as United’s best goalkeeper. 
Van der Sar won the 2008/09 Golden Glove. He kept 14 clean sheets in a row, a league record. Van der Sar eclipsed Čech’s record of ten shut-outs (1,025 minutes) for Arsenal in 2015/16. United went 1,311 minutes without conceding, breaking the all-time British record for minutes without conceding in professional football.
 

Image Credit: Austin Osuide 

Seaman, Hart, Courtois, and Fabien Barthez each won two Premier League titles. Seaman has four assists, Hart has one. Courtois and Barthez have none. Flowers, Becker, De Gea, Jens Lehmann, Barthez, and Kasper Schmeichel have one title. Becker was part of the all-conquering Liverpool team that won the Premier League in record fashion in 2018/19. He is unfortunate not to have two more titles but for City, who are the best football team in England since Guardiola took over.

De Gea won his Premier League title in Ferguson’s final season at Old Trafford. Lehmann’s title win is unforgettable. He was part of Arsenal’s “Invincibles” in 2003/04. The Gunners are the only club to go unbeaten in a Premier League campaign. Lehmann played every match under Arsene Wenger as Arsenal cruised to the title. 

Barthez’s stay at United lasted three-and-a-half seasons, where he won two titles under Ferguson. Kasper Schmeichel won an improbable title with Leicester City in 2015/16, which is every bit as remarkable as Flowers at Blackburn.