The IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper is a football award given annually since 1987 to the best goalkeeper of the year as voted by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics. The votes
Belgian goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff was the first ever winner of the award, in 1987.
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon holds the record for most wins (alongside Manuel Neuer and Iker Casillas).
At the end of the 20th Century, Soviet goalkeeper Lev Yashin was named World's Goalkeeper of the Century by IFFHS.
In 2011, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was named World's Best Goalkeeper of the 21st Century's first decade by IFFHS; in 2012, he was named World's Best Goalkeeper of the Past 25 Years. He also holds the record for most IFFHS Goalkeeper of the Year Award victories, alongside Iker Casillas and Manuel Neuer, with five.
Iker Casillas
Videos
Iker Casillas Fernández is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper and currently works as a football commentator. Dubbed "San Iker", he is considered to be one of the great
IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper
…is announced at the end of the year. The winning goalkeeper is awarded a gold trophy at the World Football Gala. Italy's Gianluigi Buffon, Spain's Iker Casillas and Germany's Manuel Neuer have each won the award a record five times; Casillas won the award for five consecutive years between 2008 and 2012. Below…
Casillas in 2021
Casillas in action for Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2009
Casillas, wearing the captain's armband while playing for Real Madrid in 2010
Casillas's gloves on display at the Santiago Bernabeu museum