IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper
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 (IFFHS). The votes are cast by IFFHS's editorial staff as well as experts from different continents.
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.
Goalkeeper (association football)
The goalkeeper is a position in association football. It is the most specialised position in the sport. The goalkeeper's main role is to stop the opposing team from scoring. This is accomplished by having the goalkeeper move into the trajectory of the ball to either catch it or direct it further from the vicinity of the goal line. Within the penalty area goalkeepers are allowed to use their hands, giving them the sole rights on the field to handle the ball. The goalkeeper is indicated by wearing a different coloured kit from their teammates and opposition.
Former Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas – the first goalkeeper ever to keep one hundred international clean sheets (UEFA Euro 2012)
A goalkeeper (left, wearing a white shirt) being charged by a rival player (1905)
Maksym Koval (left) closes down Luis Suárez.
Goalkeeper Destin Onka Malonga (right) making a save