5 of the most under-rated goalkeepers of all time
The label of a legend in football seems strictly reserved for outfield players, namely lethal frontmen or dynamic midfielders. It is not necessary to scour the depths of the internet for hours in order to find countless lists of the most under-appreciated talents in attack, but when it comes to men between the sticks, they’re generally under-rated anyway.
With the exception of Manuel Neuer, Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon, the majority of goalkeepers in the modern game are viewed as a requirement rather than luxuries, even though a last-gasp save or penalty stop can be as crucial to a team’s success as a late goal or defence-splitting pass.
Here, we take a look at five individuals in particular who have unjustly slipped off the radar when discussing great goalkeepers…
#5 Neville Southall
When any professional ends their career by playing just a single game across spells with eight different clubs, it’s evident that any value they previously had evaporated quickly. It’s due to this dismal end to his career and the fact he seldom maintained a physique of athleticism that Southall fails to be acknowledged as the true great that he was.
It was during his seventeen-year career with Everton that Southall achieved the most success, winning two Division One titles, two FA Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup; all bar the second FA Cup were won in a three year period from 1984 to 1987. Southall made close to 800 appearances in total for the Toffees, rendering him their record appearance holder and a club legend
Southall also made the PFA Team of the Year every season from 1986 to 1990, in what turned out to be an incredibly prolific decade for the shot-stopper. The Welshman also made a credible 92 appearances for his country and is regarded as their greatest man between the sticks of all time.