Ranking the 5 best goalkeepers under the age of 25 right now
The role of goalkeepers in football just cannot be underestimated. It is quite evident how a good player between the sticks can help you win matches and it hasn't changed one bit.
In fact, nowadays the concept of a goalkeeper is more advanced. The concept of a sweeper-keeper is more encouraged, demanding the man between the sticks to be more participative in the game.
Some young goalkeepers look fantastic for the future
Football has seen some incredible goalkeepers enrich the game. The likes of Iker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon, Peter Schmeichel, Petr Cech, Manuel Neuer and many others have shown how invaluable a player is between the sticks.
The goalkeepers of the new generation look very promising and quite modern with their approach. With more improvised techniques, it surely looks like a bright future for the game of football.
On that note, let's take a look at some of the best young goalkeepers under the age of 25 in world football at the moment:
#5 Alex Meret (Napoli)
Alex Meret comes from the youth academy of Udinese in Italy. The 24-year old Italian made his first senior appearance in December 2015 against Atalanta in the Coppa Italia.
The following summer the young goalkeeper was sent on loan to Serie B side SPAL. Meret's loan was extended for another season as the club earned promotion to Serie A.
In the summer of 2018, Napoli signed the Italian goalkeeper from Udinese. Meret has been with the Parthenopeans and is being used in rotation with Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina.
ALEX MERET (21) - Napoli
Alex Meret has played only 630 minutes so far this season, owing to a pre-season injury and to the rotation with Ospina. However, he has been showing some remarkable numbers. Some of his stats are indeed the best in the top 5 European leagues.
(Thread) https://t.co/HVkm7BVP8J
The former Udinese goalkeeper is known to be a very calm and composed figure between the sticks. His reading and decision-making while handling crosses is highly-rated and so are his shot-stopping skills.
The one area where he can improve is with his passing. He's also known to do well when it comes to stopping penalties. Over time, Meret is likely to become well-rounded and make a name for himself.
#4 Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao)
The young Spanish goalkeeper is a graduate of Athletic Bilbao's youth academy. It took time for Unai Simon's career to pick up but once it did there has been no looking back.
Simon was the fourth-choice goalkeeper for Bilbao behind Kepa Arrizabalaga, Iago Herrerin and Alex Remiro. With Kepa's departure to Chelsea in the summer of 2018, Herrera getting injured and Remiro stalling his contract, the young Spaniard got his breakthrough. Even though Simon did not get as much game-time as he would have desired, he made a good impression of his capabilities.
The very next season he was made Bilbao's first-choice goalkeeper and since then, he has managed to keep his place intact. Not only that, Simon has now become a regular starter for Spain's national team and was involved in all the games for La Roja at Euro 2020.
Unai Simón has been extraordinary this season! One of the best goalkeepers of La Liga, and he is only 23!
Strenghts:
*Long passing
*Shot stopping (Reflexes)
*Concentration
*Saving close range shots
Stats:
34 appearances
28 conceded goals
14 clean sheets
#Ace https://t.co/SHy1YkmGRt
Simon was quite impressive with his penalty-stopping abilities against Switzerland and nearly managed to help beat the Italians in the semi-finals. He has also managed to help Bilbao reach two Copa del Rey finals, including their triumph last season.
The 24-year-old possesses good passing range and an even better command at the back. His shot-stopping abilities have been impressive and with experience, the Spaniard is only getting better. Simon has managed to strongly challenge David De Gea at the national level and is looking a very promising prospect for the future.