Ranking the 5 best goalkeepers in La Liga (August 2021)
La Liga has been home to many top goalkeepers over the years. From Iker Casillas to Victor Valdes, and more recently Thibaut Courtois and Jan Oblak, there have been many custodians who have impressed in the Spanish top flight.
While most of the focus has been on attackers like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr. and Ronaldinho, goalkeepers have also performed well in the La Liga and in Europe over the years.
The current crop of La Liga goalkeepers are some of the finest in the game, and are known for their composure, defensive abilities and goalkeeping exploits. On that note, here's a look at the five best goalkeepers plying their trade in the La Liga now:
#5 Yassine Bounou (Sevilla)
Sevilla have been impressive since Julen Lopetegui took over in 2019. They won the Europa League in 2019-20 and finished fourth in the La Liga last season. Several players, including Jules Kounde, Diego Carlos and Lucas Ocampos, have flourished under him.
But one of the key Sevilla performers who has gone under the radar is goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. He was initially brought in on loan as a backup to Tomas Vaclik. But his exploits in the knockout stages of Sevilla's Europa League winning 2019-20 campaign impressed Sevilla enough to sign him permanently.
Last season, the Morocco international became a starter for Sevilla in the La Liga, keeping 15 clean sheets in 33 matches to help them qualify for the Champions League.
The 30-year-old did not just make incredible saves for Sevilla but also scored in the 1-1 draw against Real Valladolid. The goalkeeper, one of the best in Africa, has seen his stock rise in recent months.
#4 Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad)
Real Sociedad impressed in the La Liga last season and even topped the table for a while in the early stages of the campaign before eventually finishing fifth.
Many Sociedad players were impressive throughout the season, including the likes of Mikel Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino. But their 26-year-old goalkeeper Alex Remiro was the one who especially stood out.
Remiro joined Sociedad from Athletic Bilbao in 2019 and has been a regular for the team since then. He was Sociedad's first choice in the La Liga last season, and his composure and athleticism were key for the team who narrowly missed out on a Champions League spot.
In the last La Liga campaign, the goalkeeper kept 14 clean sheets in 38 games for Sociedad.