Although football is very much a team sport, there is no doubt that individual brilliance is a huge factor.

Whoever said that one man doesn’t make a team, needs to be reminded that the likes of Brazil’s Pelé single-handedly determined the outcome of many a match.

But the one player who carries more responsibility and is more under the microscope than most is the goalkeeper. The only person on the field legitimately allowed to use his hands must, of necessity, possess qualities that, as the last line of defence, are a cross between a gymnast and a brick wall.

Leaps and dives, cat-like agility, split-second reflexes, instinct and bravery… all these and a lot more are in his skill set. Generally, goalies are also extremely vocal as they must communicate with the players in front of them and shout instructions.

But it’s not all defence. In the modern game, many attacks start from the back and a goalie with a long throw or accurate kick can often catch opponents on the break.

I’ve chosen my top nine goalkeepers from a whole bunch of excellent stoppers who will be on show.

It’s interesting how many of them are lured to the lucrative English clubs.

PS, am I the only Chelsea fan who doesn’t rate the erratic Edouard Mendy all that highly?

Here’s my nine of the best:

Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich and Germany has got to be the finest of the lot – some say the greatest of all time. He is at the peak of his form, despite recently announcing he has successfully undergone three skin cancer operations.

Thibaut Courtois plays his club games for Real Madrid and represents Belgium at national level. He has been around the block a few times but, at the age of 30, he remains as agile as ever and this tournament will enhance his reputation.

Known, as many South Americans are, by just his surname, Alisson (Becker) stands in the sticks for Liverpool and Brazil. An excellent distributor, his ball skills are probably good enough to have made him a great outfield player.

Ederson (the Santana de Moraes is redundant) became the highest paid goalkeeper of all time when he transferred to Manchester City from Benfica in 2017 for 35 million British pounds. He is now a multiple title winner for the Noisy Neighbours and a regular feature guarding the goals for Brazil.

Arguably heading the list of on-form shot-stoppers this season is Everton’s Jordan Pickford, the first name to be pencilled in on England’s team sheet. The Toffees’ England keeper has one of the fewest ‘goals against’ records in the Premier League, despite his side being constantly under the pump. He literally is a ‘keeper’.

David Raya plays his club football for Brentford in the Premier League, where he is often called on to keep his struggling team in the game. He was previously part of the Blackburn Rovers Academy, before being transferred. Spain’s selectors no doubt value his performances, preferring him to David de Gea, the Manchester United stopper. Raya’s strong suit is that he is a prolific sweeper-keeper, not unexpected as he began his football career as an out player.

Another Premier League stopper, Hugo Lloris plies his trade with Tottenham Hotspur and is a popular figure at White Hart Lane, despite sometimes making out-of-character, elementary blunders. But the Spurs fans forgive him because of the many brilliant saves he pulls off.

Newcastle United’s resurgence this season has as much to do with the sparkling form of Nick Pope as it does with the millions being poured into the club by the new owners. While he might be playing a supporting role behind Jordan Pickford in the England squad, fans (especially in the Magpies’ camp) have no fears that if he is called on, the team will not be weakened in any way.

For more than a decade, Kasper Schmeichel was the hero of Leicester City before he suddenly packed his bags for French side OGC Nice a few months ago. The son of legendary keeper Peter Schmeichel, Kasper followed in his revered dad’s footsteps, also donning the gloves for the Danish national side, with distinction.

#TacklingQatar2022: Manned by soccer fundi Dave Savides, the Corner Shop is the place to be for Soccer World Cup news. Savides, the long-time editor of the Zululand Observer, is tackling the coverage of the world’s greatest footie extravaganza for Caxton Local Media.

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