Top 20 Goalkeepers of 2011

Putting together a list of the top 20 goalkeepers in the world is not easy. There are always quality names that are left out, and this list will certainly be no different than any other.

It is certainly open for debate. All suggestions are welcomed.

As of right now, these are my best 20.

Sit back and enjoy, and hopefully, 2012 will bring many more great matches for all to see.

No. 20: Brad Friedel, Tottenham

While this one may be a surprise, the 40-year-old American has the numbers to back it up.

He has given up 19 goals in 17 English Premership matches this season, as Tottenham is third in the league standings behind just the Manchester sides.

No. 19: Roman Weidenfeller, Borussia Dortmund

The veteran German goalkeeper is another surprise to this list simply because he has never featured with Germany as a senior international.

His numbers with Borussia Dortmund this season in the Bundesliga are impressive. Weidenfeller has conceded just 12 goals in 17 matches.

His record in the UEFA Champions League was not as strong, as Borussia was eliminated in the group stages, where he allowed 12 goals in six matches.

No. 18: Steve Mandanda, Marseille

The French goalkeeper has helped his club reach the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. 

Mandanda also has done well in Ligue 1, allowing just 18 goals from 19 matches.

No. 17: Tim Howard, Everton

The American goalkeeper is once again having a fine season with Everton. He has allowed just 20 goals in 17 matches in the Premership this season. 

No. 16: Salvatore Sirigu, Paris Saint-Germain

The young Italian goalkeeper has done well in leading Paris Saint-Germain to the top of the Ligue 1 standings.

He has given up just 17 goals in 19 matches and has 60 saves in his first season with the French club.

No. 15: David De Gea, Manchester United

De Gea is just 21 years old and will get better with time. He has big shoes to fill in replacing the retired Edwin Van der Saar.

Some could argue that he isn't even Manchester United's best goalkeeper, as his backup, Anders Lindegaard, has five clean sheets in five matches in the Premership.

De Gea has allowed 14 goals in 13 matches. 

Certainly, the Red Devils elimination from the Champions League has put even more pressure on the Spaniard. 

With patience, he will turn out to be the goalie Sir Alex Ferguson's side needs going forward.

No. 14: Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Borussia Monchengladbach

This is an up-and-comer. Just 19 years old, this young German goalkeeper has been outstanding in the Bundesliga. 

He has allowed just 11 goals in 17 matches and has his side just four points behind league leaders Bayern Munich and in excellent position to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League.

Germany should feel very good about its goalkeeping prospects with ter Stegen and Manuel Neuer for quite some time.

No. 13: Maarten Stekelenburg, as Roma

The Dutch No. 1 keeper has impressed in his first season in Italy, even if the numbers are not completely convincing.

Stekelenburg has allowed 17 goals in 13 Serie A matches. He also has 41 saves for a club that made many offseason changes and has had many injuries.

No. 12: Petr Cech, Chelsea

The veteran goalkeeper has fallen out of the top 10, but is still one of the world's best.

Cech helped Chelsea advance past the first round of the UEFA Champions League.

He has allowed 19 goals in 16 matches in the Premership this season. 

No. 11: Hugo Lloris, Lyon

France's No. 1 goalkeeper is one of the best in the world and has helped his club into the knockout stages of the Champions League.

He has allowed 18 goals in 17 matches in Ligue 1 this season.

No. 10: Joe Hart, Manchester City

Hart is England's No. 1 goalkeeper and has done well for Manchester City.

The club is fighting with rival Manchester United in a battle for the Premership title. Both sides are currently tied on points.

He has allowed 15 goals in 18 matches this season. His side was eliminated from the UEFA Champions League and has dropped to the Europa Cup.

No. 9: Morgan De Sanctis, Napoli

If anyone wants to know why Napoli is still competing in the UEFA Champions League, Morgan De Sanctis is your answer.

The veteran Italian goalkeeper had been one of the better Serie A goalies for quite some time. He has a short stints in Spain and Turkey. De Sanctis returned to his home country in 2009 and been a key reason for Napoli's rise in both Italy and in Europe.

De Sanctis has allowed 18 goals in 16 matches in Serie A so far this season.

No. 8: Julio Cesar, Inter Milan

A year ago, Julio Cesar might have been tops on this list. But the Brazilian goalkeeper was not as strong in 2011.

He still remains one of the world's best, however.

No. 7: Pepe Reina, Liverpool

The Spanish goalkeeper is the best in the Premership and would be the starting goalkeeper for almost any nation in the world.

He has an outstanding record thus far in the 2011-12 season, allowing just 14 goals in 18 matches.

No. 6: Christian Abbiati, AC Milan

If anyone saw the first leg of the UEFA Champions League match between AC Milan and Barcelona, you will see why Abbiati ranks so high on this list.

He is an outstanding goalie who went out on several loan spells earlier in his career before the club realized it could not do without him.

There have been some suggestions that his personality and political views have cost him a spot with Italy's national team and why he was loaned out earlier in his career.

But there is no questioning his ability as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. 

No. 5: Victor Valdes, Barcelona

Based on statistics alone, this guy is tough to beat. But the reality is that while Valdes is a super goalkeeper, he also has the best team on the planet in front of him. 

He has allowed just eight goals in 16 La Liga matches this season and has just 24 saves. He is often a lonely goalkeeper. 

Nevertheless, Valdes has proven to be solid when pressed into action.

No. 4: Iker Casillas, Real Madrid

Casillas is a legend and one of the best goalkeepers of all time. He has been a dominant goalkeeper for a long time and doesn't appear to be slowing down.

He has allowed 15 goals in 16 La Liga matches this season and has 48 saves. 

No. 3: Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus

He might be the best to have ever played the game. Like Casillas, Buffon is a legend. 

He will be 34 in late January, and it seems like has been around forever. He practically has. Buffon has been a starting goalie in Serie A since he was 17.

He has battled injuries in recent years, and some have felt that perhaps he has lost his grip on being the top goalie in the world or even in Serie A. 

But his numbers are still outstanding. Buffon has allowed just eight goals in 14 Serie A appearances this season. 

No. 2: Manuel Neuer, Bayern Munich

Neuer is the top goalkeeper in the world in the eyes of many, and he may be exactly that.

He moved in the summer from Schalke and rejected an opportunity to move to Manchester United.

Germany's No. 1 has allowed just 10 goals in 17 matches this season in the Bundesliga to go with 28 saves.

Bayern has also advanced in the UEFA Champions League.

No. 1: Samir Handanovic, Udinese

The selection of Handanovic as the top goalie may stir some debate. However, the Slovenian goalkeeper of Bosnian ancestry has the numbers to back it up.

Handanovic helped get Udinese into the Champions League qualifying rounds this past season, where the club put up a strong fight against Arsenal.

He has continued to impress by allowing just nine goals in 16 Serie A matches this season.

Handanovic has been linked in the past with possible transfers to Manchester United, Arsenal and Bayern Munich. 

If a giant bid comes in next summer, it will be difficult for Udinese to keep him.