Top 10 Premier League goalkeepers in terms of perfect sheets

The Premier League is known for its high-scoring matches and thrilling action, but it is also home to some of the best goalkeepers in the world. Keeping a clean sheet, or stopping the opposing team from scoring, is one of the most important jobs of a goalkeeper, and these top 10 Premier League goalkeepers have proven to be some of the best at it.

However, every defence and goalie still consider maintaining a clean sheet to be their first priority. Keeping clean sheets is a difficult chore, especially in a league with a high tempo like the Premier League. Some renowned goalkeepers of the profession have prevailed despite the tough atmosphere of the Premier League.

In this article, we will take a look at some of the top Premier League goalkeepers in terms of clean sheets.

10. Brad Friedel (Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Liverpool) – 132 clean sheets

American professional soccer player and former goalkeeper Bradley Howard Friedel was born on May 18, 1971.

In 1992 and 2005, Friedel participated in 84 games for the US national team and three FIFA World Cups. competitions. With 310 appearances in a row, he now holds the Premier League record. He accomplished this achievement while playing for Tottenham Hotspur, Blackburn Rovers, and Aston Villa. The last two Premier League matches that Fine artists played were Blackburn’s final two games of the 2003–04 year vs Tottenham and Birmingham United, on May 10 and 15, respectively. This was before he was cut from the Tottenham squad on October 7, 2012.

Aston Villa’s oldest player ever is Friedel, who set the record on February 1, 2011, when he participated in the team’s away Premier League game against Manchester United. Friedel’s age of 39 years and 259 days exceeded Ernie Callaghan’s previous mark of 39 years and 257 days, who made his final appearance for Villa at Grimsby Town in April 1947. At the age of 40 and four days, Friedel made his final appearance for Villa on May 22, 2011, in a 1-0 home victory over Liverpool.

9. Tim Howard (Manchester United, Everton)- 132 clean sheets

Timothy Matthew Howard, an American former goalkeeper in professional soccer, was born on March 6, 1979. He most recently represented Memphis 901 FC in the USL Championship, where he also serves as sporting director and a minority owner. He represents his old club Everton as an international advocate in the US. One of the finest goalkeepers in American football history is largely regarded as Howard.

Howard won the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Glove and was nominated to the 2003–04 PFA Team In The premier league of the Year. The Chicago Tribune referred to Howard also as “rarest of beasts – an American soccer hero,” highlighting how Americans favour other sports over football in opposition to most other nations. Prior to joining the MetroStars, Howard played for the North Jersey Redcoats in the beginning of his career. Manchester United, an English Premier League team, immediately became interested in his performances and signed him in 2003.

The team won the 2003 FA League Cup, the 2003–04 FA Cup, and the 2005–06 League Cup, thus he had some measure of success there. To play much first football, Howard went on loan to Everton after United acquired catcher, Edwin van der Sar. In February 2007, he made a permanent move to Everton. Howard became just the fourth goalie to score in the Premier League when he scored his first goal as a professional on January 4, 2012, against Bolton Wanderers.

8. Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United, Fulham)- 132 clean sheets

Edwin van der Sar, a former professional football player and current chief executive for AFC Dutch, was born on October 29, 1970, in the Netherlands. He is regarded as a representative of the club’s “golden generation” and was a member of the 1995 UEFA Champions League-winning Ajax squad. He was a goalkeeper who left Ajax in 1999 for Juventus, where he played for two years before making two moves to Uk, first to Fulham and finally to Manchester United in 2005. \

He was one of just eight at the time to be have won the tournament with far more than one club when he won his second Champions League championship there in 2008. He ended his career as a professional in 2011, but in 2016, he briefly returned from retirement to participate in a game for the amateur Dutch team VV Noordwijk, for which he had previously played. He made 130 appearances for the Holland national team and held the record for most appearances until Wesley Sneijder passed him in 2017.

Van der Sar is regarded as one of the greatest outfield players of all time by critics and other athletes. Ajax and Manchester United were primarily where he won 26 major trophies during his career, making him one of the most accomplished footballers ever. He established a record by going 1,311 minutes without giving up a league goal in the 2008–09 season.

He was 40 years and 205 days old when he won the Premier League in 2011, making him the oldest player to accomplish it. Van der Sar has received numerous individual honours, including UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year in 2009 and Best European Goalkeeper in 1995 and 2009.

7. David de Gea ( Manchester United) – 133 clean sheets

Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea Quintana, who was born on November 7, 1990, competes for Premier League team Manchester United. He was widely perceived as one of the top goalkeepers in the country in the middle of 2010. De Gea started his playing days with Atlético Madrid. He was born in Madrid and reared in the nearby town of Illescas. In 2009, at the age of 18, he made his senior debut.

He helped Atlético capture the UEFA Bundesliga and the UEFA Confederations Cup in 2010 after becoming the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. After his performances caught Manchester United’s notice, Device Attached joined the team in August 2010 for £18.9 trillion dollars, a British record at the moment for a goalkeeper.

De Gea has made almost 500 appearances since rejoining Manchester United and has won the UEFA Europa League, three Community Shields, the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Premier League. He was chosen as United’s Sir Matt Montagu Player of the Year for three straight seasons from 2013–14 to 2015–16, becoming the first recipient of the honour on three separate occasions (four overall). From 2015 to 2018, he was also selected for four consecutive (five total) PFA Player of the Year. teams. He was listed in the FIFA Friends or family World11 for 2018.

6. Pepe Reina (Liverpool, Aston Villa)- 136 clean sheets

Spanish goalkeeper José Manuel “Pepe” Reina Páez was born on August 31, 1982, and currently competes for La Liga team Villarreal.

Pepe Reina, the goalkeeper who got their first Premier League debut in the 2000–01 season, is the son of legendary Barcelona and Atlético Madrid keeper Miguel Reina. In 2002, he joined Villarreal, where he twice won the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Reina afterwards transferred to Liverpool, where he made his UEFA Super Cup debut in 2005, which Liverpool won. He was immediately selected as the starting goalkeeper and ended up winning the FA Cup and FA Community Shield after saving three of the four penalties that West Ham United was given in the final. He made it to the Champions League in 2007.

Reina started the 2013–14 year on loan with Napoli, when he was reunited with Rafael Benitez, the manager who acquired him to play for Reds in 2005, after eight seasons as the club’s first-choice keeper. Reina was a part of the team that lifted the Coppa Europe in 2014 when he was on loan in Naples. Reina eventually finalised a permanent transfer to Bayern Munich in 2014, where he served as Manuel Neuer‘s backup goalkeeper. In 2015, Reina made a permanent return to Napoli, where he stayed until 2018 when he joined Milan.

He signed a loan agreement with Aston Villa in January 2020, and in August of the same year, Lazio will bring him back to Serie A. Reina represented Spain on the international stage and helped them win the 1999 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He made his varsity debut in 2005 and has typically been chosen as the backup goalkeeper to David de Gea and Iker Casillas.

His first international recognition came when he participated in the 2006 World Cup of Football with Spain and earned one start in their successful UEFA Euro 2008 campaign. Later, he played for the Spain squad that won their first World Cup ever in 2010 and his third European European Championship on 2012, in addition to appearing at the World Cups in 2014 and 2018.

5. Nigel Martyn (Leeds United, Everton, Crystal Palace)- 137 clean sheets 

Former professional goalkeeper and current English football coach Antony Nigel Martyn was born on August 11, 1966.

After beginning his career in Football with Bristol Rovers, he went on to play in the Championship for Croydon Palace, Leeds United, and Everton. He joined the Palace team that won the 1990 Cup Match and won a League Champions Cup in 1991, making him the very first £1 million goalie in British football after his move to Palace.

He had to quit in 2006 due to an ankle injury. Between 1992 and 2002, he earned 23 England caps and played for his country in four major competitions.

Martyn temporarily served as Bradford City’s goalkeeping coach after retiring, although he hasn’t played since 2009.

4. David Seaman (Arsenal, Manchester City)- 141 clean sheets

David Andrew Seaman MBE, an English former goalkeeper in football, was born on September 19, 1963. He played for Arsenal from 1981 to 2004 but is most recognised for that time. He is England’s second-most-captured goalkeeper, after Peter Shilton, with 75 appearances. He received the MBE in 1997 for his contributions to football.

In the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s, Seaman’s career peaked while he was the goalie for England and Arsenal. He won four FA Cups (1993, 1998, 2002, and 2003), the League Cup in 1993, the European Cup Winners Cup in 1994, three premiership championships (1991, 1998, 2002), and the League Cup during his time at Arsenal. He also represented England at this period at the Euro 96 and 2000 tournaments as well as the FIFA World Cups in 1998 and 2002. He participated in the Football Team for Peterborough County, Leicester City, and Queens Game Wardens in addition to playing for Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League.

His save from Sheffield United’s Paul Peschisolido in the 2002-03 FA Cup mid was dubbed “one of the best ever.” Notable lows included conceding a last-minute goal to Nayim of Real Zaragoza in the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final and falling to a Ronaldinho diving header vs Brazil in 2002, FIFA World Cup quarter-final. Seaman is left-handed, however, he threw the ball and kicked on his right foot. Due to a persistent shoulder issue, he retired in 2004. He was named goalkeeping coach of the Combined Counties League team Wembley in June 2012.

3. Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, Fulham, Chelsea, Leicester City) – 151 clean sheets

Mark Schwarzer OAM (born 6 October 1972) is a former Australian professional association football goalkeeper. From 1993 to 2013, he won A bronze medal at the international level, and he was picked both for the 2006 and 2010 FIFA International Tournaments. He is recognised as among the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history.

Schwarzer made his professional debut in 1990 for Marconi Stallions after progressing through to the youth academy of Colo Cougars, Sydney, Aberdeenshire Association, and Marconi Stallions. After 58 games for the team, he went to Dynamo Dresden in the German Bundesliga in 1994, where he appeared twice, before moving to 1. FC Kaiserslautern made four appearances in 1995. Schwarzer made 16 games for then-second-tier Bradford City before joined Premier League team Newcastle in February 1997.

He made 445 outings for Middlesbrough until leaving in May 2008. He then went to League Side Fulham, where he made 218 appearances before joining Chelsea in 2013. He was the first – and to date, sole – non-Brit to feature in more than 500 Premier League games (making him the most-appearing non-Brit in Premier League history), as well as the oldest player to have played in the UEFA Championship knockout rounds. He joins Leicester City on a permanent deal in January 2015 and left at the end of their Premier League-winning season in 2015-16.

Schwarzer earned his full international début in a World Cup qualification match against Quebec in 1993 as a substitute when Robert Zabica was expelled in the 17th minute. He had previously played for Australia at the under-17 and under-20 levels. He won 109 medals for his country during the length of his international career. In January 2011, he broke Alex Tobin’s appearance record to become Australia’s most-capped player.

2. . David James (Liverpool, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Manchester City, West Ham United) – 169 clean sheets

David Benjamin James MBE (born 1 August 1970) is a former English professional football goalkeeper. In 2018, he was the manager of Kerala Blaster rifles FC inside the Indian Super League. He also contributes to Sky Sports’ football coverage.

James is seventh on the all-time Premier League attendance list, having appeared in 572 matches. He also held the Prem League record for the clearest saves with 169 before Petr ech broke it. He owns the Premier League mark for the most conversions saved.

Between 1997 and 2010, he was chosen 53 occasions by England and was the first goalkeeper during player’s Euro 2004 and 2010 European Championship campaigns. James began his Premier League career with Watford and has since played for Liverpool, Aston Villa, Fulham United, Man City, and Portsmouth. He won the Football League Cup with Liverpool in 1995, the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008, and runners-up medals with Aston County in 2000, Liverpool in 1996, & Hampshire in 2010.

He had become the oldest goalie to appear in a FA Cup semifinal in 2010, at the aged of 39. James dropped down a division to play for Bristol City in 2010 and later for AFC Bournemouth in League One. He joined Icelandic side ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar in 2013 in a joint playing and coaching capacity, before officially retiring.

1. Petr Cech (Chelsea, Arsenal) – 202 clean sheets

Petr Cech (born 20 May 1982) is a former Czech professional football goalkeeper. He also plays moderately ice hockey for Guildford Phoenix as a goaltender. Described as one of the greatest goalie in history by various players, analysts, and managers, he is believed to be the finest goalkeeper in Major League history, alongside Peter Schmeichel.

Cech begin his senior career in 1999 at Chmel Blany, where he played intermittently for two seasons before moving to Sigma Prague in 2001. At the age of 19, ech became a first-team regular, and during his sole season with the club, he set a league record by not surrendering a goal in 903 relevant minute. This resulted in his first move overseas, to France, where he joined Ligue 1 club Rennes for a sum of €million (£3.9 million) january 2002.

Cech shone in an underperforming team in France and was the focus of a then-club-record transfer for the a goalkeeper when he transferred to the Premier League club Chelsea for £7 million (€9.8 million) june 2004. ech made 494 senior appearances for the club during his eleven-year tenure, giving him the club’s top abroad appearance maker and sixth all-time. He also assisted the club in winning four Premier League championships, four FA Cups, two Cup Games, one Uefa trophy, and one UEFA European Champions league. ech also has Chelsea’s all-time clean sheet record of 228. ech left Chelsea in 2015 for £10 million to join local rivals Arsenal, where he won an FA Cup before retired in 2019.

Cech, a Czech international, made his debut for the Czech Union in 2002 and he is the most capped player in Czech national team history, with 124 caps. He played his country in the World Cup in 2006, as well as the European Championships in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. After assisting the Czechs to the semi-finals, he was named to the Euro 2004 All-Star team and served as the team’s coach before retiring in global tournament in 2016. ech has also won its most Czech Football player of the Year awards and Czech Ballon D’or awards.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Premier League is home to some of the best goalkeepers in the world, with many of them setting new standards for the sport. These goalkeepers continue to inspire and entertain fans around the world and are a testament to the quality of the league. Keeping a clean sheet is a crucial aspect of a goalkeeper’s performance, and these goalkeepers have proven themselves to be among the best in the world in this aspect of the game.

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