Goalkeepers play a crucial role in determining the final outcome of every football match. As Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup draws near, several managers are carefully selecting the players that will occupy the only mandatory position of their teams in the international men’s football championship scheduled from 20 November to 18 December 2022.
Meanwhile, goalies like France’s Hugo Lloris and Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois will be playing in Qatar after they made impressive performances in the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia. Below is a list of more goalkeepers to watch out for.
These are the 20 Goalkeepers to Watch Out For in Qatar
1. Thibaut Courtois
- Full Name – Thibaut Nicolas Marc Courtois
- Date of Birth – May 11, 1992
- Age – 32 years old
- Height – 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)
- Club – Real Madrid
- National Team – Belgium
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2014, 2018
Thibaut Courtois is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Real Madrid and the Belgium national team.
Courtois is known to have played a crucial role in Belgium’s 2–1 win over Brazil in the quarter-final in Russia 2018, which saw Belgium advance to the semi-finals of the World Cup tournament for the first time since 1986.
More so, he posted two clean sheets in the group stage of the FIFA 2018 World Cup and allowed only one goal in Belgium’s loss to eventual champion (France) in the semi-final. He also posted another clean sheet against England in the 3rd place game. Furthermore, Thibaut made 27 saves in seven World Cup games – a record he holds to date. He was awarded the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper of the tournament in 2018. See why you should watch out for him at Qatar 2022?
2. Alisson
- Full Name – Alisson Ramses Becker
- Date of Birth – October 2, 1992
- Age – 54 years old
- Height – 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
- Club – Liverpool
- National Team – Brazil
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2018
Why should you watch out for Alisson at Qatar World Cup 2022? Well, it is because he is currently regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world due to his crucial saves and positioning. More so, he was chosen in the final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and helped the team make it to the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Belgium.
3. Ederson
- Full Name – Ederson Santana de Moraes
- Date of Birth – August 17, 1993
- Age – 31 years old
- Height – 1.88 m (6ft 2 in)
- Club – Manchester City
- National Team – Brazil
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2018
Ederson is a proficient Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Manchester City and the Brazil national team.
In May 2018, he was named in Tite’s final 23-man squad for the World Cup in Russia, and his play was impressive, assisting the team to the quarter-finals stage where they were eventually knocked out by Belgium.
Ederson will most likely be part of Brazil’s final 23-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and his records, especially in 2019 Copa America may mean he is returning to the Cup with much zeal and readiness to help his team lift the trophy.
4. Marc-Andre ter Stegen
- Full Name – Marc-André ter Stegen
- Date of Birth – April 30, 1992
- Age – 32 years old
- Height – 1.87 m (6 ft 2in)
- Club – Barcelona
- National Team – Germany
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2018
Marc-André ter Stegen is one of the 20 goalkeepers to watch out for at the Qatar World Cup 2022 because of his consistent goalkeeping, quick reflexes, good decision-making, and excellent shot-stopping abilities. He represented Germany in the last world cup and is likely going to stand the chance to do the same this time around since he has remained on top of his game ever since.
5. Emiliano Martinez
- Full Name – Damián Emiliano Martínez Romero
- Date of Birth – September 2, 1992
- Age – 32 years old
- Height – 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
- Club – Aston Villa
- National Team – Argentina
32-years-old Emiliano Martínez got his major career breakthrough in 2021 after replacing Bernd Leno. He made some crucial saves to help Arsenal win their 14th FA Cup in the same year and later made his international debut on 3 June 2021, in a 1–1 draw with Chile in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match. He sure appears to be a goalkeeper to watch out for owing to his significant growth and successes.
6. Hugo Lloris
- Full Name – Hugo Hadrien Dominique Lloris
- Date of Birth – December 26, 1986
- Age – 54 years old
- Height – 1.88m (6ft 2 in)
- Club – Tottenham Hotspur
- National Team – France
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2014, 2018
Hugo is another goalkeeper to watch out for at Qatar World Cup 2022 given his excellent records in several competitions including the World Cup. T mention a few, He helped France qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was applauded by the media for his performance over two legs against the Republic of Ireland in the qualifying playoffs. More so, He captained the national team for the first time in 2010, and became a first-choice captain in 2012, leading his team into the quarter-finals of both UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
And of course, can guess his biggest achievement. He played in the match that made France lift the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Looking forward to seeing him come back as a defending champion in Qatar.
7. Mike Maignan
- Full Name – Mike Peterson Maignan
- Date of Birth – July 3, 1995
- Age – 54 years old
- Height – 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
- Club – AC Milan
- National Team – France
Mike is another goalkeeper to look out for from France. He has played for his national team at every level, from under-16 to under-21. He also captained the under-17 side at the 2012 European Championship in Slovenia. More so, his impressive performance after he received his senior call-up in 2019 makes him a force to reckon with if he makes France’s list for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
8. Wojciech Szczęsny
- Full Name – Wojciech Tomasz Szczęsny
- Date of Birth – April 18, 1990
- Age – 34 years old
- Height – 1.96m (6 ft 5 in)
- Club – Juventus
- National Team – Poland
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2018
34-years-old Wojciech Tomasz has earned over 60 caps for Poland since his debut in 2009. He is known to b a talented goalkeeper who took part in the 2018 FIFA World Cup alongside his teammates and played in his nation’s first two group matches, a 2–1 defeat against Senegal and a 3–0 defeat to Colombia. Though Poland failed to qualify for the Knock out phase, he may assist the team to push further in Qatar 2022 if given another opportunity.
9. José Sá
- Full Name – José Pedro Malheiro de Sá
- Date of Birth – January 17, 1993
- Age – 54 years old
- Height – 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
- Club – Wolverhampton Wanderers
- National Team – Portugal
José Pedro represented Portugal at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He played all the matches and minutes in Turkey, in an eventual round-of-16 exit. He was called to the full side for the first time in 2017 and he may give an impressive performance if selected for Qatar 2022.
10. David de Gea
- Full Name – David de Gea Quintana
- Date of Birth – November 7, 1990
- Age – 34 years old
- Height – 1.92 m (6ft 4 in)
- Club – Manchester United
- National Team – Spain
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2018
De Gea was named as Spain’s starting goalkeeper for the 2016 European Championship and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He is highly regarded for his speed when rushing off his line in one on one situations, which also enables him to function as a sweeper-keeper. Spain may use his expertise in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
SEE ALSO: 20 Big Players To Watch Out For At Qatar World Cup 2022
SEE ALSO: List Of Every Manager And Coach That Will Be At Qatar 2022 World Cup
11. Keylor Navas
- Full Name – Keylor Navas
- Date of Birth – December 15, 1986
- Age – 37 years old
- Height – 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
- Club – Paris Saint-Germain
- National Team – Costa Rica
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2014, 2018
Keylor Navas made his Costa Rica debut in 2008 and has so far played in the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup. His impressive performances helped his team reach the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup.
Keylor is currently the best in the history of CONCACAF, and one of the best in the history of Latin America. His versatility and impressive goal-keeping abilities will be instrumental to Costa Rica’s play in Qatar.
12. Guillermo Ochoa
- Full Name – Francisco Guillermo Ochoa Magaña
- Date of Birth – July 13, 1985
- Age – 39 years old
- Height – 1.83m (6 ft 0 in)
- Club – Liga MX
- National Team – Mexico
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018
Ochoa’s debut in a World Cup was in 2014 having been called up for the previous two tournaments as a third-choice goalkeeper. On 17 June, in the second group stage match against hosts Brazil, Ochoa made four notable saves, including one following a powerful header from Neymar that helped secure a 0–0 draw, and was named man of the match.
More so, he was named in the squad for the 2018 World Cup and made a total of 25 saves, more than any goalkeeper in the tournament with the exception of Belgium’s Courtois.
The 39-year-old will be one of the goaltenders that will attract public attention at the FIFA 2020 World Cup.
13. Kasper Schmeichel
- Full Name – Kasper Peter Schmeichel
- Date of Birth – November 5, 1986
- Age – 38 years old
- Height – 1.89 m
- Club – Nice
- National Team – Denmark
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2018
Kasper was called up to the Denmark national team for the first time in 2011, and was part of their squad at UEFA Euro 2012, but did not make his senior debut until 2013. He notably represented his country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup where he started in three group stage matches. His clean sheet in the opening match contributed to a Man of the Match award.
It is hoped that he will produce some fine saves to help his country win the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
14. Edouard Mendy
- Full Name – Édouard Osoque Mendy
- Date of Birth – March 1, 1992
- Age – 32 years old
- Height – 1.94 m (6ft 4 in)
- Club – Chelsea
- National Team – Senegal
Mendy is the first African goalkeeper to play for Chelsea’s senior team and he was able to keep sixteen clean sheets in the 2020 Premier League. He was also UEFA Goalkeeper of the year and FIFA Goalkeeper of the year in 2021, becoming the first African goalkeeper in football’s history to win both awards. He is eligible to play for Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and France.
Édouard assisted Senegal to a runners-up finish in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and all eyes will be on him in Qatar 2022 if he is able to recover from his injury and maintain Senegal’s number 1 jersey.
15. Jordan Pickford
- Full Name – Jordan Lee Pickford
- Date of Birth – March 7, 1994
- Age – 30 years old
- Height – 6 ft 1 in
- Club – Everton
- National Team – England
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2018
Jordan Lee Pickford was the starting goalkeeper in England’s 2018 FIFA World Cup fourth-place finish, in which the squad reached its first semi-final appearance since 1990.
He set an all-time England record for most consecutive scoreless minutes posted by a goalkeeper in 2021. He is definitely among the 20 goalkeepers go watch out for at Qatar World Cup 2022.
16. Mathew Ryan
- Full Name – Mathew David Ryan
- Date of Birth – April 8, 1992
- Age – 32 years old
- Height – 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
- Club – Copenhagen
- National Team – Australia
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2014, 2018
Mathew made his senior international debut in 2012 and has since established himself as Australia’s first-choice goalkeeper. He played at the 2014 and 2018 World Cup and he has described the matches he played at the tournaments as a massive learning curve for himself. Let’s see what becomes of him in Qatar.
17. Saad Al Sheeb
- Full Name – Saad Abdullah al-Sheeb
- Date of Birth – Febuary 19, 1990
- Age – 34 years old
- Height – 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
- Club – Al Sadd
- National Team – Qatar
Saad made his debut for the senior national team of Qatar in 2009. He was a part of the 23-man Qatar squad that was crowned champions of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and was also crowned the best goalkeeper in the tournament.
Aside from Saad’s relatively impressive performance, the fact that he is the goalkeeper of the host country of the FIFA 2022 World Cup sets him in the spotlight.
18. Milan Borjan
- Full Name – Milan Borjan
- Date of Birth – October 23, 1987
- Age – 37 years old
- Height – 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
- Club – Red Star Belgrade
- National Team – Canada
Borjan became Canada’s first-choice goalkeeper after Lars Hirschfeld was suspended in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He has since made impressive performances and remained Canada’s starting goalkeeper for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
His performance in Qatar will definitely define how far his team will go in the tournament.
19. Dominik Livaković
- Full Name – Dominik Livaković
- Date of Birth – January 9, 1995
- Age – 29 years old
- Height – 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
- Club – Dinamo Zagreb
- National Team – Croatia
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2018
Dominik Livaković received his first call-up to the Croatia national football team in 2016. He was named in Croatia’s preliminary 32-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and was eventually part of the team that finished runners-up after losing the final against France.
His country came so close to lifting the World Cup in Russia. His performance in Qatar will go a long way in helping the Croatian national team to emerge as the champions of the tournament.
20. Jo Hyeon-woo
- Full Name – Jo Hyeon-woo
- Date of Birth – September 25, 1991
- Age – 54 years old
- Height – 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
- Club – Ulsan Hyundai
- National Team – South Korea
- Previous FIFA World Cup Appearances – 2018
Jo Hyeon-woo established himself when he evolved into Daegu’s first-choice goalkeeper and became the best goalkeeper in the K League 2 before joining Ulsan Hyundai on 20 January 2020.
He was called up for South Korea’s national team by manager Uli Stielike to play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and his performances in the first two matches against Sweden and Mexico were impressive, despite both ending in defeats for South Korea. Jo was particularly praised for his point-blank save against Swedish striker Marcus Berg which put him in the spotlight. He is definitely a star to watch out for in Qatar.
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