Best goalkeepers of the 1980s

Sweeper-keepers were a rare commodity in the 1980s. Goalkeeping was a more traditional task back then, with most coaches content if their goalie could prevent the other team from scoring.

In an era when nearly all goalkeepers wore the number 1 shirt and kicked the ball long, the role was a simpler one, yet still required rapid reflexes and specialist skills

Here, a look at the best goalkeepers in the world from a memorable decade of football...

32. Paco Buyo

Eccentric and sometimes erratic, Paco Buyo was not as consistent as Spain team-mate Andoni Zubizarreta and won just seven caps for La Roja between 1983 and 1992.

But at his best, Buyo was capable of spectacular saves and the Galician was Real Madrid's first-choice goalkeeper for 11 years between 1986 and 1997. In total, he made over 860 career appearances.

31. Jean-Luc Ettori

Jean-Luc Ettori made just nine appearances for France, but the Marseille-born goalkeeper is a legend at Monaco, where he played over 750 games between 1975 and 1994.

Known for his rapid reflexes and good anticipation, which allowed him to make spectacular saves, Ettori is widely considered the greatest goalkeeper in Monaco's history.

30. Pablo Larios

Nicknamed "El Arquero de la Selva" (The Goalkeeper of the Jungle), Pablo Larios was known for his impressive reflexes and elasticity.

Larios was Mexico's goalkeeper at the 1986 World Cup, where he helped El Tri reach the last eight on home soil. He passed away in 2019 at the age of just 58.

29. Helmuth Duckadam

Romanian goalkeeper Helmuth Duckadam saved four consecutive penalties to seal victory for Steaua Bucharest against Barcelona in the 1986 European Cup final.

Duckadam had to pause his career later that year due to a rare blood disorder, but returned to action in 1989. He was decorated by the Romanian president in 2008 for his role in Steaua's European Cup win.

28. Carlos

Brazil's teams in the 1980s boasted an array of attacking stars, including the likes of Zico, Socrates, Falcao and Careca.

The nation's goalkeepers were less heralded, but Carlos conceded only one goal in five games at the 1986 World Cup and made 44 appearances for the Seleção in an 18-year international career.

27. Joe Corrigan

Joe Corrigan may have been England's third goalkeeper in the early 1980s, but the Manchester City man was behind two all-time greats in Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence.

Corrigan won just nine caps in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At club level, he spent 16 seasons at City and is considered one of the club's best-ever goalkeepers.

26. Zaki Badou

Zaki Badou was named Morocco's best player on four occasions – in 1979, 1981, 1986 and 1988 – and helped the Atlas Lions reach the second round of the 1986 World Cup.

Badou impressed as Morocco held England to a 0-0 draw en route to top spot in Group F and the north Africans lost narrowly to West Germany in the last 16. Zaki won 78 caps in total and is considered one of Africa's best-ever goalkeepers.

25. David Seaman

David Seaman's best years came in the 1990s and early 2000s at Arsenal and with England, but the Rotherham-born goalkeeper was already an outstanding prospect in the 1980s.

After spells at Peterborough and Birmingham, Seaman shone at QPR between 1986 and 1990 and won his first England cap in 1988. He moved to Arsenal in 1990 and went on to play 564 games for the Gunners. He also won 75 caps for England.

24. Nery Pumpido

Nery Pumpido was in goal for Argentina in their 1986 World Cup win and later in the same year, helped River Plate claim the Copa Libertadores for the first time in the club's history.

Four years later, his mistake in Argentina's opening game against Cameroon gifted the African side a goal in a shock defeat for the defending champions. He broke his leg in the next match and never played for his country again.

23. Bodo Illgner

Bodo Illgner became the first goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in a World Cup final as he helped West Germany edge out Argentina to win the trophy in 1990.

Illgner spent 12 seasons at Koln between 1985 and 1997 before finishing his career with a five-year spell at Real Madrid. He made his West Germany debut in 1987 and won 54 caps overall, surprisingly retiring from international duty after the 1994 World Cup.

22. Joel Bats

Joel Bats was ever-present in goal as France won Euro 1984 and was particularly impressive as Les Bleus beat Portugal in the semi-finals.

At the World Cup two years later, he famously saved a Zico penalty and another from Socrates in the shootout as France overcame Brazil in the quarter-finals. He was the first goalkeeper to win 50 caps for Les Bleus.

21. Jozef Mlynarczyk

Part of the Poland team which finished third at the 1982 World Cup, Jozef Mlynarczyk also featured in the 1986 tournament and won 42 caps overall.

At club level, he is best remembered for his spell at Porto, where he won the European Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup in 1987.

20. Silviu Lung

Silviu Lung won 76 caps for Romania between 1979 and 1993 and was the starting goalkeeper for his nation at the 1990 World Cup.

Romanian Footballer of the Year in 1984, he was also nominated for the Ballon d'Or that same year and was part of the Steaua Bucharest side which reached the European Cup final in 1989.

19. Peter Schmeichel

Peter Schmeichel is one of the best goalkeepers in football history, but the Dane's best years came in the 1990s with his national team and at Manchester United.

Prior to his move to Old Trafford in 1991 and his European Championship win with Denmark in 1992, Schmeichel was Danish goalkeeper of the year in 1987, 1988 and 1990. He made his international debut in 1987 and went on to win 129 caps.

18. Manuel Bento

Manuel Bento won 63 caps for Portugal between 1976 and 1986 and was part of the team which reached the semi-finals of Euro 1984.

At club level, he played close to 650 official games in a 20-year career at Benfica and was named Portuguese goalkeeper of the year on eight occasions. He passed away in 2007 at the age of just 58.

17. Thomas N'Kono

African Player of the Year in 1979 and 1982, Thomas N'Kono started for Cameroon at the 1982 and 1990 World Cups and won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1984.

At club level, he spent eight years at Espanyol between 1982 and 1990 and was a UEFA Cup runner-up in 1988. He is considered one of the best African goalkeepers of all time.

16. Packie Bonner

Packie Bonner won 80 caps for the Republic of Ireland and is a cultural icon in his homeland for his role in the team's success at Euro 88 and Italia 90.

Bonner helped Ireland to a famous win over England in 1988 and to draws against the Three Lions and the Netherlands in 1990, as well as saving a penalty which saw the Irish advance to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time ever. He spent his entire club career at Celtic, making 642 appearances for the Glasgow giants.

15. Andoni Zubizarreta

Andoni Zubizarreta is probably best known for his time at Barcelona as part of Johan Cruyff's Dream Team in the early 1990s, but much of the Basque's best career moments came in the 1980s.

A key element in the Athletic Club side which won back-to-back La Liga titles in 1981 and 1982, Zubi made his Spain debut in 1985 and started at the World Cup the following year. He joined Barcelona in 1986 and would go on to make over 400 appearances in eight seasons at the Catalan club.

14. Ubaldo Fillol

Best remembered for helping Argentina win the World Cup on home soil in 1978, Ubaldo Fillol remained a great goalkeeper throughout the 1980s.

Fillol also started for Argentina in the 1982 World Cup, but was not picked four years later after spending the 1985/86 season at Atletico Madrid. He won 58 caps in total between 1974 and 1985 and is considered one of Argentina's greatest ever.

13. Bruce Grobbelaar

Bruce Grobbelaar was seen as something of an eccentric goalkeeper during his time at Liverpool in the 1980s, but the Zimbabwean was probably ahead of his time.

Grobbelaar was known for his agile and acrobatic saves, while often coming out of his area like modern sweeper-keepers. He made over 600 appearances for Liverpool between 1981 and 1994, winning multiple trophies along the way.

12. Pat Jennings

Pat Jennings is one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time and although his best years came earlier, he remained an excellent shot-stopper right up until his retirement in 1986.

Having left Tottenham in 1977, Jennings joined Arsenal and stayed until 1985. He won 119 caps for Northern Ireland and played in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups – appearing in the latter at the age of 41.

11. Hans van Breukelen

A six-time Dutch champion and European Cup winner with PSV Eindhoven, Hans van Breukelen is one of the Netherlands' greatest-ever goalkeepers.

His penalty save in the final of Euro 88 to deny USSR's Igor Belanov paved the way for the Dutch to win their first ever major international trophy. In total, he won 73 caps between 1980 and 1992.

10. Ray Clemence

Ray Clemence made over 1,000 appearances in an impressive career at Scunthorpe United, Liverpool and Tottenham in the 1970s and 1980s.

He also played 61 times for England and alternated the goalkeeper role with Peter Shilton in the early 1980s. Clemence won three European Cups as a Liverpool player. He retired after suffering an injury in 1988 and passed away in 2020.

9. Luis Arconada

Luis Arconada made a number of stunning saves for Spain at Euro 1984 as La Roja reached the final of the continental competition.

Unfortunately, he also made a mistake in the final which cost Spain a goal in their 2-0 loss to France. Arconada spent his entire career at Real Sociedad and won two La Liga titles. He was later named as an inspiration by Iker Casillas.

8. Michel Preud'homme

A consistent performer for Standard Liege and Mechelen in the 1980s, Michel Preud'homme won 58 caps for Belgium between 1979 and 1994.

A reliable and elegant goalkeeper with quick reflexes, Preud'homme is considered one of the finest of his generation and was nominated for the Ballon d'Or in 1988, 1989 and 1994.

7. Neville Southall

One of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation, Neville Southall won 92 caps for Wales between 1982 and 1997.

An Everton legend, Southall appeared in 751 competitive fixtures for the Toffees and was a key part of the side which won two First Division titles, an FA Cup and a European Cup Winners' Cup in the mid-1980s.

6. Toni Schumacher

German Footballer of the Year in 1984 and 1986, Toni Schumacher was a two-time World Cup finalist for West Germany in the 1980s and a winner at Euro 1980.

A fine goalkeeper and penalty specialist, he will unfortunately always be remembered for his brutal challenge on France's Patrick Battiston at the 1982 World Cup, which left the defender with broken ribs and missing teeth.

5. Walter Zenga

Walter Zenga won 58 caps for Italy between 1987 and 1992 and was perhaps the greatest goalkeeper in the world in the late 1980s.

An aggressive and athletic shot-stopper, Zenga spent almost his entire club career at Inter and was named as the best goalkeeper in the world by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) in 1989, 1990 and 1991.

4. Jean-Marie Pfaff

Jean-Marie Pfaff played in two World Cups and two European Championships for Belgium in the 1980s and is one of the nation's best-ever goalkeepers.

Known for his quick reflexes and acrobatic saves, Pfaff helped Belgium to second place at Euro 1980 and fourth at the 1986 World Cup. He was nominated for the Ballon d'Or in 1983, 1986 and 1987.

3. Dino Zoff

Dino Zoff was 40 years old when he won the World Cup with Italy in 1982 and was still a great goalkeeper.

With 112 caps, he remains one of Italy's most-capped players and is one of the all-time greats. Zoff's best years were in the 1970s and he did not concede a goal for Italy in international tournaments for over 1,000 minutes between 1972 and 1974. He retired in 1983.

2. Rinat Dasayev

Considered one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time and the second best Russian after Lev Yashin, Rinat Dasayev represented the Soviet Union in the 1982, 1986 and 1990 World Cups.

Brilliantly nicknamed "The Iron Curtain", Dasayev spent most of his career at Spartak Moscow, but also spent three years at Sevilla between 1988 and 1991.

1. Peter Shilton

Peter Shilton won a record 125 caps for England and appeared in three World Cups as first choice for the Three Lions – in 1982, 1986 and 1990.

Although he is often remembered for being beaten by Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" goal, Shilton was an outstanding goalkeeper who is considered of the greatest of all time. At club level, he won two European Cups with Nottingham Forest – the second of those in 1980.