As you may have noticed, in April there were no goalkeepers on our annual list of the 39 best players under the age of 21. But that's not a big surprise. Goalkeeper is a position that requires experience, and it is not often that a youngster rises to prominence so early in his career: Gianluigi Donnarumma (who debuted for AC Milan at the age of 16 before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2021) a notable exception in recent years.
So who are the next generation of top goalkeepers? Several top clubs, notably Chelsea and Manchester City, could be looking to sign the next big player in the coming years. Here are five players under the age of 23 who are ready to step up now, and five teenagers to keep an eye on in the future.
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Despite his age, Mamardashvili recently reached 100 starts for Valencia, and his development in a team that has seen many changes (especially defensively) has been a great help to the Spanish team.
Mamardashvili's main attraction is his height of 6 feet 6 inches. He has enormous reach and the commanding presence of an old-school goalie, but he also has an increasingly modern style. While his footwork does not yet have the quality that would allow him to be used as a playmaker in the form of Manuel Neuer, Alisson or Éderson (he touches the ball only 15 times per 90 minutes), he is improving in that aspect and has a a lot of power in hitting your ball.
However, that doesn't stop him from staying active; One of his main attributes is his ability to move the ball quickly, with good timing and anticipation. His tremendous size also makes him an expert recipient of crosses, but that doesn't stop him from reaching low shots or extending his body horizontally. He should be one to watch for Georgia at Euro 2024.
Another hugely impressive goalkeeper throwback, the Ukraine international also stands 6ft 6in and has been a revelation in his debut season with Benfica, keeping 19 clean sheets in all competitions. Like Mamardashvili, Trubin may not be the most active in terms of playing out from the back, however, when asked to tackle a back pass he is generally confident in his distribution (90% accuracy), while your longest efforts are also executed. with precision.
But when it comes to stopping shots and working at the goal line, Trubin excels. When he approaches an opponent, he narrows the angle well and often makes low saves with his feet, almost in the mold of a goalkeeper in the sport of handball. He covers ground on both sides of his goal and his reflexes are also impressive, as illustrated by his four penalty saves for Benfica this season.
Trubin's mentality is another point worth mentioning: he always seems calm and measured, staying focused on the task at hand.
With 150 senior appearances between Serie A and Serie B to his name, the former Italy under-21 international has already amassed a wealth of experience. Due to Gian Piero Gasperini's rotation system at Atalanta, Carnesecchi only saw one game in the successful Europa League campaign this season (with Juan Musso being selected), but was the number one option in the league and the Coppa Italia.
Carnesecchi is highly regarded for his mature and calm goalkeeping style. He doesn't take excessive risks, especially when he steps out of his line, and rarely feels the need to exaggerate his stops for the television cameras.
Atalanta's aggressive style needs a goalkeeper who is well positioned to initiate a counterattack and avoid early danger. The youngster also had one of the best save percentages in Serie A last season (77%).
The Sweden-born Danish Under-21 international has enjoyed a fabulous first season as a starter for Villarreal, having made just two starts ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
To say Jørgensen was busy is no understatement. Thanks to a shaky defense and a midfield that likes to attack, Villarreal conceded a remarkable 532 shots, making finishing eighth in LaLiga a minor miracle. And, despite conceding 63 goals (he missed two games when two others came on), Jørgensen made a staggering 147 saves at a rate of 3.66 per 90 minutes.
While his stats are somewhat compromised by negative numbers, he still looks like a goalie with exceptional reflexes. He is extremely agile and quickly gets off the ground to recover when necessary; in fact, spectacular double saves have become something of a signature skill. As a result, it is no surprise that he is generating a lot of transfer interest, even from teams like Chelsea.
Competing for Brighton's number one spot with Jason Steele, who leads the Premier League in reflex saves per 90 minutes at 73%, Verbruggen has yet to prove why he was one of Europe's most coveted goalkeepers before winning its 20 million euros. moving last summer.
However, in a turbulent and injury-plagued season, his potential was still glimpsed as he conceded 33 goals in 27 games in all competitions. Arguably his best performance came in a 2-1 defeat at Liverpool in March, in which his poor reaction to save a close-range shot from Mohamed Salah was nothing short of spectacular.
With one of the best scouting operations in the business, Brighton obviously signed the Dutch international primarily for his compatibility with their passing style. Few under-21 goalkeepers in a major European league spend as much time on the ball as Verbruggen (27 passes per 90 minutes last season) and his quality in distribution from the back (87% accuracy) is vital for a team that He wants to dominate possession. .
Teens to follow
Guillaume Restes, 19 years old, Toulouse
An aggressive and proactive goalkeeper who has been entrusted with a regular role at Ligue 1 side Toulouse this season. The French under-21 and under-23 international has a bright future and was honored to be a torchbearer for his country at the opening ceremony of this summer's Paris Olympics.
James Beadle, 19, Brighton (on loan at Sheffield Wednesday)
The 6ft 6in England Under-20 international put in some inspiring performances towards the latter part of the season to help Sheffield Wednesday secure their Championship status. But he has not yet made his debut for Brighton.
Noah Raveyre, 18 years old, AC Milan
Impressive for both the French Under-19 team and AC Milan Primavera, Raveyre attracts attention with his great reflexes, calmness and excellent distribution.
Plamen Andreev, 19 years old, Levski Sofia
A powerful, vocal and charismatic goalkeeper with over 70 senior caps for Levski Sofia, Andreev made his first team debut at 16 years old. He has also been captain of his club and has already been called up to the Bulgarian senior team.
Filip Sidklev, 19 years old, Brommapojkarna
The Swedish Under-21 international is surprisingly good with his feet (reflected in a 68% completion rate on his long passes) and is a regular at the top level in Sweden. He has already been scouted by several big European clubs.
