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Lev Yashin<\/strong> \u2014 No discussion of goalkeeping styles can be had without mentioning the Black Spider<\/strong>, Lev Yashin. Widely considered the greatest goalkeeper of all time and the only goalkeeper to win the Ballon d'Or<\/strong>. In the 1950s and 60s, he revolutionised the goalkeeper's position and introduced much of the athleticism, attacking mindset, and pure shot-blocking ability that we see in other goalkeepers today.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n In the modern game, there are three main types of goalies: the shot-stoppers, ball-playing goalkeepers, and sweeper keepers. Let's dive in, shall we?<\/p>\n\n
\n Shot-Stoppers\n <\/h3>\n \n\n
\n What is the main task of a goalkeeper? It's to keep the ball out of the back of the net<\/strong>. These goalies are masters of the save; they often win points for their teams by keeping clean sheets and making seemingly impossible saves.<\/p>\n\n\n This is the more traditional form of goalkeeping, and many of the great keepers of the 80s and 90s employed this style. Even today, there are many top shot-stoppers who use this style today, two examples being David De Gea<\/strong> and Jan Oblak<\/strong> \u2014 outstanding keepers, but don't expect them to grab any assists.<\/p>\n\n\n Ball-Playing Goalkeepers\n <\/h3>\n \n\n
\n Considered to be the best style of play for goalkeepers right now, many of the best goalies in the world are current ball-playing keepers. Their primary focus is still to make saves, but these keepers have an eye for making a quick pass forward \u2014 creating a counter-attacking opportunity<\/strong>, while also generally being comfortable on the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n These keepers need to be good with their feet and provide the defenders with options for a pass, and need to have good distribution themselves. There are tons of examples of this, including Ederson and Alisson in the Premier League, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marc-Andre ter Stegen<\/strong>, and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n Sweeper Keepers\n <\/h3>\n \n\n
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