The best performances of goalkeepers – from Baltika to Fluminense.
Impressed by Matvey Safonov’s outstanding performance in the Intercontinental Cup final, we recall the seven most striking goalkeeper stories of 2025 – around the world and within Russia.
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Safonov’s heroic “poker”
The performance of the Russian goalkeeper in the penalty shootout in the match with Flamengo became a global event. In terms of resonance, it is comparable to the famous poker of Andrei Arshavin against Liverpool. Or maybe even more epochal and epic.
Safonov showed enviable skill, complemented by excellent preparation from the coaching staff. However, you won’t be able to take four 11-meter ones in a row using cheat sheets alone. And Matvey succeeded: he guessed the plan of Saul Niguez and Luis Araujo, famously shook Pedro Abreu, who made a deliberate false pause, did not flinch and remained in the center when Leo Pereira hit. And voila – thanks to these miracles, PSG won their sixth trophy in 2025.
Safonov’s achievement is three times valuable, given the backstory – the difficult fate of the Russian in France, a long absence of playing practice, removal from team photos… Later it turned out that Matvey also broke his arm during the meeting for the Intercontinental Cup. Probably saving a penalty. Truly Hollywood heroism!
Donnarumma’s farewell chord
Safonov’s former rival Gianluigi Donnarumma shone in more than just one match. He had a very smooth and reliable season, making a huge contribution to PSG’s four trophies. The icing on the cake was his confrontations with the English in the Champions League – Liverpool and Arsenal. The Italian won the first penalty shootout, taking two shots. And with the latter he shone in regular time, neutralizing one-on-one situations between Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.
It is all the more surprising that PSG did not want to continue cooperation. Before the start of the new season, Gianluigi left Paris and later moved to Manchester City, where he immediately became the main team and helped the “citizens” improve their results. In December, Donnarumma received the Lev Yashin Prize as the best goalkeeper in the world based on the results of 2025. Well deserved.
Photo source: Getty Images
Alisson’s Nine
Looking back at individual Champions League matches, two stories stand out – Yann Sommer against Barcelona and Alisson Becker against PSG. Purely because of the statistical record, we will choose the second one.
The high level of Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper is understandable by default. But specifically on March 5, he played perhaps the best match of his career. In the first game of the 1/8 finals, Alison made nine saves in Paris, ensuring the “Reds” a minimal victory.
The Brazilian eliminated the one-on-one situation with the future Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, dealt with a very insidious counter-attack by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and in the second half made three shots from mid-range.
Nine reflected shots – repeating the Champions League playoff record. True, Liverpool lost 0:1 in the return match and lost on penalties, slightly devaluing the exploits of their goalkeeper.
Photo source: Getty Images
Szczesny’s tattered pension
On August 27, 2024, the experienced Wojciech Szczesny, who left Juventus, announced his retirement from his professional career. The Pole wanted to be closer to his family, and at the same time get rid of the constant pain that had accompanied him in recent years.
However, fate decreed otherwise: at the end of September, the 34-year-old Pole was invited by Barcelona, which had lost Marc-Andre ter Stegen for a long time. Szczesny thought, took a risk, and returned. For this, he even paid Juve a substantial compensation.
Everything turned out to be not in vain. If the first months were spent getting in shape, then from January 2025 Wojciech became the main goalkeeper. It was with him that Barcelona gained a powerful momentum, which included 17 matches in La Liga without defeat (and nine wins in a row), and reached gold, beating Real at the finish line. The Spanish Cup was also won with Szczęsny.
In total, there were three trophies (including the Super Cup), and the bonus was a contract extension. Quite a worthy alternative to early retirement.
Photo source: Getty Images
Fabio’s delayed old age
If Szczesny returned triumphantly, the Brazilian Fabio Lopez, who is 10 years older than the Pole, had no intention of leaving. At 45, he remains Fluminense’s main goalkeeper.
Everyone started talking about the veteran during the 2025 Club World Cup, where Fabio helped a modest club by tournament standards reach the semi-finals. And in the past year, he had 16 clean sheets (out of 38) in the Brazilian Serie A. In addition, at the end of August, he broke Peter Shilton’s “eternal” record for the number of games in a career (1390). But the legend doesn’t even think about stopping. Since then, he has held three dozen more meetings.
For “eternity”, for a decent level, for 73% reliability at an advanced age, for the desire to continue – unequivocal respect.
Photo source: Getty Images
Agkatsev’s dislocated finger
There were also plenty of bright goalkeeper stories inside Russia. Many thought that Krasnodar would face difficult times in the number one position after Safonov left. However, these thoughts only occurred to those who had not studied the issue deeply. After all, in the structure of the “bulls” Stanislav Agkatsev had long matured and was waiting for a chance.
25,000₽ FREEBETAMY FROM LEONPerhaps he is not as bright as Safonov. But no less reliable at a distance. As a result, Agkatsev became one of the key figures in the champion Krasnodar. Played all 30 matches last season (15 of them kept a clean sheet), stopping 79% of shots. The highlight of the year was a missed penalty in an away game against Dynamo Makhachkala in April. In the last seconds, with the score 3:2, at the cost of a dislocated finger.
This is how victories are forged and history is written. Agkatsev wrote it and in the new season continued to demonstrate the highest level.
Photo source: FC Krasnodar
Kaliningrad wall
Maxim Borisko has been playing for Baltika since back in 2019. For a long time he did not have a permanent status; he patiently sat under the brighter and more versatile Evgeniy Latyshonok. And even at the beginning of last season, when Latyshonok moved to Zenit, in Kaliningrad they were not sure that Borisko would play the main role. The club acquired two goalkeepers with status for the league – Yegor Lyubakov and Ilya Svinov.
But… “an old friend is better than two new ones.” Borisko won the competition, blossomed under Andrei Talalaev, and played 17 clean sheets in the First League. And this season he continued to be a wall at the RPL level. Only seven goals conceded in 18 rounds is space, the best figure in the championship. 12 clean sheets is an extravaganza. 88% of reflected blows are something incredible. It is clear that the entire team plays a big role in Borisko’s success, but the goalkeeper himself does his job extremely reliably.
Photo source: FC Baltika
We wish him to continue in the same spirit in 2026.
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