The best goalkeeping performances in Champions League history - ranked

There's been plenty of brilliant individual performances in the UEFA Champions League down the years.

Lionel Messi vs. Man Utd, Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Juventus, Ronaldo (R9) vs. Manchester United are some of the standouts from the outfield players, but what about goalkeepers?

Well, here's the five best from the boys between the posts:

6. Keylor Navas vs Barcelona (2021)

Paris Saint-Germain went into their second leg clash with Barcelona in the round of 16 holding a 4-1 lead, and they maintained that three goal advantage in the tie to make the quarter-finals almost solely thanks to Keylor Navas.

The now-Nottingham Forest number one made 10 saves in total, including denying Lionel Messi from the spot.

5. Joe Hart vs Barcelona (2015)

Once upon a time Joe Hart was one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and that was no more apparent than at the Camp Nou in 2015.

The then-Man City number one was in inspired form during the clash with Barcelona, playing out his own one-on-one duel with Lionel Messi - a duel he, rather remarkably, won.

4. Petr Cech vs Bayern Munich (2012)

Chelsea employed the 'defence wins championships' motto quite well in 2012, fully parking the bus on their way to winning their first ever UEFA Champions League.

The only reason those sorts of tactics were viable was because of their legendary number one: Petr Cech.

The Czech saved his best performance of the tournament for the final, saving an Arjen Robben penalty in normal time before saving another in the shootout.

3. Thibaut Courtois vs Liverpool (2022)

A goalkeeper has to put in a pretty special performance to win man of the match in a UEFA Champions League final - and that's exactly what Courtois produced in 2022.

The Real Madrid number one was in exceptional form at Stade de France, keeping Liverpool at bay to keep a clean sheet and win his team a record 14th time.

2. Manuel Neuer vs Porto (2008)

Manuel Neuer's real breakout moment came in 2008 while he was in-between the sticks for Schalke 04.

The future World Cup winner put in an astonishing performance, making ridiculous save, after ridiculous save, after ridiculous save - the most ridiculous being his one to palm a Lisandro Lopez header from point blank range wide of the post.

In the subsequent penalty shootout he'd then deny two Porto players to take his side to the quarter-finals.

1. Jerzy Dudek vs AC Milan (2005)

Is Dudek's save to deny Andriy Shevchenko from two-yards out the greatest in UEFA Champions League history?

Yeah, it probably is.

In the most legendary Champions League final ever, Dudek was the protagonist, making that save on Shevchenko before doing some Bruce Grobbelaar dancing on the goal line to put off Andrea Pirlo and Shevchenko to save two penalties and earned he win for the Reds.

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