The best goalkeeper in the world is … Manuel Neuer. At least that is what The Best says, who marked him as the most decisive goalkeeper ahead of the other two finalists, Jan Oblak and Alisson Becker. The Bayern man had an especially prolific 2020. Together with his teammates, he won the five titles he played, including the Bundesliga and the Champions League, in which he was also decisive. Although there were symptoms of weakness in recent years, he vindicated himself with performances of real merit in a Bayern that, thanks to him, was impregnable.
Neuer's triumph over Oblak had more to do with the collective than with the individual. The Atletico Slovenian finally entered the shortlist of finalists for an award like this, leaving out great goalkeepers like Ter Stegen or Courtois. The colchonero has been performing at a very high level in the Santander League and the Champions League for years, although he has been affected by the recent absence of titles from his team. Quite the opposite of Alisson or Neuer himself, pushed towards individual awards thanks to the good work of Liverpool and Bayern.
Recovery
Neuer's specific case involves the recovery of a goalkeeper who had disappeared from the great prizes in recent years. He was second in The Best in 2017, behind Buffon, but subsequently he had not even entered among the finalists and had given his space to others such as Ter Stegen, Courtois, Ederson, Schmeichel and Lloris.
But, as for other veteran Bayern players such as Boateng or Müller, 2020 was a new impetus for Neuer. He closed his goal tight, which guaranteed that the Bavarian team could add the five titles at stake. In addition to his play almost as a libero in many phases and his strong character, he left great saves of reflexes that made him the undisputed best goalkeeper of the year. The Best.