Van der Sar Names Onana Among World’s Best Goalkeepers Ahead of Raya
Former Manchester United and Netherlands goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has placed André Onana among the world’s top goalkeepers, ranking him ahead of David Raya in his latest view on elite shot-stoppers.
In a recent interview shared by ESPN UK, the Dutch legend listed a small group of goalkeepers he believes can be described as truly world-class. Onana, who plays for Manchester United and the Cameroon national football team, was included in the group.
Van der Sar also mentioned Alisson Becker of Liverpool FC, Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid CF, Gianluigi Donnarumma of AC Milan and Manuel Neuer of FC Bayern Munich as part of his top group.
However, several other well-known goalkeepers were not included in his list. These include Jan Oblak of Atlético Madrid, Marc‑André ter Stegen of FC Barcelona, Yann Sommer of Inter Milan, Nick Pope of Newcastle United, Jordan Pickford of Everton FC, Robert Sánchez of Chelsea FC and Mike Maignan of AC Milan.
Van der Sar explained that the role of a goalkeeper in modern football has changed over the years. According to him, today’s goalkeepers must not only stop shots but also help their teams build attacks from the back.
His support for Onana comes after the Cameroonian goalkeeper faced criticism during his time at Manchester United before moving on loan to Trabzonspor in the Turkish league.
The comments quickly sparked debate among football fans online, especially because Raya has been impressive for Arsenal FC and is close to helping the club win the Premier League title.
One user on X wrote: “Between Ruud Gullit, Erik ten Hag, Arne Slot and now Van der Sar, you have to think there is something wrong with the tap water in the Netherlands.”
Another fan added: “Manchester United legends are like faulty clocks, they are right twice in a day. I have no issue with his pick, you can’t do more than your IQ permits.”
Van der Sar’s list has since continued to generate discussion among supporters about who truly deserves to be called a world-class goalkeeper in today’s game. ⚽
