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Which save is the best in football history?

The 10 best saves in football history following Craig Gordon’s stunning stop

Michael Lee •

Goalkeepers from Arsenal, Liverpool and Real Madrid have made some of the best saves in football history – but who comes out on top?

There’s nothing quite like a brilliant piece of athleticism and reflexes from a goalie to take your breath away and great saves are often as thrilling as great goals.

We’ve ranked our 10 greatest saves of all time. But they could honestly be in any order – our hands are raw from applauding.

10. Craig Gordon vs. Dundee (2026)

Imagine Banks against Brazil (more of which later) in reverse – with Gordon’s weight going the other way, the ball was all but over the line until he stuck out a big left hand.

The Hearts goalkeeper is 43. Most 43-year-old men are fighting a losing battle against back pain. He has no right to save this.

9. Jerzy Dudek vs. AC Milan (2005)

After giving AC Milan’s all-stars a three-goal headstart, Liverpool had somehow taken the 2005 Champions League final to extra-time before this piece of dark magic.

Dudek transformed into an octopus to keep out Andriy Shevchenko’s close-range effort. Milan had clearly angered the gods – this wasn’t going to be their day.

8. Rene Higuita vs. England (1995)

It’s impossible to say how many minor injuries in the school playground Higuita was indirectly responsible for after his iconic scorpion kick.

The Colombian goalkeeper, always a sandwich short of a picnic, used a nondescript friendly at Wembley to pull out his party piece. You didn’t get this with Chris Woods.

7. Iker Casillas vs. Sevilla (2009)

Real Madrid were on the ropes at the Sanchez Pizjuan in 2009-10 when Diego Perotti was presented with a far-post tap-in to double Sevilla’s lead.

Perotti reckoned without Casillas pouncing on his goal-bound effort like a house cat on an unsuspecting bird.

According to Marca, Casillas even played it coy about the save himself by saying: “I suppose some of it was down to me.” Nothing more irritating than false modesty.

6. Mert Gunok vs. Austria (2024)

“We had time to score an equaliser,” Austria manager Ralf Rangnick sighed after his side’s last 16 defeat to Turkey, “but it’s difficult when they have Gordon Banks in goal!”

Euro 2024 wasn’t a memorable tournament, but this intense match in the driving rain was its highlight.

And Gunok’s injury-time save to send Turkey through, using his hulking frame to claw Christoph Baumgartner’s header away, was the cherry on the cake.

His boss Vincenzo Montella wouldn’t be drawn into the hype, telling the BBC: “That is his job.”

5. Jim Montgomery vs. Leeds (1973)

Both the BBC and ITV commentators for the 1973 FA Cup final initially called a goal for Peter Lorimer’s rebound before hurriedly correcting themselves.

After keeping out Trevor Cherry’s initial header, Montgomery palmed Lorimer’s howitzer onto the crossbar to give Second Division Sunderland a famous 1-0 victory over Don Revie’s mighty Leeds.

4. David Seaman vs. Sheffield United (2003)

To this day, we blame Paul Peschisolido for grazing the ball with his head instead of nodding it into the gaping net. Phil Jagielka blasting the follow-up into outer space also gets forgotten.

But Seaman was pushing 40 at this point and would appear on Strictly Ice Dancing a year later. His save remains an astonishing piece of athleticism.

3. Gregory Coupet vs. Barcelona (2001)

Rivaldo was so discombulated by Coupet’s wonder save that he almost signed for Glenn Hoddle’s Tottenham a year later.

2. Peter Schmeichel vs. Rapid Vienna (1996)

We’ve previously documented seven of Schmeichel’s finest saves for Manchester United, but somehow missed this off our list. The editor will be receiving their P45.

1. Gordon Banks vs. Brazil (1970)

“Pele headed it as all coaches tell you: down on the floor, which makes it more difficult for the goalkeeper,” Banks recalled.

“I even heard him shout ‘Goal!’ I didn’t imagine that I could stop the ball and, even though I got a thumb to it, I assumed it had gone in. That was until I heard Bobby Moore applauding.”

It’s not called the ‘Save of the Century’ for nothing. Fifty-six years and many thousands of repeats later, it still takes the breath away.

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