4
For a club to have a goalkeeper named in the top 10 in the history of world football is quite an achievement. Manchester United have two.
The roll of honour was created by AI at ChatGPT (via The Mirror).
Topping the list as the greatest goalkeeper of all time is Russian, Lev Yashin, followed by Italian Dino Zoff and England man, Gordon Banks.
United’s entries are Peter Schmeichel, ranked sixth, and Edwin van der Sar, ranked ninth.
The Red Devils are not the only club with more than one entry on the list. Bayern Munich have three – Oliver Kahn (5), Manuel Neuer (7) and Sepp Maier (number 10).
Juventus also have two, with Zoff being joined by Gigi Buffon (4).
Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas makes up the list at number eight.
United fans might feel Schmeichel, who is celebrating his 60th birthday today, is unlucky not to be a little higher up the list. If artificial intelligence only places him sixth, is the programming malfunctioning?
His heroics in helping unfancied Denmark win Euro 92 – the team has actually failed to qualify and were drafted in at the last minute due to Yugoslavia’s withdrawal – were absolutely astounding. UEFA posted a compilation of some of his saves in the tournament, describing him as “a walking highlight reel”:
🔦 EURO Spotlight: 🇩🇰 Peter Schmeichel was a walking highlight reel at EURO 1992!
🏆 EURO 1992 winner ✅
👕 Team of the tournament ✅#EURO2020 | #EUROspotlight | @dbulandshold | @Pschmeichel1 pic.twitter.com/8RxuGXGoyo— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) May 19, 2021
He also is still the only keeper to ever win the Premier League player of the season award, is in the league’s Hall of Fame and was the first keeper ever to score a Premier League goal.
Helping United to win an unprecedented treble was something that no other player on the list can boast.
Sir Alex Ferguson said of Schmeichel “I don’t believe a better goalkeeper played the game. He is a giant figure in the history of Manchester United.”
Schmeichel was imposing and intimidating, even to pitch invaders, as can be seen in this incredible clip:
Peter Schmeichel vs a pitch invader pic.twitter.com/hiAySyOH16
— Dirty Footballer 👊 (@DirtyFootbaIIer) November 10, 2023
UEFA Champions League wished Schmeichel a happy birthday today by posting a compilation video of some of his finest moments in that competition:
🙌 Un portero para la historia de la #UCL…
¡Feliz 6️⃣0️⃣ cumpleaños al gran Peter Schmeichel! 🥳🎂@ManUtd_Es | @Pschmeichel1 pic.twitter.com/H12OJk0Yit
— Liga de Campeones (@LigadeCampeones) November 18, 2023
Happy birthday Schmeichs, for us, undoubtedly the world’s number one keeper of all time.