Top 5 goal-keepers in the history of the sport Hockey

Jaap Stockmann and PR Sreejesh: (Image Source: Twitter)

We are just ten days away from the FIH Hockey World Cup to kick off in Bhubaneswar. The tournament will be conducted in two stadiums, Kalinga Stadium and Birsa Munda international hockey stadium. The 15th edition of the quadrennial competition will see 16 countries from five different confederations taking part in India.

The game has garnered a lot of interest in the past few years in India and across the globe due to sheer competition in the game during Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Not only the strikers make the game more interesting but also the goalkeepers who bail the team out in difficult situations.

In this article, we shall look at the top five goalkeepers to ever grace the game:

5. Jaap Stockmann

Jaap Stockmann: (Image Source: Twitter)

The Netherlands international is one of the best players to ever grace the game of hockey. The 38-year-old is not an active player anymore but left the legacy in the international as well as domestic hockey circuit.

Often known as Jaap, the player has 140 appearances under his belt in the international circuit for the Netherlands. The player won a silver and a bronze in the World Cup whereas he won Silver in 2012 Olympics. They awarded him FIH Best Goalkeeper of the World in 2014 for his excellent performances.

4. Juan Manuel Vivaldi

Juan Manuel Vivaldi: (Image Source: Twitter)

The second non-active player on the list, Juan Manuel Vivaldi, represented Argentina in the Hockey World Cups and international events. Before retiring, he featured in 288 games for the national team.

The player has an excellent medal record. He has won gold in every other competition like the Olympics, Pan American Games and Champions Challenge. He has a bronze in the World Cup as well as the Champions Trophy.

3. PR Sreejesh

PR Sreejesh: (Image Source: Twitter)

PR Sreejesh has played a monumental role in taking hockey back to where it belongs. India had lost the sheen and shine in the recent years, but PR Sreejesh’s heroics in the Tokyo Olympics as well as in the Commonwealth Games helped India to win medals.

The 34–year old has 274 appearances in the national colors and captained the team after Sardar Singh’s departure. The player has saved penalties in the crucial games, including the 2014 Asian Games, 2014 Champions Trophy and 2018 Champions Trophy. For his best performances, the player was awarded the “Goalkeeper of the Tournament” in 2018.

2. Nicolas Jacobi

Nicolas Jacobi: (Image Source: Twitter)

The 35-year-old goalkeeper is one of the best players to ever feature for Germany in the game. The player has over 100 appearances in the national colors. He has also featured in the Hockey India League.

The player has an Olympic Bronze and a Champions Trophy Gold. The player featured as a reserve player for Germany in the 2012 Olympics while winning the gold. Despite finishing fourth in the Champions Trophy in 2014 in the Group stage, they went on to win the gold medal.

1. Andrew Charter

Andrew Charter: (Image Source: Twitter)

The Australian shot stopper is one of the best players ever to feature for the Kangaroos. The 35-year-old Andrew Charter has 185 appearances in the national colors. Ever since making his debut for the national team in 2011, the goalkeeper has never turned his back. He has competed in various tournaments including the World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Olympics. In his career, the player has won Gold in the 2014 World Cup, three Gold medals in Champions Trophy and an Olympic silver medal.