British Telegraph rates Enyeama 18th best goalkeeper in the world after online poll

SUPER Eagles skipper Vincent Enyeama has been voted the 18th best goalkeeper in the world by British newspaper The Telegraph after it conducted an online poll of its readers asking them to vote on the subject.

 

In the poll conducted by the newspaper on its website, votes were cast to determine who the best goalkeeper in the world. Bayern Munich and Germany's Manuel Neuer came first, followed by Manchester United’s David De Gea and Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois.

 

Joe Hart of Manchester City came fourth in the poll, while Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus came fifth. Other goalkeepers in the top 20 include Petr Cech of Chelsea, Keylor Navas and Iker Casilas of Real Madrid, Hugo Lloris of Tottenham Hotspur and Salvatore Sirigu of Paris St Germain.

 

Victor Valdes of Manchester United, Pepe Reina of Bayern Munich, Diego Lopez of AC Milan, Samir Handanovic of Inter Milan, Wojciech Scezceny of Arsenal, Rene Adler of Hamburg, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Claudio Bravo of Barcelona and Southampton’s Fraser Forster complete the list. Enyeama, who has had an astounding time at Lille since joining the French league, is currently said to be on the shopping list of Premiership side Liverpool.

 

It is believed that the Anfield giants are preparing a £3m bid for the Uyo-born goalkeeper in the summer when the current season ends. Enyeama, 32, became only the second Nigerian footballer to attain the 100-cap mark, when he featured for the Eagles in the 1-0 defeat to Uganda in an international friendly in Uyo in March.

 

Lille is currently eighth in the French Ligue One table and will subsequently miss out on the chance to play in next season’s UEFA Europa League. Enyeama, who also missed out on the Best African Player in the French League, said he has put the disappointment behind him and is already preparing for next season.

 

Enyeama said: “I didn’t win any championship or trophy but I want to thank God, as it was an amazing year for me as a player. The planning for the next championship has to start now and I think that we are ready to start preparation for the forthcoming season.”

 

This season, Enyeama has kept 16 clean sheets for but has conceded 40 goals in 37 games. During the 2013/14 season, Enyeama kept 11 consecutive clean sheets, only conceding a goal after 1,062 minutes, which made him 114 minutes shy of equalling Gaëtan Huard’s Ligue One goalkeeping record of 1,176 minutes of clean sheets set in 1993.