Nigeria's Vincent Enyeama named greatest African goalkeeper of all time by IFFHS

Vincent Enyeama, the retired Super Eagles goalkeeper, has been named the greatest African goalkeeper of all time by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS). The IFFHS based their decision on Enyeama’s excellent performances for both club and country during his over a decade-long career.

The IFFHS, a non-profit organization based in Germany that ranks the performance of football players and coaches worldwide, chose Enyeama ahead of other legendary African goalkeepers such as Joseph-Antoine Bell, Thomas N’Kono, and Essam El-Hadary.

Enyeama’s remarkable career is supported by numerous individual awards, including being named the best goalkeeper in the Israeli Premier League three times and the best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 in the 2013-2014 season.

He also holds the record for the most clean sheets in a season in the French top flight, with 21 shutouts in 2013-2014. Enyeama represented Nigeria in three World Cup tournaments and played a key role in the team’s victory in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Enyeama is often regarded as Nigeria’s greatest goalkeeper ever and is considered by many as Lille’s finest of all time. His achievement is a significant recognition of the talents and contributions of African players to football, beyond the major leagues in Europe and South America.

The IFFHS All-Time Ranking, covering the period from 1987 to 2022, also includes the best goalkeepers from other regions, such as Gianluigi Buffon (Italy) for UEFA, Jose Luis Chilavert (Paraguay) for CONMEBOL, Mohamed Abdullaziz Al-Deayea (Saudi Arabia) for AFC, Keylor Navas (Costa Rica) for CONCACAF, and Mark Bosnich (Australia) for Oceania.