Chelsea fans may still debate who should be the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, but new data suggests the Blues are well-stocked between the sticks.
Despite recent criticism aimed at Robert Sanchez—especially for the five errors leading to goals he’s committed this Premier League season—analytical rankings place him among the very best in the world.
According to the latest CIES Football Observatory Index, which evaluates goalkeepers based on match performance, league difficulty, and save deviation compared to expected values, Sanchez is ranked sixth globally. Among Premier League shot-stoppers, only Brentford’s Mark Flekken (5th) ranks higher.
This may come as a surprise to some Chelsea supporters, especially as new manager Enzo Maresca backed Sanchez as his No.1, while Kepa Arrizabalaga and Djordje Petrovic were loaned out.
Yet the data doesn’t just back Sanchez—it highlights Chelsea’s remarkable depth in goalkeeping talent. All three of their senior keepers feature in the world’s top 20:
- Robert Sanchez (Chelsea) – 6th place, Score: 84.1
- Djordje Petrovic (on loan at Strasbourg) – 11th place, Score: 82.1
- Kepa Arrizabalaga (on loan at Bournemouth) – 17th place, Score: 80.8
Depth in Quality
Petrovic, 25, impressed last season with 31 appearances for Chelsea and has continued that form on loan at Ligue 1 club Strasbourg, nearly cracking the top 10.
Meanwhile, Kepa—the most expensive goalkeeper in history after his £71m move from Athletic Bilbao in 2018—has also maintained a high rating while on loan at Bournemouth.
With all three keepers performing at an elite level, Maresca could face a welcome selection dilemma when planning for the future.
World’s Best Revealed
Topping the global goalkeeper rankings is PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma (95.5), followed by Inter Milan’s Yann Sommer (91.7) and Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois (88.0).
Here’s the CIES top 20 goalkeeper rankings:
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG) – 95.5
- Yann Sommer (Inter Milan) – 91.7
- Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) – 88.0
- Stanislav Agkatsev (Krasnodar) – 87.4
- Mark Flekken (Brentford) – 85.9
- Robert Sanchez (Chelsea) – 84.1
- Peter Gulacsi (RB Leipzig) – 83.9
- Joao Ricardo (Fortaleza EC) – 83.7
- Moritz Nicolas (Borussia Monchengladbach) – 83.3
- Robin Zentner (Mainz 05) – 82.2
- Djordje Petrovic (Strasbourg) – 82.1
- Evgeniy Latyshonok (Zenit) – 81.7
- Lucas Perri (Lyon) – 81.6
- Remko Pasveer (Ajax) – 81.6
- John McCarthy (LA Galaxy) – 81.2
- Davy Roef (Gent) – 80.9
- Kepa Arrizabalaga (Bournemouth) – 80.8
- Weverton Pereira (Palmeiras) – 80.6
- Kasper Schmeichel (Celtic) – 80.6
- Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray) – 80.1
The rankings include goalkeepers who have played at least 20 domestic league matches over the past 12 months.
Conclusion: A Hidden Strength
While Chelsea’s form on the pitch may fluctuate, the data reveals an encouraging truth: in goal, the club boasts world-class depth. Whether Sanchez keeps the No.1 jersey or the door reopens for Petrovic or Kepa, Chelsea fans can feel confident that their last line of defense is in safe hands.