In football history, extraordinary saves have always left an indelible mark on fans, but only a few are ranked as "best goal save ever in football history". One of them is Mert Gunok's top save against Austria at Euro 2024. Dubbed the "new Gordon Banks", the 35-year-old Turkish goalkeeper made a superb reflex in stoppage time, helping his team hold on for a 2-1 victory. From Christoph Baumgartner's tricky header on a slippery pitch, Gunok predicted perfectly and used his entire impressive height of 196cm to neutralize the seemingly unstoppable goal, leaving everyone in awe. Let's find out more with Wintips through the following article!
Ranked 9 best goal save in football history
9. Mert Gunok vs Austria (2024)
Team: Türkiye
Ralf Rangnick led Austria to the top of Euro 2024's 'Group of Death' and has just seen his vibrant side knocked out of the knockout stages after a 2-1 defeat to Türkiye, but he still has a sense of humour. "We had time to score an equaliser," sighed the former Manchester United manager, "but it was difficult when they had Gordon Banks in goal!"
Türkiye owes the acrobatic performance to Mert Gunok, not Banks. The 35-year-old former basketball player was still alert in the final minute of stoppage time when another Austrian cross was sent into the box. Christoph Baumgartner headed hard onto the slippery surface of the RB Arena, but Gunok anticipated the rebound perfectly, using all 196cm of his massive frame to block the ball. Turkey head coach Vincenzo Montella is not caught up in the hype, telling the BBC: "That's his job".
8. Iker Casillas vs Netherlands (2010)
Team: Spain
Iker Casillas can be incredibly humble. One of the greatest World Cup-winning goalkeepers of all time was the only man responsible for keeping Spain's 2010 final against the Netherlands scoreless before Andres Iniesta scored the famous winner. When Arjen Robben, widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in his country's history, charged at goal after the hour mark, Casillas took a gamble. The goalkeeper guessed wrong. As he charged to his left, Robben pushed the ball towards the opposite corner only to see his effort deflect off Casillas' foot and through the post.
The whole of Spain hailed Saint Iker, but the wonder man himself was less than impressed. "It was just luck", Casillas shrugged. "I believe that if Robben and I were like that 10 times, he would probably score nine goals".
7. Dino Zoff vs Brazil (1982)
Team: Italy
Dino Zoff's unforgettable save against Brazil's Oscar in the 1982 World Cup is so esteemed that it has been enshrined in football lore as 'la Parata'—'the save', a name that perfectly captures its enduring brilliance. At 40 years old, the Italian captain defied time, showcasing reflexes worthy of a goalkeeper half his age. In the dying seconds of the match, Zoff not only stopped a thunderous header from crossing the line but also expertly secured the ball against his chest, delivering a moment of brilliance etched forever in football history.
Brazil equalised twice in one of the greatest matches in World Cup history. Zoff ensured the iconic match ended 3-2 in Italy's favour. Known for his reserved nature, Zoff was so overwhelmed by the triumph and his pivotal role in it that he interrupted a live television interview to share a heartfelt kiss with his manager, Enzo Bearzot.
6. Gianluigi Buffon vs Milan (2003)
Team: Juventus
For a contest often derided as one of the most boring Champions League finals, Juventus and Milan got off to a chaotic start to the 2003 final. Gianluigi Buffon saw an Andriy Shevchenko effort disallowed in the first eight minutes before the ball was sent into the box in the 17th minute.
Milan's Filippo Inzaghi lunged at the ball, firing a shot from 10 yards into the bottom corner. Buffon ran in the opposite direction but still managed to twist his tall body into a shape that allowed him to push the ball around the far post. Inzaghi's priceless reaction, kneeling, hands on his hair slicked back on either side with a look of disbelief in his eyes, captured the quality embodied by a figure known as the 'Maradona of goalkeepers'.
5. Gregory Coupet vs Barcelona (2001)
Team: Lyon
What Claudio Cacapa was thinking was anyone's guess. Lyon's deep-lying centre-back flicked a tricky pass back past his own goalkeeper in the Champions League tie against Barcelona. Gregory Coupet had to dive to head the ball over his own crossbar, avoiding the penalty that would have come from catching it from a team-mate.
That quick, gravity-defying reflex action was impressive enough, but the Frenchman was only getting started. Barcelona's Brazilian Ballon d'Or winner Rivaldo followed the rebound, heading hard into the bottom corner from six yards. Coupet somehow got away and blocked the close-range effort. Former England number one David James was among the many stunned onlookers, describing it as "the greatest save I've ever seen".
4. David Seaman vs Sheffield United (2003)
Team: Arsenal
To many observers—particularly those without ties to Arsenal—David Seaman is remembered more for his rare missteps than for his years of unwavering consistency. A slow start to a pair of long-range strikes from Nayim and Ronaldinho represents one of the few blemishes on a career that has brought him every domestic honour imaginable.
Anyone who doubted Seaman’s immense talent was silenced in the 2003 FA Cup semi-final. On his 1,000th career appearance, the 39-year-old Arsenal number one accidentally blocked a Paul Peschisolido header from close range, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win. For a goalkeeper who boasts the nickname ‘Safe Hands’, he has never been able to make such a miraculous save while wearing gloves.
3. Jim Montgomery v Leeds (1973)
Team: Sunderland
As Sunderland fans flocked to the English capital to watch the Black Cats take on Don Revie's legendary Leeds United in the 1973 FA Cup Final, a documentary crew covering the day conducted a series of interviews with the travelling crowd. One of the hopeful supporters happened to be Jim Montgomery's mother-in-law. Asked if her daughter's husband would keep a clean sheet, she confidently declared: "Oh yes. He'll keep them out. He'll do it."
Against all odds, Montgomery managed to deliver on that prediction. The Sunderland goalkeeper blocked Trevor Cherry's header from the foot of Peter Lorimer, who hit the ball back with such force that both the BBC and ITV commentators initially called it a goal before hastily correcting the error. As delayed replays showed, Montgomery blocked Lorimer's dreadful effort against the crossbar, keeping a clean sheet in a famous 1-0 win.
2. Emi Martinez vs France (2022)
Team: Argentina
Argentina's journey to the 2022 World Cup was filled with iconic moments. The opening defeat to Saudi Arabia, Nicolas Otamendi's provocative celebration against the Netherlands, everything Lionel Messi did. But few single incidents carried the weight of Emi Martinez's save in the final seconds of the final.
As France's Randal Kolo Muani was charging towards the Argentina goal in stoppage time, Martinez recalls thinking: "I want the ball to hit me in the face. I closed my eyes and said, 'Hit me.'" The Frenchman's effort hit Martinez's outstretched boot instead of his face, forcing the penalty shootout he helped his country win. The goalkeeper's hulking frame has been immortalized on the flesh of countless fans. Kolo Muani doesn't need a tattoo to remember that moment. "It'll be there forever", he admits. Martinez, and the world, won't forget it anytime soon.
1. Gordon Banks v Brazil (1970)
Team: England
Pele netted an astounding 1,283 goals throughout his legendary career, yet for many who witnessed it, the shot he couldn’t convert remains the most unforgettable. Hailed as the "save of the century," England's legendary goalkeeper Gordon Banks flung his imposing frame to the ground, astonishingly deflecting a thunderous header from Brazil during the 1970 World Cup group stage—a moment that forever redefined goalkeeping brilliance. In a celebrated international career spanning a decade—highlighted by England's historic World Cup triumph four years earlier—Banks solidified his legacy with a single, extraordinary moment of brilliance.
Not for the other half of that iconic act, though. "Although truly extraordinary, my memory of Gordon is not defined by that," Pele recalled after Banks's death. "It was defined by his friendship. He was a kind and warm man who gave so much to people".
Conclusion
Great saves have always been the clearest evidence of a goalkeeper's talent and bravery in football history. From Gordon Banks' extraordinary save in 1970, Iker Casillas' super reflex in 2010, to Mert Gunok's spectacular performance at Euro 2024, all have left an indelible mark in the hearts of fans. Those moments did more than just rescue teams from defeat—they reshaped the very definition of excellence in goalkeeping. Each save carries a unique story, yet they all share an enduring allure that reminds us football is not solely about scoring goals but also about the artistry of defense.
See more: Ranked 10 best last minute goals in football history
