Brazil defeated Switzerland 1-0 on Monday in World Cup Group G action, qualifying for the Round of 16.
How football has changed. From goalkeepers lumping the ball forward at every opportunity to the prevalence of possession-based systems. It used to be just the elite clubs who were easy on the eye.
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The world’s top goalkeepers have been quick to adapt to this style, which has led to the upper echelon becoming the best and most complete footballers at the position in the game’s history.
No two goalkeepers personify the impact this change has had on the modern game better than Liverpool’s Alisson and Ederson of Manchester City.
Considering how dominant each club have been since their arrivals at Anfield and the Etihad Stadium respectively, and how much quality they possess in nearly every position, it is easy to forget how good their goalkeepers are. Alisson and Ederson fit their teams perfectly and have raised the bar in terms of what people expect from goalkeepers, while also inspiring others to reach their level.
For them, it is just unfortunate that they must compete for one spot internationally.
Alisson, 30, has been preferred by Brazil manager Tite, with 57 caps compared to 29-year-old Ederson’s 18. But who deserves the starting spot in Qatar?
Distribution with feet: Advantage Ederson
Ederson can control and pass the ball in the tightest of areas and remain calm, playing with the precision of a central midfielder. It makes him one of the most important players at City.
He is rarely stressed in his distribution and excels in accurately pinging the ball over varying distances, helping City dominate possession. His role often requires him to hold the ball as long as possible and invite the press to manipulate the defence and open up the spaces his side are looking to exploit.
Ederson’s ability to remain as calm as he does despite the constant pressure is incredible. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve held my breath expecting the worst, only to blurt out “What a f—ing ball!” after he completes a pass.
His ability to turn defence into attack, over short and long distances, is exceptional.
Ederson: 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿! 🔥🎯 pic.twitter.com/8qOeV6JTE2
— Manchester City (@ManCity) June 24, 2022
Most players would exhale in relief after some of the situations that he puts himself in, but his levels of calm and confidence are exceptional.
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Ederson has made 230 appearances since joining City from Benfica for around £36million ($42.5m now) in the summer of 2017 and is perfectly suited to Pep Guardiola’s style.
“We cannot have a better goalkeeper than Eddie,” Guardiola said in May last year. “He suits perfectly our way of playing. The impact he has on the team is massive. His composure, and the way he faces the good moments and bad moments, is remarkable.”
Alisson plays an equally important role down the road at Liverpool and is one of the better ball-playing goalkeepers but it would be hard to argue he’s better with the ball at his feet than Ederson. He is technically sound but the City man’s ability to pick out a pass is unrivalled.
His role at Liverpool requires Alisson to hold the ball and invite pressure but it’s an area that has caused him problems.
Whereas Ederson is the definition of calm, it’s not uncommon for Alisson to hang onto possession a little too long and become indecisive, leading to giving the ball away, or aimless kicks upfield and, in the worst cases, goals being conceded.
The most high-profile example came in February last year when Alisson committed two distribution blunders in the space of four minutes to set City on the path to a resounding 4-1 win at Anfield.
In both instances, as the video below shows, Alisson has more than enough time to make the correct decision but he becomes indecisive in his actions once the pressure closes in.
It is an area where the former Roma player has room to improve.
Distribution from hands: Advantage Alisson
Alisson holds a small edge over Ederson when passing the ball long(er) downfield from his hands, whether direct on long, commanding throws or with winding side-volleys.
One of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s best attributes is his tactical proactiveness. He picks on opposition weaknesses and often sets up his side, particularly against direct rivals, to soak up the pressure and hit teams on the counter.
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Alisson has outstanding strength in his arms and legs, able to launch attacks with huge throws and volleys into space or behind the defence to wingers and forwards. He is much more than Liverpool’s last defender, he is also their first attacker.
His quick thinking and accurate passes help create counter-attacking scenarios in the opposition half with key attacking players in possession, often in one-v-one and two-v-two situations.
The decision-making and relationships with his team-mates are important. When a ball is lifted into the box and they hear a loud “keeper”, his team-mates know what is coming and are off on the attack.
It helps that Alisson has played with incredibly quick and dangerous forwards at Anfield through the years — most notably Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane — who he can rely on to stretch the field and exploit the opposition.
His three assists to Salah are the best example of just what makes him so effective when the ball is in his hands.
The first-ever #PL goalkeeper to assist the same player three times 🎯
Show us how it’s done, @Alissonbecker and @MoSalah… pic.twitter.com/uOhxrFjedG
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 19, 2022
This is part of Ederson’s game as well, but Alisson’s lethal accuracy gives him the upper hand.
Shot-stopping and one-on-ones: Advantage Alisson
One of the things that has stood out about Alisson is his ability to anticipate the play in front of him. He is quick to react, and methodical and calculated in his decision-making, and it all has to do with his mastery of the fundamentals of goalkeeping — proper positioning, handling and footwork.
His positioning is superb and serves as the foundation for the rest of his skill set. His positional awareness and technical efficiency — mainly in regards to his hand placement and footwork — mean he doesn’t need to make any wild movements or adjustments as he traverses his goalmouth in preparation for each shot on target.
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By the time the ball is struck, he is almost always a step or two ahead of the play, and in the optimal position with his body and hands in the correct shape to make the save.
He takes the quickest and most direct path to the ball, and this is a big reason his saves look so routine and effortless.
This attention to detail comes in handy in one-on-one situations, which is without a doubt his greatest strength.
In one-on-ones, the best goalkeepers are aggressive but also calculated and in control. Rushing recklessly towards the ball could seem like a good way to unsettle a striker but it causes more trouble than it solves. There is a balance to be struck between reacting at speed and keeping a clear mind. There are few better at that than Alisson.
He keeps his body and positioning correct to the last second then, just as the opposing player puts his head down to shoot, makes his move. His athleticism helps him close down the attacker and the shooting angle so quickly that, by the time his opponent looks up, the opportunity to score has passed. This skill is a gift.
His ability to anticipate one or two steps ahead of time, coupled with his physical ability is what has allowed Alisson to play so aggressively.
At first glance, it can appear as if Alisson is risky in his challenges due to how quickly he bursts off his line but his play is anything but rash. He is methodical and calculated in his decision-making.
This is one of the main reasons he has been so valuable to Liverpool and Brazil.
🇧🇷 @Alissonbecker 🔴
What. A. Goalkeeper 👏 pic.twitter.com/IAa3Y9ZeRz
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 23, 2022
Ederson can be impulsive, often electing to rush out of his goal in one-on-one situations. He comes at an attacker at pace in an attempt to stress and press with his size in combination with his speed in the hope of forcing him into a poor decision.
It helps that he’s fearless, even in the most intimidating 50-50 challenges with the attacker — his collision with Mane from 2017 comes to mind. Ederson knew the challenge was going to hurt, but he was never going to go in hesitantly or pull out. He knew if he did he would not just be risking a more serious injury, but likely a goal too.
Alisson’s approach feels calculated while Ederson is more of a gambler, appearing to leave his challenges up to chance, preferring to use his physicality to stress and smother the attacker.
This is an area in which Ederson has worked tirelessly, though. He has seen improvement in his decision-making over the past few years, leading to more calculated interventions. However, he still has a way to go to rightfully be regarded as a legitimate challenger to his countryman as a shot-stopper.
#OnThisDay five years ago, we signed Ederson! 🧤
Take a look back at some of his top saves ⛔️#ManCity pic.twitter.com/lv75PpDsRg
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 1, 2022
Aerial command: Advantage Ederson
Dealing with aerial balls is one of the most difficult aspects of goalkeeping because it involves almost every single attribute of the position. It’s a combination of timing, technique and confidence, but making the right decisions at exactly the right times is equally important.
You only have a split second to make a decision to come for the ball or stay on your line, and it has to be made by the goalkeeper almost immediately after the ball has left the attacker’s foot, not when it’s only a few yards from you, as some pundits would like you to believe.
You have to judge the flight of the ball quickly, in addition to scanning the area around you. Once the ball is finally played, and you make up your mind to come for it, you have to be able to track the flight, know where the ball is going to land, and attack it at the highest point. That’s easier said than done when you have a clump of players around you.
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Ederson’s confidence is evident in how he handles long, lofted balls deep with total domination. He takes an aggressive starting position a few yards from his line and isn’t afraid to come and challenge for the ball anywhere in his box.
This allows City to play a high line, both in open play and from set-piece situations.
A goalkeeper’s size and reach can give them an advantage when dealing with high balls, but more important than any physical trait is positioning. Ederson has both.
Proper positioning allows the goalkeeper to extend their range and minimize the distance between them and their defenders, which helps clarify the decision of when to come versus when to stay closer to your line. It helps with your timing and being able to attack the ball at its highest point.
Ederson has great hands, exceptional footwork and timing, and unwavering bravery when balls are pumped into the box. His aerial ability gives confidence to the defence because they know that any pass in and around the box belongs to him. They can trust their own decisions more, knowing that in the worst-case scenario, he is there to bail them out.
Most importantly, Ederson’s dominance can give his defensive team-mates the chance to do what they are paid to do — defend.
Alisson is excellent in the air and plays an equally tough but vital role for Liverpool but although there isn’t a whole lot that separates the two, Ederson’s dominance and bravery give him the edge.
Big-game ability: Advantage Alisson
One trait I admire the most about the best players in the world is that they make their biggest plays when their side needs them most.
Alisson has been doing this for years and each time it has felt like his team have needed him to step up, he has. He has changed the entire course of more than one Liverpool season.
His save from Arkadiusz Milik in the dying moments of a decisive Champions League group finale against Napoli in December 2018 to clinch a place in the knockout rounds after losing three of their five matches in that season’s competition is the best example.
Two years ago today… @Alissonbecker made 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 late save against Napoli 🤩 pic.twitter.com/LOK4tHBJH4
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 11, 2020
Six months later, Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final to clinch the club’s sixth European Cup.
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Saves like this were the reason Liverpool signed Alisson for £66.8million ($79.3m today) in the summer of 2018.
And who can forget his 95th-minute headed winner against West Bromwich Albion in the final week of the 2020-21 Premier League season?
That Alisson Becker injury-time winner will NEVER get old! 😁 #Reds2021 https://t.co/OmSH4KLX0a pic.twitter.com/M6uw5bXpTB
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 31, 2021
Liverpool’s Champions League qualification was hanging in the balance, and those two additional points could have been worth millions.
Goalkeepers are predominantly brought up for last-minute corners to act as a nuisance or distraction. Even in the rare instances when a goalkeeper is able to score, it’s rarely as significant as that was, with a technique described as “insane” by Klopp.
These types of interactions — in the most influential moments — are what Liverpool had been missing before Alisson was signed.
Alisson is in pole position for a reason
Every team would dream of having a goalkeeper of Alisson’s or Ederson’s quality. That Brazil have two is an embarrassment of riches for a country who, historically, have not been known for goalkeeping prowess. It wasn’t until present goalkeeping coach Claudio Taffarel and Dida came into the picture that the stigma of their keepers being the weak link in the national team began to change.
It may seem mad to fans of the Premier League that a goalkeeper as talented as Ederson may be second choice for his country, but Alisson headed to Qatar 2022 in pole position for a reason. He is the most complete goalkeeper of the two, in the modern and traditional sense.
Despite all the advancements that the game has made in recent years, the goalkeeper’s main job remains the same: to keep the ball out of the net.
There may not be anyone better in world football at that than Alisson.
GO DEEPER
Every World Cup question you’ve been too afraid to ask
(Photos: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
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