The four key skills a goalkeeper needs

Athleticism

Speed, power, agility and co-ordination are some of the most important physical skills a goalkeeper can develop and are pre-requisites for elite performance.

Speed, especially acceleration over short distances, is vital for goalkeepers to defend their box and the space behind the defence. 

Being powerful allows goalkeepers to jump higher to claim crosses and cover greater distances in their dive. 

Agility means goalkeepers can quickly change direction and respond rapidly to close-range shots or deflections.

Co-ordination is essential for goalkeepers to develop effective movement patterns and set themselves appropriately.

Technical skills

The importance and nature of technical skills is a disputed area of goalkeeping, with considerable disagreement about whether textbook techniques exist. 

A wide variety of movement patterns and techniques are used by elite goalkeepers which allow them to excel.

Therefore, when developing a goalkeeper’s technical skills, it may be best for coaches to aim for individualised and effective motor patterns, rather than an idealised technique. 

When defending the goal, ’keepers need a number of core technical skills.

Developing an effective set position is key. Whether they start with their feet narrow or wide, or are bouncy or still, they should end with their feet wide enough to immediately push into a dive without stepping.

While some goalkeepers will start in this wider position, most perform a small hop to widen their stance at the moment they anticipate a shot. 

Goalkeepers also need to be able to catch the ball at high, mid and low heights, typically using a variety of ’W’, cup and scoop techniques.

When diving, goalkeepers should be proficient at both ‘negative’ (diving off the back foot) and ‘positive’ (pushing of both feet) dives.

They need to develop their parry skills, too, allowing them to be able to deflect the ball away from goal with both hands: their bottom hand for mid-to-low shots and top hand for saves near the top of the goal.

Goalkeepers also must be able to perform a variety of 1v1 saves, including diving at an attacker’s feet, block saves (from wider areas) and spread saves (from central areas). 

"The importance and nature of technical skills is a disputed area of goalkeeping..."

A goalkeeper’s size and mobility mean the execution of these saves will be different depending on the player. However, preventing the ball going between the legs (a block) and maximal goal coverage (spread) should be priorities.

When defending space, goalkeepers should develop effective approach, take-off, catch and punch techniques to allow them to deal with crosses and other balls into the box from wide areas.

From central areas, goalkeepers need to be able to intercept the ball with both their hands and feet. Preparing their body early to allow them to get into the best position to either intercept or clear the ball is a vital skill.

In build-up play, goalkeepers primarily need to be able to pass and receive the ball effectively. 

Goalkeepers need to be able to pass the ball over a variety of distances. Being proficient at passing with the side-foot and the laces – for example, driven, low-driven and clipped passes – is important. 

From hands, goalkeepers are increasingly expected to kick the ball over long distances with a flat trajectory, with the side-kick currently being the preferred way of performing such a pass. Goalkeepers should also be able to roll and throw accurately.

When receiving, a goalkeeper should have an effective first touch. Being able to consistently control the ball in a way which opens up the body and leaves the ball one-step away will increase the options available for a goalkeeper to play to. 

Finally, current trends suggest that goalkeepers should be expected to carry and dribble the ball to invite pressure.