- David de Gea named as the world’s seventh best keeper in new poll in France
- The Manchester United stopper didn’t do too well with France Football panel
- Manuel Neuer was top choice for each of the magazine’s five experts
- Premier League keepers Thibaut Courtois and Hugo Lloris ahead of De Gea
- Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas was sixth in the survey, with Gianluigi Buffon second
He may have won Manchester United three points at Arsenal on Saturday, making an astonishing 14 saves in the process, but David de Gea clearly isn’t to everyone’s taste despite his impressive performances.
The Spaniard was ranked only the seventh best stopper in the world by a panel of former goalkeeping greats in a poll for France Football magazine this week.
There was very little love for the Spanish No 1 in the survey, with fellow Premier League keepers Thibaut Courtois of Chelsea and Hugo Lloris of Tottenham ranking above him.
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea celebrates their win at Arsenal on Saturday
The Spaniard made a succession of brilliant saves at the Emirates to deny Arsenal
France Football’s panel all voted for Germany keeper Manuel Neuer as their favourite
Manuel Neuer of Germany and Bayern Munich, perhaps unsurprisingly, topped the poll, collecting the maximum of 30 points in a scoring system identical to the Ballon d’Or award the magazine also runs.
Italy veteran Gianluigi Buffon ranked second with 13 points, followed by Courtois with nine. Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid and Lloris tied on seven points.
Real Madrid stopper Keylor Navas was sixth, followed by De Gea in seventh, the man Florentino Perez has actively tried to bring to the Bernabeu for the past three years.
The France Football panel consisted of Santiago Canizares, Lionel Letizi, Sepp Maier, Mark Schwarzer and Francesco Toldo.
All five put Neuer at the top of their list, while Toldo was the only expert to put De Gea in his top three. Letizi, Maier and Schwarzer didn’t name him in their top fives at all.
Still, at least De Gea is appreciated by the fans at Old Trafford. More and more so every week.
Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon finished second in the poll in France Football magazine
Chelsea and Belgium star Thibaut Courtois was popular with the panel, finishing third
Hugo Lloris, No 1 for Tottenham and France, was joint-fourth in the poll with Jan Oblak
Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas pictured in training last week – he was sixth best in the world