Every summer, GOAL will publish its exclusive list of the 25 players who have proven themselves truly elite by consistently producing top performances

World-class… It's an invisible but important tag, one that separates the good from the great. But it's such a subjective term. Every football fan has their own definition, their own set of criterion, leading to endless but thoroughly enjoyable debates in stadiums, dressing rooms, cafes, bars, pubs and clubs all across the world.

So, last summer, GOAL decided to get in on the fun by compiling a very exclusive list of the 25 players that we felt represented the game's elite, the best of the best, the guys that had been producing stellar performances over a sustained period of time.

In order to avoid focusing solely on attackers – which, let's face it, nearly always happens when it comes to individual awards and accolades – we stipulated that there must be at least three players from each position group (goalkeeper, defence, midfield and attack), but a maximum of nine from each.

Now, the time has arrived to decide to gets to stay in the World-Class Club – and who must be politely asked to leave. So, who's made this year's 25 strong-list? Find out below, and be sure to express your approval – or outrage – in the comments…

GOALGK: Alisson Becker

Injury interrupted Alisson’s 2023-24 campaign, but he retains his world-class status because of a staggering level of consistency that dates all the way back to his Roma days. In many ways, Brazil’s No.1 is the archetypal modern goalkeeper: brave and precise with the ball at his feet, but also a sensational shot-stopper, as he proved once again with a stunning save from Miguel Almiron during Liverpool’s dramatic win over Newcastle last August.

AdvertisementGOALGK: Thibaut Courtois

Courtois missed nearly the entire 2023-24 season with an ACL tear he suffered in pre-season training, but he offered a timely reminder of his quality just before the close of the campaign. Courtois played five games after returning to action and kept a clean sheet in every single one of them, including the Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund. Class really is permanent.

GOALGK: Ederson

At the time of writing, Ederson appears to be edging closer and closer to a move to the Saudi Pro League. Should such a transfer materialise, he will be very difficult for Manchester City to replace, given the role he's played in their recent success. With his fantastic range of passing and impressive levels of concentration, Ederson proved himself the perfect goalkeeper for Pep Guardiola. No matter who takes over the No.1 shirt, the Brazil international will be missed.

GOALGK: Mike Maignan

For a short while during AC Milan’s topsy-turvy 2023-24 season, it appeared as if Maignan had lost a little of his magic. It wasn't as if he was playing poorly; it was more that he wasn't playing to the same high standard. However, Maignan got his mojo back at the Euros, keeping more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper – which partly explains why a goal-shy France side made it all the way to the semis.