2016 continues to shower Cranes goalie Denis Onyango with blessings even as we approach the dawn of a new year. The “Mr. Safe hands” has been ranked among the best ten goalkeepers. To make the victory sweeter, he has been rated ahead of Arsenal’s Petr Cech and Barcelona’s goalkeeper as voted by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), an independent sports website.
Dennis Onyango played a crucial role in Cranes’ AFCON qualification, won the league with Mamelodi sundowns before lifting CAF African Champions League. He has also been shortlisted for CAF Best African based footballer set to be announced on 5th January, 2017, a few weeks from the continental showpiece in Gabon. Despite Onyango’ heroics, he controversially lost out “Player of the award’ in the local FUFA awards to Onduparaka striker Shaban Mohammed in what left many shocked. Here are the ratings.
1- Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern München) 156 points
2- Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus Torino FC) 91 points
3- Rui Patricio (Portugal/Sporting Portugal) 50 points
4- Claudio Bravo (Chile/FC Barcelona/Manchester City FC) 45 points
5- David De Gea (Spain/Manchester United FC) 37 points
2- Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus Torino FC) 91 points
3- Rui Patricio (Portugal/Sporting Portugal) 50 points
4- Claudio Bravo (Chile/FC Barcelona/Manchester City FC) 45 points
5- David De Gea (Spain/Manchester United FC) 37 points
6- Jan Oblak (Slovenia/Club Atletico de Madrid) 31 points
7- Hugo Lloris (France/Tottenham Hotspur FC) 29 points
8- Keylor Navas (Costa Rica/Real Madrid CF) 18 points
9- Thibaut Courtois (Belgium/Chelsea FC) 13 points
10-Denis Onyango (Uganda/Mamelodi Sundowns) 5 points
11-Petr Cech (Cech Republic/Arsenal London FC) 4 points
12-Samir Handanovic (Slovenia/FC Inter Milano) 2 points
13-Marc André Ter Stegen (Germany/FC Barcelona) 1 point
7- Hugo Lloris (France/Tottenham Hotspur FC) 29 points
8- Keylor Navas (Costa Rica/Real Madrid CF) 18 points
9- Thibaut Courtois (Belgium/Chelsea FC) 13 points
10-Denis Onyango (Uganda/Mamelodi Sundowns) 5 points
11-Petr Cech (Cech Republic/Arsenal London FC) 4 points
12-Samir Handanovic (Slovenia/FC Inter Milano) 2 points
13-Marc André Ter Stegen (Germany/FC Barcelona) 1 point
The IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper is a football award given annually since 1987 to the most outstanding goalkeeper of the year as voted by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). The votes are cast by IFFHS’s editorial staff as well as experts from different continents.