Super Eagles: Maduka Okoye names world’s best goalkeeper ahead of Ter Stegen, Courtois

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has had revealed his admiration for Marc-André ter Stegen, Thibaut Courtois and Gianluigi Donnarumma, naming the trio as the best goalkeepers in world football, Soccernet.ng reports.

However, the Nigeria international believes that Italian star Donnarumma is currently operating above everyone else.

Okoye, who enjoyed an impressive 2025/26 campaign with Udinese, was asked to rank the finest shot-stoppers in the game. While he placed Ter Stegen first out of personal admiration, he made it clear that Donnarumma is presently the goalkeeper setting the standard at the highest level.

“For me, No. 1 is Ter Stegen, then Courtois and Donnarumma,” Okoye revealed.

“Ter Stegen is No. 1 for me because when I was a young player at Borussia Mönchengladbach, he was already playing with the U-19s and I always looked up to him. But right now, I think Donnarumma is the strongest goalkeeper.

“At the moment, he’s the best. He is on a different level.”

Okoye's respect for Ter Stegen stems from their shared German football background. The Barcelona captain has spent more than a decade at the Spanish giants, winning multiple La Liga titles and Copa del Rey trophies. He was also a key figure during Barcelona’s historic treble-winning 2014/15 season and later claimed La Liga Player of the Season honours in 2022/23 after conceding only 18 goals in 38 league matches.

Courtois, meanwhile, has built a reputation as one of football’s greatest big-game goalkeepers. The Belgian starred in Real Madrid’s 2022 UEFA Champions League final victory over Liverpool, producing nine crucial saves and earning the Man of the Match award. His career achievements also include the 2018 FIFA World Cup Golden Glove and global recognition through The Best FIFA Goalkeeper and Yashin Trophy awards.

However, it is Donnarumma who has most impressed the Nigerian international. The Italy number one has remained among the elite goalkeepers in world football for several years and further enhanced his reputation after helping Paris Saint-Germain win their first UEFA Champions League title in the 2024/25 season.

Maduka Okoye’s Udinese revival continues after difficult Watford spell

Maduka Okoye would be particularly pleased with his own resurgence in European football. The 26-year-old has rebuilt his career at Udinese after a frustrating period at Watford, where injuries and limited opportunities prevented him from making a league appearance.

Born in Düsseldorf, Germany, the goalkeeper developed through the youth systems of Bayer Leverkusen and Fortuna Düsseldorf before establishing himself with Fortuna Düsseldorf II. A move to Sparta Rotterdam in 2020 provided the breakthrough he needed, and he quickly became one of the Eredivisie’s most promising goalkeepers.

His career stalled after joining Watford in 2022, but a transfer to Udinese in August 2023 reignited his progress. Since arriving in Serie A, Okoye has steadily improved and emerged as the club’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper.

During the 2025/26 season, he made 30 league appearances, kept 10 clean sheets and conceded only 37 goals. One of the standout moments of his campaign came when Udinese recorded three consecutive clean sheets, including a memorable 3-0 victory over AC Milan at the San Siro.

His strong displays have also helped him reclaim the number-one position with the Nigeria national football team. After losing his starting role following Nigeria’s exit from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, Okoye has returned to the forefront of the Super Eagles setup and featured prominently in recent international friendlies against Poland and Portugal.