How David Raya became 'best goalkeeper in the world' as Arsenal edge Sporting Lisbon clash

Jack Otway
Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:54:22 +0000

When Kai Havertz bundled home a 91st-minute winner against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday night, the headlines practically wrote themselves.

Arsenal had snatched a vital 1-0 away victory in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, having lost their last two games against Southampton and Manchester City.

Yet, the man most responsible for the triumph wasn't the goalscorer, but the man standing between the sticks at the other end of the José Alvalade Stadium: David Raya.

In the aftermath, Havertz didn't hesitate to redirect the spotlight, praising his teammate for a sensational performance.

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"I think he is still underestimated in the world of football," the German forward declared. "But for me, the last two seasons, the best 'keeper in the world. He's outstanding."

Former England international Joe Cole echoed the sentiment on TNT Sports, going as far as to label the Spaniard as Arsenal's 'most important player.'

For a squad boasting the likes of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, it is a massive claim. But it's also one that is becoming increasingly difficult to argue against.

Arsenal's slender victory in Portugal was built entirely on the foundation of Raya's brilliance. Before Havertz's stoppage-time heroics, it was their No 1 who kept Arsenal's hopes of reaching the last four intact.

Early in the match, Raya produced a stunning save to deny a ferocious drive from Maxi Araujo, tipping the ball onto the crossbar.

Then, later in the contest, when legs were tired, he pulled off a brilliant near-post stop from Geny Catamo, preserving the clean sheet that made the late victory possible.

Manager Mikel Arteta simply called his goalkeeper 'extraordinary.' But Raya’s journey to becoming the bedrock of Europe’s most resolute defence hasn't always been smooth-sailing.

Born in Barcelona, he bypassed the traditional Spanish academy route, opting instead to move to England and join Blackburn Rovers as a 16-year-old.

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His real baptism of fire, however, came during a loan spell in the National League with Southport.

"I was getting battered a lot! Every corner, every free-kick I was getting elbows everywhere... you take yourself to training, take your clothes home to wash them, you are responsible for what you eat. I learned a lot from that spell," he's previously said.

That gritty introduction to English football built a profound mental resilience.

He returned to Blackburn, experiencing both the despair of relegation and the joy of promotion.

But it was at Brentford where Raya truly transformed into a modern goalkeeping prototype.

Under Thomas Frank, Raya refined his footwork and distribution, proving instrumental in the Bees' promotion to the Premier League.

When Arsenal signed him in 2023, eyebrows were raised given Aaron Ramsdale's popularity among the fanbase.

Yet, Raya's ascent to the No 1 shirt was swift. Almost immediately, Ramsdale found himself sitting on the bench.

Behind the scenes at London Colney, and during intensive mid-season warm-weather camps in Dubai, Raya works intimately with Arsenal's goalkeeping coach, Inaki Cana.

Their training methods are distinctly tailored to the demands of modern, possession-based football. Arsenal, in turn, have reaped the rewards.

Raya trains extensively on sweeping behind a high defensive line, effectively operating as an extra centre-back in possession to give Arsenal a numerical advantage. Cana subjects the keepers to intense pressing simulations to mimick matches.

Drawing from his bruising Southport days, training emphasises aggressively claiming crosses through heavy traffic.

This composure and ability, without a doubt, was on full display against Sporting.

While the title of the 'world's best' is always fiercely debated - with elite names like Alisson Becker, Thibaut Courtois and Gianluigi Donnarumma constantly in the mix - the statistics make a compelling case for the Spaniard.

His sensational performance last night laid the foundations for Arsenal's gritty win, which will have supporters dreaming that they can go all the way.

Havertz may have scored but Raya was the hero for the north London titans last night. Whether they can go all the way, and finally claim football's ultimate prize, remains to be seen.