A recent report by CIES Football Observatory revealed a list of the best goalkeepers under 23 years old, which notably included a Saudi presence with just one name.

The young goalkeeper Hamed Al-Shanqeeti, a player for Al-Ittihad Club, made his appearance on the global list, affirming his position among the top emerging talents in the goalkeeper position.

The report indicated that Al-Shanqeeti, who is 20.9 years old, has an estimated value of about 1.4 million euros, after participating in 883 minutes over the past year, achieving an experience index of 51.3.

Despite this distinguished classification, the report clarified that the player has not yet gained full confidence within the first team and has not consistently established himself as a regular choice for the Saudi national team.

On a global level, the list is topped by the Belgian goalkeeper Mike Benders, followed by the German Jonas Auerbig, and then the Frenchman Ruben Reiser among the prominent names.

The list also saw a strong presence of goalkeepers from major European leagues in England, Spain, Italy, and Germany, reflecting the superiority of these schools in developing young talents.

The report concludes by highlighting that the limited Saudi presence underscores the gap with Europe, despite the emergence of Al-Shanqeeti as a promising talent capable of establishing himself in the future.