Who is the best goalkeeper in football (soccer) who is playing this 2014 FIFA World Cup?

Gianluigi Buffon , the Italian captain.

It's really hard to name one person as 'the best' at any position in football these days including the position of a goalkeeper. So I'm naming here some of the underrated ones along with some popular names from the WC squads who in my opinion are the best namely, Asmir Begovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Fraser Forster (England) Keylor Navas (Costa Rica) Thibaut Courtois (Belgium) Iker Casillas / David de Gea (Spain) Tim Krul (Netherlands) Fernando Muslera (Uruguay) Gianluigi Buffon / Mattia Perin (Italy) Hugo Lloris (France) Manuel Neuer / Roman Weidenfeller (Germany) Rui Patricio (Portugal) Tim Howard (USA) Igor Akinfeev (Russia) P.S.  Some people seem to think that Courtois is the best (given the fact that they haven't named Neuer, Lloris etc alongside him) but I beg to differ. The reason being that he is just 21 and still has lots to offer. No doubt that he possess great reflexes (and is also very tall) with his stats showing you more clean sheets, less goals conceded etc. but one should take into account the quality of defence infront of the GK (Atletico's defence is one of the best). From what I have observed in La Liga and in UCL, Courtois' inability to handle the ball properly and even positioning sometimes (during Alderweireld own goal against Zenit, against Espanyol) had put his club in risky situations on quite a few occasions.

There's a-plenty, and it's hard to pick who is best. If I had to make a ranking, it might be: Manuel Neuer - Germany Iker Casillas - Spain Thibault Courtois - Belgium David de Gea - Spain Gianluigi Buffon - Italy Roman Weidenfeller - Germany

If the question was framed in a different context, the answer would have been either one among Gianluigi Buffon or Iker Casillas. Both of them in the prime of their career were better than every keeper playing in the world cup. (including their present self) But considering the performance in the just concluding season, the best goalkeeper playing in the world cup is the Belgian Thibaut Courtois. Performance playing for Atheletico Madrid (Image Source http://www.transfermarkt.com/) One look at these statistics and you know it's time to rest the case. 24 goals conceded in 3330 minutes of top flight football (see the ratio) with 20 clean sheets. (Among other keepers Buffon somewhat matches the clean sheet number but then the defensive dynamics of Serie A are much different than La Liga)

Courtois and Muslera are easy answers - but keep your eye on Jasper Cillessen....

Gianluigi Buffon no doubt. This man has a tendency to make breathtaking saves during crucial stages of a match. The Azzuris play a defensive style of football and it is in this style of play that the role of a goalkeeper assumes significance.

He is Guillermo Ochoa with no doubt ! incredible saves !