Kasper Schmeichel deserved to finish as the world’s best goalkeeper, says Claude Puel

Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel deserved to be named the world’s best in his position, says Claude Puel.

The Dane had been nominated for FIFA’s Best Goalkeeper award alongside Tottenham Hotspur’s Hugo Lloris and Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, but it was the Belgian who eventually took home the prize.

For Puel, it was Schmeichel who deserved the accolade more than anyone else, though he does respect the final outcome.

Speaking of the same, he said:

"“I think Schmeichel deserves to finish the best goalkeeper in the world.“He didn’t win this good reward but he deserved it.“It is a good reward to participate in this award and finish in the top three goalkeepers in the world. It is a fantastic feeling for him, a good reward, and perhaps he deserved to win, but we have to respect the votes of course.”"

As well as being consistent as ever for Leicester last season, the 31-year old was easily the best player on show for Denmark at the FIFA World Cup, keeping clean sheets against Peru and France before producing the display of his life against Croatia.

His side may have eventually lost the penalty shoot-out (3-2) that night, but it won’t have got to that stage had the Leicester shot-stopper not denied Luka Modric deep into extra time. He later made a couple more saves in the shoot-out.

Maybe Schmeichel would have been a worthy winner, after all? Fans of other clubs would always disagree, but if you look at how long has he been performing at the very top level despite having to play with the Foxes’ erratic defence, the only conclusion you draw is that he is one of world’s finest bulwarks. Hopefully, we’d again be able to see why when Leicester travel to the St. James’ Park to possibly inflict more pain on Newcastle United.

The last time Puel’s side paid a visit to Tyneside, they played out a 3-2 thriller, with Ayoze Perez scoring an own goal to gift his guests the three points.