Alious
Nottingham Forest’s remarkable 2024/25 campaign has left many pundits eating their words—but perhaps none more than Jeff Stelling, who has performed a complete U-turn on his assessment of one player in particular.
As the Premier League season draws to a close and the awards discussions heat up, several Forest players have rightfully entered the spotlight. Michael Owen included three Reds stars in his Team of the Season, while Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood are in the running for Player of the Season. Even manager Nuno Espírito Santo has been nominated for Manager of the Season, reflecting the club’s dramatic rise.
But while Forest’s success story is filled with standout performances, it’s goalkeeper **Matz Sels** who has stunned critics the most—especially **Jeff Stelling**, who previously labelled the Belgian international as the **“worst goalkeeper in the Premier League.”** Now, he admits he couldn’t have been more wrong.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Stelling offered a surprising mea culpa:
> “At the beginning of the season, I said live on air that Sels was probably the worst in the league. But now? He’s undoubtedly been the best. Absolutely exceptional.”
Sels, whose underwhelming stint at Newcastle once cast doubts on his Premier League pedigree, has since silenced all critics. Under Espírito Santo’s guidance, the 32-year-old has played a pivotal role in Forest’s success, with standout saves and composure that have transformed him into one of the division’s elite shot-stoppers.
Even opposition coaches have taken notice. Arne Slot recently praised the Belgian’s influence, adding to the growing consensus that Sels belongs at the top tier of Premier League goalkeepers.
**Statistically, Sels backs up the hype**. With a **74.2% save rate**, he’s among the best in Europe, ranking in the **top 12%** of goalkeepers across the continent’s top five leagues, according to FBref. He shares a spot at the top of the **Golden Glove** leaderboard with Arsenal’s David Raya, keeping clean sheets in **over a third (35.1%) of his matches**.
Former coach **Will Still** has also acknowledged Sels’ evolution, crediting his composure and consistency as a major asset for Forest. And as the Reds prepare to bolster their squad for a European campaign, they can do so with confidence in the man between the posts.
What began as a gamble has paid off tremendously for Forest—and for Sels, redemption has never looked so sweet.
Alious
