守门员是足球队、手球队、曲棍球、水球和棍网球的重要角色，主要工作是在比赛中用身体各部分（如手、脚）或辅助工具（如曲棍球的球棍）阻止对方球员攻入己方的球门。

足球比赛的守门员是唯一能用手触球的球员，但只限在禁区内，否则被视为犯规。守门员比赛服装须与己方球员不同，以便分辨身分。毫无疑问，守门员是场上承受压力最大、也是最关键的位置。所有队员都可以出现错误，惟独守门员的失误可导致比赛失利。对守门员的信任感是创建在避免出现失误和惊险扑救的基础之上。优秀守门员应不被失误所困扰，并从中吸取经验教训。一次失误或一次惊险扑救，绝不是判断守门员能力的唯一标准。但最基本要素是，必须身手敏捷、反应迅速，有判断力及有良好的扑救技术。此外，弹跳力和高大的身材也是一个优势。

In many team sports which involve scoring goals, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by inte****ting shots at goal. Such positions exist in hurling, association football, Gaelic football, international rules football, handball, field hockey, ice hockey, water polo, bandy, rink bandy, lacrosse, floorball, and other sports.