Matz Sels

Key strength: Shot-stopping

Shot-stopper

Amid Nottingham Forest's precarious Premier League existence—perched 17th in the table and fighting for survival—the calm, experienced figure of Matz Sels has emerged as their most reliable performer. The 33-year-old Belgian goalkeeper has been an ever-present force this campaign, logging all 1,620 minutes across 18 appearances while wearing the #26 shirt. For a team navigating choppy waters, Sels' complete availability is worth its weight in gold. Valued at €7 million, the veteran shot-stopper arrived at the City Ground in February 2024 and has since established himself as the defensive anchor Nuno Espírito Santo trusts implicitly. Behind a backline featuring Murillo and Nikola Milenković, Sels' commanding positioning and 72-rated physical presence provide the stability a relegation-threatened side desperately needs. With zero goals conceded directly from his errors and a traditional goalkeeper's discipline—evidenced by just three yellow cards in a high-pressure environment—Sels embodies the experience that separates staying up from going down. As Forest battle to extend their unlikely Premier League fairytale into a third consecutive season, their Belgian last line of defense remains their most certain constant.