Debate: Is Claudio Bravo a world-class goalkeeper?

It's as if Claudio Bravo was possessed by expert penalty thwarters Jean-Marie Pfaff or Mickael Landreau.

Bravo, who couldn't catch the Metrolink in his first season at Manchester City, palmed out three spot kicks in the Confederations Cup' semi-finals to single-handedly send Chile to the final at Portugal's expense. It leaves the product of CSD Colo-Colo with the chance to collect another major honour in a decorated career. But is the 34-year-old really that good? Is he - or has he ever been - a world-class goalkeeper?

Here, theScore's Carlo Campo and Daniel Rouse make the case for both sides of the argument.

Si, Bravo is still among the planet's best and was once a world-class 'keeper

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Campo: When Bravo saved Portugal's first three penalty kicks, it felt as though the Chilean 'keeper had redeemed himself for a shaky season at City. But the South American shot-stopper had no need for redemption. One poor campaign in the Premier League can't overshadow a career in which he captained Chile to the country's first-ever trophy, or a career where he was deemed to be good enough for Barcelona. To suggest otherwise is ignorant.

When it comes to Chile, it's easy to look at Bravo as the weakest link. La Roja boasts so much firepower and such a resilient defence that he isn't called into action all that often. But the country's golden generation would still be in search of its first crown if weren't for him.

With Chile developing a habit of beating the world's best national teams on penalties after playing out a scoreless draw, Bravo - an expert when it comes to shootouts - is integral to the formula.

After all, it was Bravo who used his reflexes to deny Sergio Aguero from point blank in the final of the 2015 Copa America, resulting in a penalty shootout in which he dived to block a shot from Ever Banega. It was Bravo who got a hand to Lucas Biglia's penalty in the final of the Copa America Centenario, paving the way for Argentina's title drought to live another day. And it was Bravo who stopped Portugal three times in the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup.

The fact that Bravo takes the pitch with the captain's armband can't be ignored. He is a leader for Chile, a country whose football longed for an identity before Marcelo Bielsa came along. La Roja's dressing room isn't easy to handle. The footballers have confessed such themselves. But he keeps a lid on the national team. At the Copa America Centenario, Juan Antonio Pizzi, the manager, said: "He's a leader on and off the field. For us he is fundamental."

Of course, there's also Bravo's footwork. It's the reason Pep Guardiola wanted to bring him to City. As demonstrated in Chile's victory over Portugal, he can be relied upon to play as a defender, allowing La Roja's defensive unit to press higher up the pitch and suffocate the opponent in the opponent's half. It's hard to find a 'keeper who's as comfortable with the ball at his feet.

Speaking after England fell to Chile in a friendly at Wembley Stadium in 2013, Roy Hodgson sung Bravo's praises, declaring: "It was the best demonstration of footwork and passing I've ever seen from a 'keeper."

Bravo is Chile's hands and feet, a national hero who ensured that the country's golden generation didn't go to waste, an expert in penalties, and a leader on and off the pitch. He may have regressed in the last year, but he will be remembered as a world-class 'keeper when all is said and done.

No, he can't hold down a place at City

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Rouse: Quoting Hodgson - who, with his friend Bobby Houghton, stifled individualism and let insipid, long-ball football reign in Scandinavia - is redundant. Only last summer, he had Harry Kane taking corners and stuffed stagnant Wayne Rooney into England's most demanding position. A goalkeeper doing something other than hoofing the ball vaguely in the direction of a bulky striker would leave Hodgson perplexed.

Granted, Bravo is good with his feet for a goalkeeper. While Joe Hart would've needlessly tapped the ball ahead of him several times - allowing opponents to regroup - before lofting a ball out of touch, Bravo's quick pass to the full-back would've already launched another attack.

This is nothing special today, though. Kasper Schmeichel hares off his line to intercept strikers, Jordan Pickford's instant release to the flanks is a valuable weapon, and Ederson Moraes - ultimately Bravo's replacement at City - has all the attributes required to be a world-class sweeper-keeper.

Then there's the prerequisite of Bravo's role. Like a starting MLB pitcher ravaged by blister issues or a hulking darts player giddy from free coffee refills down at his local greasy spoon, the Chilean is dodgy with his hands.

In one spell of three consecutive Premier League matches, Bravo conceded each of the seven shots on target he faced, and he announced himself at City by dropping the ball at the feet of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in a Manchester derby. That was just one of a catalogue of errors that followed.

He may be a leader internationally, but in English football he's been a hologram. Footballers playing out double lives when it comes to national team dominance and club floundering is nothing new - see Bravo's Chile teammate Eduardo Vargas.

There's a valid argument that Bravo is a good goalkeeper, but a world-class one? Rather than being in the who's-best-debate with elite shot-stoppers David de Gea and Manuel Neuer last season, the 34-year-old was squabbling for minutes with Willy Caballero.

You decide