)
The 2026 World Cup has come to an end. For over a month, some of the world’s most talented players put on a sporting spectacle packed with moments of magic, drama and triumph.
As we look back on these unforgettable weeks of football, our minds will no doubt turn to some of the incredible goals that defined the tournament – from the likes of Kylian Mbappé, who became the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer; Lionel Messi, who defied all the odds and pulled Argentina back from the brink of elimination on several occasions; Cristiano Ronaldo, who became the first player to score in six different World Cups… and the list goes on.
But, whilst strikers usually steal the show, the tournament wouldn’t be the same without some of the world’s most impressive defences and defensive organisation. These players do not take to the pitch with the aim of scoring goals, but rather to prevent their opponents from doing so, and in doing so they become some of the most important pillars of a winning team.
And when it comes to being a true wall, no position has produced more memorable performances than the last line of defence in any team: the goalkeepers.
In 2019, the Ballon d'Or ceremony introduced the Yashin Trophy.
Named in honour of the legendary Soviet goalkeeper Lev Yashin – the only player to have won the Ballon d'Or in that position – the award recognises the best goalkeeper of each season.
At this World Cup, 15 nominees for the Yashin Trophy, including some previous winners, travelled to North America to play for their national teams.
But how did they get on?
And who proved to be the most solid wall of them all?
Let’s find out.
Unai Simón (Spain)
It’s safe to say that no goalkeeper had a better 2026 World Cup than Unai Simón.
Spain’s manager, Luis de la Fuente, opted for the Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper as his first-choice, ahead of two other strong contenders: Arsenal’s David Raya and Barcelona’s Joan García.
The choice made sense. Simón already had experience with the national team, having started at the 2022 World Cup and helped Spain win the Nations League in 2023 and the European Championship in 2024.
Despite some criticism, de la Fuente’s faith in him was ultimately rewarded.
The 29-year-old goalkeeper, nominated for the Yashin Trophy in 2024, started all eight of Spain’s matches in the competition, making 351 touches in 750 minutes. During that period, he made 10 key saves and conceded just one goal.
That solitary goal, conceded against Belgium in the quarter-finals, brought to an end a run of 649 minutes without conceding a goal in the European Championship – the longest ever recorded by a goalkeeper in the tournament’s history.
During the tournament, Simón not only had the highest number of clean sheets among goalkeepers, but also recorded an 80 per cent pass completion rate. His 197 successful passes were the highest total among all players on this list.
As for long passes, his success rate stood at 48 per cent.
For his extraordinary efforts, which helped guide Spain to their second World Cup title, Simón was awarded the tournament’s Golden Glove.
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina)
When discussing Argentina’s extraordinary achievements over the past five years, it is impossible not to mention Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez.
The goalkeeper has become one of the mainstays of the Albiceleste’s defence, winning two Copa América titles and Argentina’s first World Cup title in 36 years, in 2022. Many consider his performance in the final – which earned him the tournament’s Golden Glove – to have been decisive in securing the long-awaited title for Lionel Messi, winner of eight Ballon d’Or awards.
With his charismatic personality and dedication to the national team, Martínez has already won two Yashin Trophies, in 2023 and 2024, as well as earning four nominations for the award. He has also received two nominations for the ‘Ballon d'Or’.
Despite so many achievements, this was only his second World Cup as Argentina’s first-choice goalkeeper.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper led his national team to their second consecutive final in the competition, making 299 saves in 810 minutes.
Although he conceded eight goals, he also made 20 saves throughout the tournament – the highest number among the goalkeepers on this list, tied with Switzerland’s Gregor Kobel. Of these, no fewer than 11 came in the final, despite the defeat to Spain.
Martínez had a pass completion rate of 74 per cent and a long-ball success rate of 37 per cent.
Mike Maignan (France)
Before the tournament began, many people tipped France as the clear favourites to win the title.
This expectation stemmed not only from the ‘Bleus’ formidable attack – which featured Ousmane Dembélé, last year’s winner of the ‘Ballon d'Or’, and Kylian Mbappé, an eight-time nominee for the award – but also from the defence, led by Mike Maignan, Milan’s star goalkeeper.
The 31-year-old goalkeeper missed the 2022 World Cup due to injury. As a result, this was his first World Cup as France’s first-choice goalkeeper, taking over from Hugo Lloris in the position.
Maignan, who has already been nominated three times for the Yashin Trophy and once for the Ballon d'Or, started all eight of France’s matches in the tournament, making 250 saves in 720 minutes.
However, he failed to live up to expectations in the competition, as did the French team as a whole.
Although he made 13 key saves during the tournament, he also conceded 10 goals – the highest number among the goalkeepers on this list. Six of those came in a single match: the third-place play-off, in which France lost 6–4 to England.
Even so, Maignan also had his moments of brilliance. He was the first goalkeeper to save a penalty in this World Cup, denying Norway’s Jørgen Strand Larsen in the group stage match between the two sides.
During the World Cup, Maignan had an average pass completion rate of 78 per cent and a long-ball success rate of 38 per cent.
Yassine Bounou (Morocco)
Yassine Bounou, affectionately nicknamed “Bono”, is already a hero for the Moroccan national team. Earlier this year, he helped the “Atlas Lions” win the country’s second Africa Cup of Nations title with decisive defensive performances.
The Al-Hilal goalkeeper is one of only two Moroccans in history to have been nominated for the ‘Ballon d'Or’, alongside national team captain Achraf Hakimi.
Bounou has also received three nominations for the Yashin Trophy.
This was his second Africa Cup of Nations as first-choice goalkeeper. In 2022, he was a key figure in the historic campaign that saw the country become the first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Morocco were unable to repeat that feat in this tournament, being knocked out by France in the quarter-finals, but Bounou once again stood out with some superb performances.
The 35-year-old goalkeeper made 242 touches across six matches and 570 minutes, conceding six goals but also making 15 key saves throughout the tournament.
)
During the World Cup, Bounou had a pass completion rate of 66 per cent and a success rate of 10 per cent for long passes.
His best performance of the tournament came in the knockout match against the Netherlands. After the match ended in a draw in extra time, the tie was decided on penalties, and he became the hero by saving Crysencio Summerville’s spot-kick with his left hand to send Morocco through to the round of 16.
Despite the defeat to France, Bounou also saved a penalty from Kylian Mbappé during the match. In doing so, he became the first Moroccan goalkeeper to save a penalty during normal time in a World Cup match – an even more impressive feat considering that Mbappé is the tournament’s all-time top scorer, with 22 goals – 10 of which were scored in this edition.
With this save, Bounou has now conceded a goal in only two of the nine penalties he has faced at World Cups.
Gregor Kobel (Switzerland)
This was the first World Cup in which Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel took over as first-choice goalkeeper for the Swiss national team, replacing Yann Sommer, a two-time nominee for the Yashin Trophy.
Kobel had a difficult task ahead of him. After all, Sommer is a legendary veteran and one of Switzerland’s most-capped players.
Kobel, who has already been nominated for the Yashin Trophy once, lived up to expectations. In six matches and 600 minutes on the pitch, the 28-year-old goalkeeper made 288 touches and 20 saves – the highest number on this list, alongside Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez.
After the round of 16 tie between Switzerland and Colombia went to penalties, Kobel saved Cucho Hernández’s spot-kick and, in dramatic fashion, secured the team’s place in the quarter-finals for the first time in 72 years.
Even so, he also conceded six goals during the tournament.
Kobel had a pass completion rate of 74 per cent and a long-pass success rate of 36 per cent.
Even with fewer matches under his belt, his statistics are very similar to those of Emi Martínez in virtually every respect.
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)
When discussing the greatest goalkeepers of the century, it is impossible not to mention Thibaut Courtois.
The 34-year-old veteran is one of the cornerstones of Real Madrid’s recent successes, having helped the club win three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues, amongst other trophies. He was also one of the leading figures in Belgium’s so-called ‘golden generation’, which achieved a historic third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup.
For his impeccable defensive performances, Courtois won the Yashin Trophy in 2022.
In total, he has received four nominations for the award, as well as three nominations for the ‘Ballon d'Or’.
This was his fourth World Cup as a first-choice goalkeeper for Belgium.
The Real Madrid star started all six of the “Red Devils’” matches in the tournament, making 226 saves in 551 minutes. With 19 World Cup appearances, he is now the third-most capped goalkeeper in the competition’s history, behind only Manuel Neuer, with 23, and Hugo Lloris, with 20.
During that period, Courtois conceded six goals but made 14 saves.
Belgium were eventually knocked out by Spain in the quarter-finals. The Spanish side only scored the winning goal after Courtois had to be substituted in the 26th minute of the second half due to injury. From the bench, he watched as substitute Senne Lammens made a mistake that allowed Mikel Merino to score the goal that took Spain through.
During the World Cup, Courtois had a pass completion rate of 71 per cent and a long-ball success rate of 39 per cent. His 34 successful long balls were the highest total among all the goalkeepers on this list.
Diogo Costa (Portugal)
Diogo Costa was nominated for the Yashin Trophy in 2024 and travelled to North America to play in his second World Cup as Portugal’s first-choice goalkeeper.
The Porto goalkeeper played in all five of the national team’s matches in the tournament, making 162 touches in 450 minutes.
He made 19 saves and conceded just three goals, but Portugal were eventually knocked out in the quarter-finals by Spain, the tournament winners.
Alisson (Brazil)
Alisson has been Brazil’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for several years and helped the country win the Copa América in 2019, their most recent major international title.
Nominated three times for the Yashin Trophy, he won the first edition of the award in 2019 and has also received two nominations for the ‘Ballon d'Or’.
This was his third World Cup as a starter for the Brazilian national team.
The Liverpool star started all five of Brazil’s matches in the tournament and made 156 touches in 450 minutes.
Despite making 14 key saves throughout the competition, he also conceded four goals, which ultimately contributed to Brazil’s elimination in the knockout stages against Erling Haaland’s Norway.
During the World Cup, Alisson had a pass completion rate of 77 per cent and a long-pass success rate of 24 per cent.
Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Few players arrived at this World Cup with a track record as successful as Manuel Neuer’s.
The German goalkeeper, a three-time nominee for the Yashin Trophy, has also received five nominations for the Ballon d'Or and finished third in the 2014 vote, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
A Bayern Munich legend, Neuer is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in history and played a pivotal role in Germany’s fourth – and most recent – World Cup triumph in 2014, when he also won the Golden Glove.
This was his fifth World Cup as a first-choice goalkeeper for the national team.
Germany’s campaign, however, fell short of expectations, with just two wins from four matches.
In total, Neuer made 142 saves in 390 minutes during the tournament.
Despite finishing with the best averages on the list for both pass completion (93 per cent) and long passes (77 per cent), he was unable to keep Germany’s dream alive. He made five saves and conceded five goals throughout the tournament.
The veteran saved Fabián Balbuena’s penalty in the shoot-out of the knockout match against Paraguay, but it was the South American side that progressed, knocking Germany out and securing their place in the round of 16.
Despite the bitter elimination, the match went down in Neuer’s history. At 40 years and 94 days, he became the oldest player to represent Germany. Furthermore, he made his 23rd World Cup appearance for the national team – the most by any goalkeeper in the tournament’s history.
)
Following Germany’s elimination, Neuer officially announced his retirement from the national team as the fifth-most capped player for his country, with 128 appearances. Ahead of him are only Lothar Matthäus (150), Miroslav Klose (137), Thomas Müller (131) and Lukas Podolski (130).
Dominik Livaković (Croatia)
Dominik Livaković is already a household name in international football thanks to his consistent performances for Croatia. He played a key role in the national team’s historic victory over Brazil at the 2022 World Cup and, the following year, was nominated for the Yashin Trophy.
This was his second World Cup as Croatia’s first-choice goalkeeper.
The Fenerbahçe goalkeeper started all four of Croatia’s matches in the tournament, making 149 saves in 360 minutes.
During that period, he made 10 saves but also conceded seven goals – a high tally that ultimately sealed Croatia’s elimination at the hands of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
During the World Cup, Livaković had a pass completion rate of 74 per cent and a long-pass success rate of 45 per cent.
Ronwen Williams (South Africa)
Ronwen Williams, of Mamelodi Sundowns, was one of the standout performers in South Africa’s campaign at this tournament.
The experienced 34-year-old goalkeeper helped his national team secure third place at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and was nominated for the Yashin Trophy the following year.
As South Africa had not competed in a World Cup since 2010, when they hosted the tournament, this was the first of Williams’ career.
Despite conceding four goals in four matches, Williams made 11 key saves, helping South Africa reach the knockout stages.
During the World Cup, Williams had a pass completion rate of 70 per cent and a long-pass success rate of 37 per cent.
Édouard Mendy (Senegal)
Édouard Mendy is already, without a doubt, a hero of the Senegalese national team. He helped the country win its first Africa Cup of Nations in 2021 and has also received two nominations for the Yashin Trophy.
This was his second World Cup as a first-team regular for the “Lions of Teranga”.
Senegal played four matches in this tournament, but Mendy took to the pitch in only two. In the 18th minute of the second half of the team’s second match, against Norway, he suffered a knee injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the competition, with substitute Mory Diaw coming on in his place.
In total, Mendy made 71 touches in just 153 minutes at the World Cup.
During this short period, the experienced Al-Ahli goalkeeper conceded six goals, but also made eight key saves.
Mendy had an 81 per cent pass completion rate and a 50 per cent success rate for long passes.
Brice Samba (France) / David Raya (Spain) / Ederson (Brazil)
Finally, it is worth mentioning these three goalkeepers, all of whom were called up for the 2026 World Cup but ended the tournament without taking to the pitch.
Brice Samba, of Rennes, who was nominated for the Yashin Trophy in 2023, was not used by France during the campaign, as Didier Deschamps kept Mike Maignan as his first-choice goalkeeper.
David Raya, of Arsenal, had an incredible season for the club and received his first nomination for the Yashin Trophy last year. However, Spain’s manager, Luis de la Fuente, retained his faith in Unai Simón as the first-choice goalkeeper for the team that would go on to win the World Cup.
Fenerbahçe’s Ederson, who spent several years winning titles under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, has also been nominated four times for the Yashin Trophy, but was not selected by Carlo Ancelotti for Brazil’s campaign at this World Cup.
Finally, Mexico’s 41-year-old Guillermo Ochoa also deserves a mention. Although he does not feature on this list as he has never been nominated for the Yashin Trophy, he was nominated for the ‘Ballon d'Or’ back in 2007. Even without playing a single minute in the tournament, he became one of only three players in history to have been selected for six World Cups, alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
And that’s it.
That was the performance of the former nominees and winners of the Yashin Trophy at the 2026 World Cup.
To round off, take a look at some rankings featuring the individual statistics of these goalkeepers.
Which Yashin Trophy nominee played the most minutes at the 2026 World Cup?
-
Emiliano Martínez – 810 minutes
-
Unai Simón – 750 minutes
-
Mike Maignan – 720 minutes
-
Gregor Kobel – 600 minutes
-
Yassine Bounou – 570 minutes
-
Thibaut Courtois – 551 minutes
-
Alisson / Diogo Costa – 450 minutes
-
Manuel Neuer – 390 minutes
-
Dominik Livaković / Ronwen Williams – 360 minutes
-
Édouard Mendy – 153 minutes
-
Brice Samba / David Raya / Ederson – 0 minutes (did not take to the pitch)
Which Yashin Trophy nominee had the best average number of saves per match at the 2026 World Cup?
-
Diogo Costa – an average of 4 saves per match
-
Alisson / Dominik Livaković / Emiliano Martínez / Gregor Kobel / Ronwen Williams / Yassine Bounou – average of 3 saves per match
-
Édouard Mendy / Mike Maignan / Thibaut Courtois – average of 2 saves per match
-
Manuel Neuer / Unai Simón – an average of 1 save per match
Which Yashin Trophy nominee had the best average number of goals conceded per match at the 2026 World Cup?
-
Unai Simón – an average of 0 goals conceded per match
-
Alisson / Diogo Costa / Emiliano Martínez / Gregor Kobel / Manuel Neuer / Mike Maignan / Ronwen Williams / Thibaut Courtois / Yassine Bounou – average of 1 goal conceded per match
-
Dominik Livaković / Édouard Mendy – an average of 2 goals conceded per match
