TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Goalkeepers played a crucial role throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, producing match-winning saves, penalty heroics and standout performances. Some of the biggest names made huge contributions, and some stoppers we weren’t familiar with last month had breakthrough performances.
Here are the 10 best goalkeepers of the 2026 World Cup, according to Planet Football.
10 Best Goalkeepers of the 2026 World Cup
1. Vozinha (Cape Verde)
Vozinha became one of the biggest stories of the World Cup. The Cape Verde goalkeeper impressed with seven saves in a stunning clean sheet against Spain and produced another brilliant display against Argentina, including eight saves while facing Lionel Messi.
2. Unai Simon (Spain)
Unai Simon played a key role in Spain’s World Cup triumph, conceding just one goal and setting a record with 650 minutes without conceding. His positioning and ability to control space helped Spain maintain their high defensive line.
3. Diogo Costa (Portugal)
Diogo Costa was crucial to Portugal’s campaign, recording the tournament’s best save percentage among goalkeepers who faced significant pressure. Costa was named Man of the Match in the goalless draw with Colombia, but he arguably played his best game in the win over Croatia. Even in the loss to Spain, he made five saves on six shots.
4. Orlando Gill (Uruguay)
Orlando Gill enjoyed a breakthrough World Cup, producing standout performances after Uruguay’s opening defeat. He made several important saves, including in the knockout stage, and gained attention as one of the tournament’s surprise stars.
5. Gregor Kobel (Switzerland)
Gregor Kobel helped Switzerland reach their first quarter-final since 1954 with several decisive saves. His penalty shootout heroics and consistent performances made him one of the tournament’s top goalkeepers. The Dortmund goalkeeper made several impressive saves during 120 minutes before producing a crucial stop in the penalty shootout.
6. Patrick Beach (Australia)
Patrick Beach emerged as a surprise performer after being selected as Australia’s starting goalkeeper. He impressed with confident displays, making important saves throughout his World Cup debut. Beach looked like an international veteran in his first four matches, making impressive saves on his World Cup debut against Turkey and providing a reliable presence against the United States and Paraguay.
7. Zion Suzuki (Japan)
Zion Suzuki strengthened his reputation with impressive performances for Japan. His shot-stopping ability, composure in possession, and command of the penalty area highlighted his potential. Suzuki showcased his quality across four matches, most notably against Brazil, where he denied Vinicius Jr. with a stunning save and narrowly missed stopping Gabriel Martinelli’s late winner.
8. Yassine Bounou (Morocco)
Yassine Bounou continued his reputation as a penalty specialist, making four penalty saves during the tournament. He was also outstanding in open play, including a six-save performance against France.
9. Mostafa Shobeir (Egypt)
Mostafa Shobeir produced a memorable World Cup campaign, saving Lionel Messi’s penalty and becoming only the fourth goalkeeper to save two penalties in a single tournament.
10. Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)
Emiliano Martinez had a quieter tournament compared to his 2022 heroics but remained important for Argentina’s run to the final. He made 11 saves in the final despite playing through a finger injury.
The 2026 World Cup highlighted the importance of elite goalkeeping, with established names and unexpected heroes making decisive contributions. From Vozinha’s historic performances to Simon’s record-breaking consistency, these goalkeepers proved their value on football’s biggest stage.
Read: 2026 World Cup: Ranking the 10 Best Players
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