World Cup 2026 Golden Glove: Winner, Contenders, and Full Award History
Unai Simon of Spain has won the World Cup 2026 Golden Glove, the best goalkeeper award of the FIFA World Cup 2026. FIFA confirmed the winner at the trophy ceremony after Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time in the Final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026.
Simon finished the tournament with a record seven clean sheets and a single goal conceded in eight matches, the strongest goalkeeping campaign in World Cup history. This page carries his winning numbers, how the other contenders finished, and every past winner of the award since 1994.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Glove Quick Facts
| Award | Golden Glove (best goalkeeper of the tournament) |
| Tournament | FIFA World Cup 2026 (United States, Mexico, Canada) |
| Winner | Unai Simon (Spain) |
| Winning numbers | 7 clean sheets and 1 goal conceded in 8 matches, both the best ever by a champion |
| Decided by | FIFA Technical Study Group |
| Presented | After the Final, July 19, 2026, MetLife Stadium |
| First awarded | 1994 (as the Lev Yashin Award) |
| Renamed Golden Glove | 2010 |
| Total winners | 9 (no goalkeeper has won twice) |
World Cup 2026 Golden Glove Winner: Unai Simon
FIFA presented the Golden Glove to Unai Simon after Spain’s 1-0 extra time win over Argentina, sealed by Ferran Torres. The 29 year old Athletic Club goalkeeper kept a seventh clean sheet in the Final to complete the best defensive record a world champion has ever produced. Spain conceded one goal in the entire tournament, the fewest by any World Cup winner.
Simon’s seven clean sheets broke the single tournament record of five shared by Fabien Barthez (1998), Oliver Kahn (2002), Gianluigi Buffon (2006), and Iker Casillas (2010). His only concession came in the 2-1 quarterfinal win over Belgium, which ended a shutout streak of 649 minutes, also the longest in World Cup history.
He is the ninth different winner of the award and the second Spaniard after Casillas in 2010, which makes Spain the third nation with two winners alongside Germany and Belgium.
What is the Golden Glove?
The Golden Glove is one of the three main individual honors at the FIFA World Cup, alongside the Golden Ball for the best player and the Golden Boot for the top scorer. It recognizes the goalkeeper who performed best across the whole tournament.
The award began at the 1994 World Cup as the Lev Yashin Award, named after the legendary Soviet goalkeeper. FIFA renamed it the Golden Glove from the 2010 edition, and Adidas unveiled a redesigned trophy for 2026.
How the Winner is Decided
The FIFA Technical Study Group, a panel of coaches and analysts who review every match, selects the winner. There is no media or public vote. The panel weighs clean sheets, decisive saves, the stage of the matches, and a goalkeeper’s overall influence on his team’s run. If goalkeepers are tied, the award goes to the one who progressed furthest in the tournament, then to the most saves, then to the most minutes played.
Depth of run mattered in 2026. Under the expanded format with 48 teams, the two finalists played eight matches, and Simon used every one of them to build the strongest case the panel has ever reviewed.
How the 2026 Contenders Finished
Unai Simon (Spain): Winner
Simon kept clean sheets in all three group games and in every knockout round except the quarterfinal against Belgium. He reached the Final with one goal conceded, then shut out Argentina, the highest scoring team of the tournament with 19 goals, to win the trophy and the award on the same night.
Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)
The 2022 winner went down with the performance of the night. Martinez made 10 saves against Spain, the most ever recorded in a World Cup Final, including a stoppage time stop on a Lamine Yamal free kick that forced extra time.
It was not enough for a repeat. Argentina had conceded in every knockout round before the Final, and no goalkeeper has ever won the Golden Glove twice.
Mike Maignan (France)
Maignan kept four clean sheets and anchored the French defense until Spain’s 2-0 semifinal win. England’s 6-4 victory over France in the third place match closed his tournament and ended any chance of a win from outside the Final, as Thibaut Courtois managed in 2018.
Jordan Pickford (England)
Pickford helped England reach the semifinals with two clean sheets before the 2-1 defeat to Argentina. England’s high scoring win over France for third place added little to a goalkeeping case.
Every Golden Glove Winner in History
| Year | Winner | Country | Team Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Michel Preud’homme | Belgium | Round of 16 |
| 1998 | Fabien Barthez | France | Champions |
| 2002 | Oliver Kahn | Germany | Runners-up |
| 2006 | Gianluigi Buffon | Italy | Champions |
| 2010 | Iker Casillas | Spain | Champions |
| 2014 | Manuel Neuer | Germany | Champions |
| 2018 | Thibaut Courtois | Belgium | Third place |
| 2022 | Emiliano Martinez | Argentina | Champions |
| 2026 | Unai Simon | Spain | Champions |
Barthez (1998) and Casillas (2010) each won with five clean sheets, a mark that stood until Simon’s seven in 2026. Germany, Belgium, and Spain each have two winners. Six of the nine winners lifted the World Cup in the same tournament, including five of the last six.
Golden Glove Records and Notable Facts
- Unai Simon’s seven clean sheets in 2026 are the most at a single World Cup, and his shutout streak of 649 minutes is the longest ever recorded.
- Spain conceded one goal in eight matches in 2026, the best defensive record by a World Cup champion.
- Oliver Kahn (2002) remains the only player to win the Golden Glove and the Golden Ball at the same World Cup. In 2026 the Golden Ball went to Simon’s teammate Rodri.
- Emiliano Martinez (2022) is the only winner from outside Europe. His 10 saves against Spain in the 2026 Final are the most in any World Cup Final.
- Spain joined Germany and Belgium as the only nations with two winners, through Iker Casillas (2010) and Unai Simon (2026).
Also Check:
FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Glove FAQ
Who won the Golden Glove at the World Cup 2026?
Unai Simon of Spain won the World Cup 2026 Golden Glove. He kept a record seven clean sheets and conceded one goal in eight matches as Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the Final on July 19, 2026.
How many clean sheets did Unai Simon keep at the 2026 World Cup?
Seven, the most by a goalkeeper at a single World Cup. The previous record of five was shared by Barthez, Kahn, Buffon, and Casillas. Simon also set the longest shutout streak in tournament history at 649 minutes.
How is the Golden Glove winner chosen?
The FIFA Technical Study Group selects the winner based on clean sheets, key saves, the stage of matches, and overall influence. Ties are broken by tournament progression, then saves, then minutes played.
Has any goalkeeper won the Golden Glove twice?
No. Nine different goalkeepers have won since 1994. Emiliano Martinez fell short of a repeat in 2026 despite making a record 10 saves in the Final against Spain.
Does the Golden Glove winner always come from the champion team?
Usually but not always. Six of the nine winners, including Unai Simon in 2026, played for the champion nation. Michel Preud’homme (1994) and Thibaut Courtois (2018) won after earlier exits.
Who won the other individual awards at the World Cup 2026?
Rodri of Spain won the Golden Ball as best player, Kylian Mbappe of France won the Golden Boot with 10 goals, and Spain defender Pau Cubarsi won the Young Player Award.
The World Cup 2026 Golden Glove went to the most dominant goalkeeping campaign the tournament has ever seen. Unai Simon’s record seven clean sheets, his shutout streak of 649 minutes, and a world title won with a single goal conceded set a standard that may stand for decades.
Simon becomes the ninth name on the all time list, joining Yashin Award and Golden Glove legends from Michel Preud’homme to Emiliano Martinez, and the second Spanish winner after Iker Casillas.
