The Golden Glove — officially the Adidas Golden Glove — is the award for the best goalkeeper at the World Cup. It recognizes the shot-stopper who made the biggest defensive contribution to their team's run in the tournament.
How It Is Decided
The Golden Glove is voted on by FIFA's Technical Study Group at the end of the tournament. Unlike the Golden Boot, there is no single statistical formula — the panel weighs clean sheets, saves made, save percentage, and overall contribution to the team's performance. A goalkeeper who leads their country to the final on the strength of their saves is the archetypical winner.
Famous Winners
Oliver Kahn (2002 despite Germany losing the final), Gianluigi Buffon (2006), Iker Casillas (2010), Manuel Neuer (2014 — widely considered the best goalkeeper performance in World Cup history), and Emiliano Martínez (2022) are among the most notable winners. Neuer's 2014 award helped popularize the concept of the 'sweeper keeper' — a goalkeeper who acts as an extra defender.
At WC26, Emiliano Martínez (Argentina), Alisson Becker (Brazil), Yann Sommer (Switzerland), and the emerging talents from co-host nations will all be contenders for the Golden Glove. The expanded format means more saves, more big moments, and more opportunities for a goalkeeper to define a tournament.
