Guys, now that the World Cup hangover is over, it's time to rate the ones who saved our asses. Because yes, the forwards get the spotlight, but without a dude under the posts acting like a boss, you don't lift a trophy. I've crunched the numbers for the four goalkeepers who stood out the most (according to official FIFA and Opta stats) and it's tighter than a penalty in the 90th minute.
Here's the table with what they did during the tournament:
Goalkeeper (Country) | Total saves | Save % | Clean sheets | Goals conceded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unai Simón (ESP) | 22 | 78.6% | 4 | 6 |
Emiliano Martínez (ARG) | 19 | 70.4% | 3 | 8 |
Dominik Livakovic (CRO) | 26 | 79.0% | 2 | 7 |
Giorgi Mamardashvili (GEO) | 24 | 82.8% | 1 | 5 |
You see, Mamardashvili was everywhere but Georgia didn't get past the round of 16. Livakovic was a wall, but it broke in the semifinals against Spain. And then there's the direct duel: Unai vs Dibu. One with 4 clean sheets and the other with 3, but the Argentine has the penalty bonus in the final.
Here's the clean sheet chart, which for me is the most important stat in a short tournament:
Clean sheets in the 2026 World Cup
Unai Simón
4E. Martínez
3Livakovic
2Mamardashvili
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Now I ask you, who have been discussing everything for weeks except the ones who keep the ball out. Who deserves the 2026 Golden Glove?
{"title":"The best goalkeeper of the 2026 World Cup?","options":["Unai Simón (ESP)","Emiliano Martínez (ARG)","
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