The World Cup Golden Glove is awarded to the best goalkeeper of each FIFA World Cup, selected by FIFA's Technical Study Group across the whole tournament rather than on clean sheets alone. Spain's Unai Simon is the current holder, named the outstanding keeper of the 2026 finals in North America after conceding just one goal in eight matches.
The prize was introduced at the 1994 World Cup in the United States and originally carried the name of Lev Yashin, the Soviet great who remains the only goalkeeper to win the Ballon d'Or. FIFA renamed it the Golden Glove from the 2010 tournament onwards. It sits alongside the World Cup Golden Ball and Golden Boot as one of the finals' three headline individual honours.
Golden Glove: key facts
- First awarded
- 1994 (Michel Preud'homme)
- Current holder
- Unai Simon, Spain (2026)
- Selected by
- FIFA Technical Study Group
- Former name
- Lev Yashin Award (1994 to 2006)
- Most wins by nation
- Belgium, Germany, Spain (2 each)
- Two-time winners
- None
The full list below runs from 1930 for reference. FIFA only began presenting the award in 1994, so entries before that year are widely cited retrospective selections of each tournament's standout goalkeeper rather than official Golden Glove or Yashin Award winners.
FIFA World Cup Finals 1930 to 2026 Golden Glove Award
The official award: 1994 to today
Nine goalkeepers have won the honour since it was first handed out. Belgium's Michel Preud'homme took the inaugural award in 1994, followed by France's Fabien Barthez in 1998 and Germany's Oliver Kahn in 2002, the only winner to date whose team lost the final. Gianluigi Buffon (2006), Iker Casillas (2010), Manuel Neuer (2014), Thibaut Courtois (2018), Emiliano Martinez (2022) and Unai Simon (2026) complete the roll of honour.
The award has closely tracked success. Six of the nine winners also lifted the trophy in the same summer: Barthez, Buffon, Casillas, Neuer, Martinez and Simon. It rewards a full tournament of goalkeeping, which is why a decisive save in the closing stages so often features. Buffon in 2006, Casillas in 2010 and Martinez in 2022 all produced a crucial stop in the final itself.
2026: Unai Simon caps a record defence
Unai Simon anchored the meanest defence any World Cup winner has ever fielded. Spain conceded a single goal across eight matches on the way to the title, and the goalkeeper kept seven clean sheets, so complete was Spain's control that he did not have to make a save in the final against Argentina. You can read the full story of the win on our report on how Spain won the 2026 World Cup.
2022: Martinez breaks new ground
Emiliano Martinez became the first Argentine and the first South American goalkeeper to win the award in 2022, capped by a stunning extra-time save to deny Randal Kolo Muani in the Qatar final before Argentina prevailed on penalties.
Records and trivia
No goalkeeper has ever won the Golden Glove more than once, a reflection of how much the balance of a World Cup shifts between cycles. Three nations share the record of two wins: Belgium through Preud'homme and Courtois, Germany through Kahn and Neuer, and Spain, who joined that group when Simon followed Casillas. France, Italy and Argentina have one winner each.
The award's original name honoured Lev Yashin, who died in March 1990. Yashin was called up to four World Cups between 1958 and 1970, played at three of them, and helped the Soviet Union to fourth place in 1966. For a fuller sense of the tournament's history you can browse every result on our list of FIFA World Cup final matches, or catch up on the rest of the coverage in the 2026 World Cup section.
World Cup Golden Glove: FAQs
Quick answers to the questions asked most about the World Cup's award for the best goalkeeper, covering the current holder, the award's history and the all-time records.
What is the World Cup Golden Glove award?
The Golden Glove is presented to the best goalkeeper of a FIFA World Cup finals. The winner is chosen by FIFA's Technical Study Group on the basis of performances across the whole tournament, taking in clean sheets, key saves and overall command, rather than clean sheets alone.
Who won the Golden Glove at the 2026 World Cup?
Spain's Unai Simon won the 2026 Golden Glove. He conceded only one goal in eight matches and kept seven clean sheets as Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final to win the title.
When was the first World Cup Golden Glove awarded?
The award was first presented at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, where Belgium's Michel Preud'homme was the inaugural winner. Selections listed for tournaments before 1994 are retrospective picks of the best goalkeeper, not official awards.
Why was it called the Yashin Award?
From 1994 to 2006 the prize was named after Lev Yashin, the Soviet goalkeeper widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time and the only keeper to win the Ballon d'Or. FIFA renamed it the Golden Glove from the 2010 tournament.
Has any goalkeeper won the World Cup Golden Glove twice?
No. Every one of the nine winners since 1994 has been a different goalkeeper, and no player has retained or reclaimed the award.
Which countries have won the most Golden Gloves?
Belgium, Germany and Spain lead with two wins each. Belgium won through Michel Preud'homme and Thibaut Courtois, Germany through Oliver Kahn and Manuel Neuer, and Spain through Iker Casillas and Unai Simon. France, Italy and Argentina have one winner apiece.
